Italian Stuffed Pepper Cauliflower Rice Skillet

My Italian Stuffed Pepper Cauliflower Rice Skillet is a grain-free, low-carb version of a traditional dish. It’s packed with healthy ingredients and delicious flavors—plus it's an easy one-pot meal, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.

 

I've been on the cauliflower rice bandwagon for a while now. Not only is it healthy and tasty, it cooks quickly so it's perfect for fast weeknight dinners, like my Italian Stuffed Pepper Cauliflower Rice Skillet. I always have cauliflower rice on hand, especially now that prepared fresh and frozen versions are so readily available at many stores. (Trader Joe's frozen cauliflower rice is always in my freezer. Always.)

Another ingredient that comes in handy often? A good ol' jar of marinara sauce. It's great for pasta, obviously, but also for soups or stews or meatloaf. So, when my latest Degustabox included a jar of Barilla Marinara Sauce, I knew it would be perfect for this easy, hearty, low-carb meal.

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head of cauliflower, riced (or 3 to 4 cups prepared cauliflower rice)
• 1 pound ground beef, preferably grass-fed
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 to 2 red and/or yellow bell peppers, diced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• chopped parsley, for garnish
• salt and pepper

Put the oil and chopped onion in a large, oven-safe skillet on the stove over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery, carrot, garlic, and peppers. Cook for a few minutes, stirring the vegetables to coat them well and letting them just begin to soften.

Add the cauliflower rice and the ground beef to the skillet, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.

Add the marinara and the lightly crushed fennel seeds (this gives the dish a nice sausage-y flavor); stir the sauce into the meat and vegetable mixture to fully combine. Simmer the dish until all the vegetables are al dente—tender but not mushy. Stir in grated cheese and top with sliced mozzarella cheese.

Put the whole skillet under the broiler in your oven for a few minutes, until the mozzarella begins to brown and bubble. Remove from the oven and top with chopped, fresh parsley.

That's it! Less then 30 minutes and your one-pot dinner is ready. Absolutely packed with veggies, this hearty Italian Stuffed Pepper Cauliflower Rice Skillet will be a hit with the whole family.

If you're interested in trying Degustabox, a surprise food subscription box service, check out their website or follow them on Instagram. If you sign up to receive your own Degustabox through one of our links in this post, I'll receive a referral fee and you'll help to support this blog!