Stuffed Peppers with a taco filling are an easy and healthy(ish) recipe, great for meal prepping or just a cozy family dinner! Colorful peppers stuffed with flavorful ground beef, onions, garlic, black beans, corn, and jalapeno all covered in melty, bubbly cheese. These hearty peppers are a family favorite that will have everyone clamoring for more!
Stuffed Peppers
Taco Stuffed Peppers are a fun alternative to traditional tacos. Skip the shell and opt for colorful and flavorful peppers as your base instead. Healthier than your typical tortillas, plus you can freeze them!
Peppers are stuffed with taco seasoned beef (swap to ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option), and a savory mixture of black beans, corn, olives, rice, garlic, onion, and the salsa of your choice!
Don’t forget the jalapeno for a little spice, of course. Totally customizable to your tastes or dietary needs, this dish is certainly a family favorite for a reason! Serve these up with a batch of Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits, a cool Margarita on the rocks, and a Tres Leches Cake for dessert.
How to Make Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet, add the ground beef, diced onion and jalapeno. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until the meat is completely browned.
- Drain excess grease from the skillet. Add in the salsa, water, tomato paste, minced garlic, taco seasoning, and a dash of salt. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant but not burned.
- Stir in the black beans, sweet corn, and sliced olives. Add the cooked rice and half of the shredded Colby jack cheese. Stir to fully combine.
- Place the halved peppers into a 9×13 baking dish. Fill each pepper with heaping spoonfuls of the taco mixture. If you have any filling leftover, you can always use it for tacos or add it to a salad for lunch the next day!
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over top of each pepper and bake for 25-30 minutes. The cheese should be fully melted and bubbling when ready.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, avocado slices, a dollop of sour cream, and a splash of lime as garnishes and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- For different flavors and textures, try using cooked shredded chicken (or rotisserie to save time), or go all veggie and add zucchini or extra beans.
- Try using a salsa verde, a peach salsa, or any variation to experiment with flavors.
- You can always adjust the spice according to you or your family’s tastes. Skip the jalapeno for a more mild version, or add in chili powder to amp things up.
- Want some crunch? Use tortilla chips or doritos as a garnish!
- If you aren’t a big fan of peppers you can try this same recipe with beefsteak tomatoes.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Leftover Stuffed Peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Stuffed Peppers are great for freezing! Let them cool completely, then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: If frozen you can bake these peppers thawed or still frozen at 375°F until they are warmed through. If simply refrigerated, warm in the oven or the microwave until heated through.
Stray From The Traditional, Check Out These Taco Favorites:
Stuffed Peppers
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef We used 93/7.
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 jalapeño deseeded and diced
- 1 cup chunky 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 8-10 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 chunky 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.