Cheesy Stuffed Pepper Skillet Pasta (Print Version)
One-pan skillet pasta with bell peppers, browned meat and melted mozzarella for a quick, comforting weeknight dinner.
# What You 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 lb ground beef or turkey
→ Pantry
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 8 oz 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 Prepare:
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 up 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 well to combine.
05 - Pour in the 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 is absorbed.
07 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the skillet. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil before serving, if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in a single skillet, which means dinner is ready and you only wash one pan.
- It captures every flavor of classic stuffed peppers without the hour of baking and fussy assembly.
- The melted cheese blanket on top makes it impossible to resist straight from the skillet.
02 -
- Stir the pasta a couple times while it simmers, because the bottom pieces will stick if left alone for the full fifteen minutes.
- Shredding your own cheese off a block melts far more smoothly than pre-shredded bags, which are coated in anti-caking powder.
- A skillet that is too small will cause the liquid to bubble over, so use your largest deep one.
03 -
- Toast the tomato paste in the skillet for thirty seconds before adding the liquid, because it deepens the flavor in a way that raw paste never will.
- If the pasta absorbs too much liquid before it is done, add a quarter cup of warm broth and keep the lid on until tender.