Spicy Italian Bell Pepper and Onion Skillet

This is freezer meal planning at its best. This is the perfect food for the nights when I want to eat homemade cooking, but I don’t actually want to spend time cooking.

Spicy Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers are one of my husband’s favorite meals. Every time I make them, I double or triple the recipe to ensure that I’ll have plenty of leftovers. I freeze the filling and I stuff peppers with it later. If I don’t want to turn the oven on to bake the peppers, then I put together this skillet. I actually prefer this skillet to the original stuffed peppers.

Spicy Italian Bell Pepper and Onion Skillet
(printable recipe)
(printable freezer directions)

4 bell peppers, I used 3 red peppers and 1 green pepper, roughly chopped into 1″ pieces
2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped into 1″ pieces
1-2 teaspoon drizzle of olive oil
1 recipe’s worth of the filling from the Stuffed Bell Peppers (recipe below)

Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes and then add the peppers. Cook until tender and still crisp. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the meat mixture and heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Enjoy!

Filling for Stuffed Bell Peppers:

1 lb ground beef
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 cup water
8 oz canned black olives, roughly chopped
12 oz canned mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce, use your favorite homemade or canned variety
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (garlic powder is fine)
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the rice and the water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. While the rice is cooking, saute the onions in a non stick skillet and then add and cook the beef until browned.

Combine the cooked rice, ground beef and onions, cups of spaghetti sauce and all remaining ingredients in a large bowl or skillet and stir to combine.