Beef, Peppers, & Rice Casserole

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This beef casserole recipe is based on my popular Beef and Rice Casserole one-pot dish. I make both versions so frequently that I decided to dedicate a separate post just for this one.

My kids are currently going through a phase where they don’t like mushrooms, and those are in the original version. So, I started making a version with peppers instead. This works with pretty much any kind of pepper, but Cubanelles or Poblanos are our favorite.

A quick word about ground beef…

I pick up a few pounds of ground beef every week from the same farm where we get raw milk. Ground beef is the main meat I use because it’s so versatile, cheap, and thaws quickly when I need to throw something together. If I don’t know what I’m making for dinner that night, I always make sure I have ground beef at the ready. I can turn it into tacos, spaghetti, shepherd’s pie, sloppy joes, chili, hamburgers, tamale pie… the list really is endless.

Ground beef is also very easy to combine with meal extenders, like rice and noodles, so that I can feed a lot of people with 1 lb. of meat. This beef casserole is quick and easy, makes a pound of ground beef go a “long” way, and warms up nicely if there are leftovers.

What about liver?

I often add pureed beef liver to my ground beef dishes. If the liver is mixed in with the beef and you’re using spices, you’ll likely not even realize it’s there.

Liver is an incredibly nutrient dense food, containing essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy. It is touted by many cultures as the most sought after and sacred food. To take a deeper dive into all that liver has to offer and why you should go out of your way to include it regularly, read this article from The Weston A Price Foundation.

Charmane’s Bread Dip

Charmane’s Bread Dip is a lovely little secret ingredient typically mixed with olive oil and used as a bread dip, but it’s my favorite spice blend to include in recipes. This s.a.l.t. sisters brand dip is similar to an Italian blend but not as harsh and slightly sweet. If you don’t have this mix, you can still make this beef casserole recipe! Just use an equal amount of your favorite spices. I recommend basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and marjoram.

Let’s get this one-pot meal started.

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Cook the rice as directed. You’ll want 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe. (This typically means adding 1.5 to 2 cups of uncooked rice to an appropriate amount of water, depending on the brand of rice.) While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in medium large Dutch oven or pot. All ingredient measurements are listed in the recipe below.

Add the onion and cook it on medium until it is soft. Once it starts getting soft, stir in the diced pepper followed by the minced garlic. Cook the veggies about a minute and then add the ground beef and the optional beef liver. While meat is browning, mix in spices.

After the meat has browned, stir in the stock and heavy cream. Once these are warm, stir in the cheese until it’s melted. Add in the cooked rice, mix it well, and cover the pot with an oven proof lid. (Alternatively, transfer it to a 9×13 baking dish if your pot/lid aren’t oven safe.) Bake it in a preheated oven for 20 minutes and then remove it carefully and serve it warm.

It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week and warms up great for leftovers. We love it with candied jalapenos or sauerkraut. (Not sure how to make sauerkraut, I have a full tutorial.)

Leave a comment below letting me know if you tried this recipe and what you thought! Did you use Charmane’s or was there another blend of spices that you tried?

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