Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe

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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!

Stuffed peppers on a gray plate.

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.

  1. In a large skillet, combine beef, onion, and jalapeño. Cook over medium heat until browned, then drain the excess grease.
  2. 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.
Salsa, tomato paste, garlic, and taco seasoning added to ground beef.
Cheese added to taco meat.
  1. Place the hollowed out bell peppers upright in a casserole dish, then spoon the taco mixture in the peppers. Top with the remaining cheese.
  2. 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.
Bell peppers filled with stuffing mix.
Top down view of stuffed peppers topped with shredded cheese.

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!
Top down view of stuffed bell peppers in a baking dish.

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.

Green stuffed bell pepper on a plate.

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:

And, of course, you can’t go wrong with a margarita on the rocks to sip on and a tres leches cake for dessert! 

We’d love it if you would leave a 5 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest!

Red stuffed bell pepper with cheese.

Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Print Pin
Author: Kimberly
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 42 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

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 beef
    ½ white onion
    1 jalapeño
    Raw ground beef, jalapenos, and onions in a pan.
  • 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 salsa
    ¼ cup water
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    2 garlic cloves
    1 ounce taco seasoning
    ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    Salsa, tomato paste, garlic, and taco seasoning added to ground beef.
  • Stir in the beans, corn and olives. Then add the rice and 4 ounces of cheese. Stir to combine.
    15 ounces black beans
    15 ounces golden sweet corn
    2.8 ounces black olives
    2 cups white rice
    Corn and beans added to taco meat.
  • 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
    Bell peppers filled with stuffing mix.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top evenly then bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
    Top down view of stuffed bell peppers with melted cheese.
  • Serve with freshly chopped cilantro for garnish, diced avocado, sour cream and lime wedges if desired. See post for storage options.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half pepper | Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 793mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2894IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | Calcium: 261mg | Iron: 4mg

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 stuffed pepper. Actual calories will vary.
 
*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.
 
*Photos courtesy of Karla Rae Photography.
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