Introduction
I’ve made stuffed peppers before and, listen… they’re a whole production. A cute idea in theory, but in practice? A pain in the ass. So I decided to try unstuffed peppers the way my mom does. Except the second she tasted mine, she immediately asked if I used this, that, or whatever magic ingredient she swears by, and I’m standing there like, “uhhh…nope.”
For example: I know you’re supposed to use green peppers for this dish, but I don’t like them and refuse to pretend otherwise. I used red and yellow because they taste better and look happier in a bowl. I was going to throw an orange pepper in there too, but that one…did not survive long enough to fulfill its destiny. Use whatever peppers you vibe with.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers (red/yellow), chopped
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
- 1 cup tomato sauce (or paste if you prefer)
- 1–1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional: shredded mozzarella for your bowl when serving
Instructions
1. Prep your veggies.
Chop onions and peppers.
Open cans.
Measure broth and rice.
2. Brown the beef (optional).
If you’re avoiding smoke alarms, skip this.
If you do sauté:
- Hit Sauté
- Cook beef + onion until no longer pink
- Turn IP off
- Drain excess grease if needed
3. Add everything else into the pot.
Add:
- Diced tomatoes
- Beef broth
- Rice
- Tomato sauce
- Chopped peppers
- Salt + pepper
Stir well so nothing sticks to the bottom.
4. Pressure Cook — 12 minutes.
- Lid on
- Valve to Sealing
- High pressure
- 12 minutes
- Quick release
If you get a “Food Burn” (like I did 😂):
- Open
- Scrape the bottom
- Add ½ cup more liquid
- Stir well
- Cook another 5 minutes
(I adjusted the recipe so I shouldn’t get the burn warning next time.)
5. Stir and let it rest.
The rice will thicken as it sits.
- Too thick → splash of broth
- Too thin → let it rest 5 minutes
6. Serve.
Scoop into bowls.
Optional: add shredded mozzarella to your bowl — it melts right in and it’s chef’s kiss.
Results
Even though I managed to burn the bottom (Instant Pot said “food burn” the way Dave used to say “oversalted”), it still turned out amazing. Mom loved it, the kids inhaled it, and I was sitting there like, “okay, maybe I am that witch in the kitchen.”
Next time I just won’t be so stingy with the broth. 😅
Storage
- Refrigerator:
Keeps in an airtight container for 3–4 days. The rice will continue absorbing liquid; add a splash of broth when reheating. - Freezer:
Freezes surprisingly well. Store up to 2–3 months.
Thaw overnight, reheat on the stove or microwave, and add broth to revive the texture.
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