There are a lot of different variations of stuffed peppers you can make. But when I was originally inventing this recipe, I was going for cheap. Cheap ingredients, quick to throw together, something that was super filling when you had little to spend. This stuffed peppers recipe can do just that, relying on rice, ground beef, and shredded Mexican cheese to get you feeling full and satisfied. Plus, these heat up really nicely in the microwave, making them a great meal to eat as leftovers throughout the week. So let’s get into it.
One thing I’ve learned after years of cooking this recipe is that the color of the pepper really does matter. While green bell peppers are usually cheaper to buy, when it comes to taste, you really want to go for red, yellow, or orange bell peppers for this recipe. The sweeter taste of these bell peppers pairs nicely with a salty and savory filling, and they are a bit more pleasant to eat compared to a green bell pepper—which I find I only truly enjoyed if it’s sautéed into some kind of dish, like my pork fried rice.
For this stuffed peppers recipe, you are going to need:
- Colorful bell peppers
- Cooked white rice
- Ground beef (or turkey!)
- Shredded Mexican cheese (or cheddar cheese)
- Diced tomatoes & green chiles
- Garlic cloves
- Taco seasoning
- Hot sauce (optional)
Here’s a quick tutorial.
When I make my stuffed peppers, I like to cut and pull out the tops with the seeds. This leaves a small circle on the top for easy filling. After you cut them open, you’re going to want to boil them in hot water for 5 minutes each, making sure each side of the pepper is fully cooked.
Cook the ground beef, drain the fat, and add taco seasoning. The seasoning amount may vary based on the brand, but generally, you’ll want to use 1/4 cup of seasoning per pound, and add in around 2/3 cup of water to create a sauce.
Mix together with the rice, Mexican cheese, minced garlic, drained can of diced tomatoes & chiles, and any hot sauce you desire (put in as much as you want!). Place the peppers in a casserole dish open side up and stuff the peppers with the rice/ground beef mixture. Top with cheese, and bake!
I usually serve a pepper per person, but hey, if you want two, what’s stopping you? You can also save the peppers for heating up later.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers red, yellow, orange, or a combo!
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 1 cup cooked rice white or brown
- 1 cup shredded taco cheese
- 1 can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Hot sauce optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut out a circle on the top of the peppers to take out the stems & seeds.
- Fill up a large pot halfway with water and boil. Once boiling, cook the peppers for 5 minutes, making sure to cook the pepper evenly on all sides.
- While boiling, cook the ground beef or turkey in a large skillet. Drain the fat, then mix in the taco seasoning along with 2/3 cup of water.
- Add the taco meat, one cup of prepared rice, 1/2 cup of taco cheese, minced garlic, and a can of drained diced tomatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Add hot sauce to your liking. Make it as spicy as you want.
- Place the peppers in a small glass casserole dish, cut side facing up.
- Divide up the stuffing into four and STUFF. Be generous. Let them overflow.
- Top the peppers with the other 1/2 cup of cheese sprinkled on the tops.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
More easy weeknight dinners
Because dinner doesn’t have to be so hard, ya know!
- Cajun Shrimp Sheet Pan Dinner
- Pork Fried Rice
- Creamy Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- Sausage & Pepper Pasta
- Baked Salmon & Carrot Fries
- Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
- Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Bake
- Supreme Pasta Bake
- Easy ‘Pop’ Roast
Leave a Reply