These Taco Stuffed Peppers are the perfect easy, hearty, and delicious dinner option. Perfectly roasted peppers are stuffed full of savory taco seasoned beef, onions, garlic, black beans, corn, and jalapeño and covered in melty, gooey cheese!
Easy Mexican Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Looking for a fun alternative for your typical taco tuesday? You’re in the right place! These Taco Stuffed Peppers have all of the classic taco flavors and ingredients but loaded into hollowed out bell peppers!
This meal is hearty, nutritious, tasty, and sure to be a hit with the whole family. It’s also quick to make and great for meal prepping!
Just watch everyone come back for seconds.
How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed bell peppers make the perfect hearty and nutritious dinner with just 20 minutes of prep!
Scroll to the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- In a large skillet, combine beef, onion, and jalapeño. Cook over medium heat until browned, then drain the excess grease.
- To the skillet, add salsa, water, tomato paste, garlic, taco seasoning, and salt. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, then stir in the beans, corn, and olives followed by the rice and 4 ounces of cheese.
- Place the hollowed out bell peppers upright in a casserole dish, then spoon the taco mixture in the peppers. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake the assembled stuffed peppers at 375ºF until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, then serve with cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and lime wedges.
Tips for Success
- To prep the peppers, slice the stems off, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove all the seeds. Each half of the pepper will be loaded up with the filling!
- Don’t forget to drain the grease! After cooking the beef, drain any excess grease out of the pan so you don’t end up with oily filling.
- Drain before seasoning. Make sure you drain off the grease from the beef before you add the other ingredients. If you drain after adding all of the seasonings and aromatics, then you’ll drain out a ton of that flavor.
- If you aren’t a fan of peppers, you can try this same recipe with beefsteak tomatoes instead.
- Want to make your peppers ahead of time? Prep the meat and assemble the peppers in advance, then cover and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, simply bake as directed!
Stuffed Peppers Variations
- Use another meat. Feel free to swap the ground beef out for ground turkey, chicken, or even pork if preferred.
- Add more veggies. Kick the nutrition up another notch by sautéing other veggies with the ground beef. Try onion, mushroom, spinach, zucchini, you name it.
- Make them vegetarian. Add more veggies and skip the meat or swap it out for beans or a meatless variety of ground beef.
- Spice them up. The jalapeños already add some heat, but feel free to take it up a level with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
- Add some crunch. For a crunchy finish, try garnishing your peppers with crushed tortilla chips or your favorite flavor of Doritos!
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Leftover peppers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: To freeze your stuffed peppers, simply bake as directed, then cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: When you’re ready to serve your leftovers, you can bake thawed peppers or bake from frozen. Simply pop the baking dish in the oven at 375ºF and bake until heated all the way through.
Should Peppers Be Precooked Before Stuffing?
Nope! There’s no need. The peppers get perfectly soft just cooked raw with the filling. No need to add an extra step.
How do you make this recipe vegetarian?
To make these peppers vegetarian, swap out the meat for roasted or seasoned tofu, vegetarian “meat”, black beans, cooked quinoa, lentils, or refried beans.
You can also add some extra veggies like mushrooms and zucchini to the stuffing mix. Add your favorite Mexican spices and seasonings, like chili powder and cumin, or use a packet of taco seasoning!
What is a Good Side with Stuffed Peppers?
These taco stuffed peppers are filling on their own, but you can absolutely bulk your meal up with a couple of side dishes! Here are a few ideas:
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Chips and Salsa, Guacamole, or Queso
- Roasted Vegetables with Taco Seasoning
- Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits
And, of course, you can’t go wrong with a margarita on the rocks to sip on and a tres leches cake for dessert!
More Taco-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
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Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe
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Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced
- 1 cup salsa
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning, (1 packet)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained (1 can)
- 15 ounces golden sweet corn, drained (1 can)
- 2.8 ounces black olives, sliced (1 can)
- 2 cups white rice, cooked, preferably day old rice
- 8 ounces colby jack cheese, shredded off the block and divided
- 4 bell peppers, a mix of green, yellow and red, cut in half with the stems and seeds removed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add the beef, onion and jalapeño to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the meat is completely browned.1 pound ground beef½ white onion1 jalapeño
- Drain the excess grease from the pan. Then add the salsa, water, tomato paste, garlic, taco seasoning and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant.1 cup salsa¼ cup water2 tablespoons tomato paste2 garlic cloves1 ounce taco seasoning½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Stir in the beans, corn and olives. Then add the rice and 4 ounces of cheese. Stir to combine.15 ounces black beans15 ounces golden sweet corn2.8 ounces black olives2 cups white rice
- Place the peppers into a 9×13 inch casserole dish then spoon the taco mixture into the peppers until they are heaping. (You may have some filling left over but you can make tacos or add it to a salad so save it to eat later if you want.)4 bell peppers
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top evenly then bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Serve with freshly chopped cilantro for garnish, diced avocado, sour cream and lime wedges if desired. See post for storage options.