Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef 454 g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil 13.5 g
- 1 medium yellow onion diced, about 150 g
- 2 bell peppers one red and one green; seeded and diced, about 300 g total
- 3 cloves garlic minced, about 9 g
- 1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 411 g, with their juices
- 1 15-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce 425 g
- 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice about 474 g; fully cooked, not raw
- 1/4 cup water 60 ml
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt optional; taste sauce before adding
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella 112 g
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- Large 12-inch skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Instant-read food thermometer
- Spatula or wooden spoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set out a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Break up any clumps in the fully cooked rice.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 7–8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through to 160°F. Drain pooled fat, then transfer the beef to a bowl.
- Add the olive oil, onion and diced peppers to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 6–7 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens and the peppers begin to yield. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Return the beef to the skillet. Add the tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, water, oregano, smoked paprika and black pepper. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then taste and add the optional salt only if needed.
- Fold in the cooked rice until evenly coated. The mixture should be moist and spoonable; add another tablespoon of water if necessary. Spread in the baking dish and sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese has melted with a few golden spots and the center reaches 165°F. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add the optional parsley and divide into six servings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 6 servingsCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 34.7gProtein: 24.5gFat: 12.1gFiber: 4.1g
Notes
Rice: The timing starts with cooked rice ready. If cooking rice from dry, follow its package directions and allow that extra time; approximately 1 cup dry rice yields the 3 cups cooked needed here.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below for 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F.
Nutrition: Approximate per one-sixth recipe with 93% lean beef, 474 g cooked rice and 112 g mozzarella. Calculated from USDA reference values for the measured main ingredients; small spice and optional garnish contributions are not modeled. Brands and substitutions change values.
Cost: An illustrative US retail estimate for the amounts used, based on October 2026 price examples and prorated pantry assumptions. Excludes tax, energy, unused package contents and sides; local prices vary.
