Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Skillet Pasta (Print Version)

One-pan pasta with diced bell peppers, browned meat, tomatoes and melted mozzarella for an easy weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large bell peppers (red and/or green), diced
02 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Meat

04 - 1 pound ground beef or turkey

→ Pantry Staples

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 8 ounces short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells)
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Dairy

14 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh parsley or basil, chopped (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes with juice, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
05 - Pour in the short pasta and broth. Stir to combine, ensuring the pasta is submerged in the liquid as much as possible.
06 - Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pan means you wash exactly one skillet and maybe a cutting board, which is the real victory on busy nights.
  • It tastes exactly like stuffed peppers but with none of the careful stuffing and baking gymnastics.
  • The cheese pull when you lift the lid off the skillet will make everyone in your kitchen stop talking mid sentence.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid constantly while the pasta simmers because every peek lets steam escape and the pasta needs that moisture to cook through properly.
  • Short pasta shapes matter here, because long noodles like spaghetti tangle into an unmanageable mess in a skillet and never cook evenly.
  • If you want to make this gluten free, just swap in your favorite gluten free pasta but check the broth label too because some contain hidden gluten.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block rather than buying pre shredded bags, because the anticaking powder on bagged cheese makes it melt into a grainy layer instead of a smooth blanket.
  • Let the skillet rest off the heat for two minutes before serving, because everything holds together better when it is not screaming hot.

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