Name: Easy Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp avocado oil; 1 medium-sized yellow onion (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 lb ground beef; 2 Tbsp chili powder; 1 cup chopped tomatoes (I use cherry tomatoes because it’s what I had on hand*); ½ cup chicken or beef broth*; 1 cup cooked brown or white rice; 5 to 6 medium-sized bell peppers (colors of choice); ¾ tsp sea salt (to taste); 1 cup mozzarella cheese**

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Taco-style ground beef Easy Stuffed Peppers are a cheesy delight with the perfect kick. Serve them up with your choice of side dishes for a lovely Mexican-inspired meal.

Do you ever make stuffed bell peppers?

It’s been SIX years since I posted my Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers, so clearly we’re due for a solid session of stuffing things in things.

This easy stuffed peppers recipe includes ground beef, cooked rice (substitute for cauliflower rice to make it keto), fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chili powder. Oh, and don’t forget the cheese!

Loaded with flavor, steamy, dreamy, so easy to prepare, stuffed pepper just make dinner so much more interesting for those times you’re bored with your usual and still want something nourishing and healthful.

Stuffed Peppers Ingredients:

Bell Peppers: Use any colors you like! I’m not particular about the color, so I just pick up a variety. You can also go with other types of peppers! Stuffed poblano peppers are incredible as well.

Ground Beef: The meaty, flavorful, highly satisfying portion of this recipe that makes you feel like you’re really sinking your teeth into something special. Feel free to replace it with ground turkey or chicken for a leaner meat.

Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic generate that inviting flavor to ramp up the tastiness of the meal.

Chili Powder: That seasoning that gives the meat that taco essence, making you feel like you’re enjoying some classic ground beef tacos stuffed inside perfectly cooked bell pepper. If you make your own chili powder blends, feel free to use it! You can also replace it with a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, and dried oregano.

Chopped Tomatoes & Chicken Broth: I use fresh tomatoes and chicken broth to make a sauce for the meat, because I typically have them on hand and I love how fresh it tastes. You can easily replace the tomatoes and chicken broth with 1 can of diced tomatoes.

Cooked Rice: Steamed brown or white rice is added to the beef mix to help soak up those delicious juices and help create a cohesive stuffing mixture. Add more rice if you’d like! Cook the rice ahead of time or use leftover rice!

Mozzarella Cheese: That incredibly gooey, ultra yummy ingredient that makes us all swoon! You can also use jack cheese, cheddar cheese or cheese of choice! The cheese makes the peppers crazy enticing and delicious!

Optional Additions:

Feel free to add black beans, ortega chilis, hot sauce, or salsa! You can also serve the peppers with chopped avocado, guacamole, or sour cream.

How to Make Stuffed Peppers:

Add the avocado oil to a large thick-bottomed pot (I use my Dutch oven) and heat to medium-high.

Transfer the chopped yellow onion to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the ground beef and allow it to brown for a couple of minutes before chopping it into smaller bits and mixing it in with the onion.

Add the remaining ingredients except for the cooked rice and cook at a full boil for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce surrounding the meat is nice and thick. Stir in the cooked rice.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and remove the core.

Fill the bell peppers with the ground beef mixture (there should be enough mixture for 5 or 6 medium-sized or 4 large bell peppers).

Place the bell peppers in a deep casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and sprinkle each with desired amount of cheese. Place the peppers back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is nice and melted.

Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!

How Long To Cook Stuffed Peppers:

At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, bell peppers need about 30 to 40 minutes to soften and cook in the oven.

In order to soften the bell peppers and keep them moist, cover the casserole dish with foil for the first 30 minutes then sprinkle the cheese on top and put the peppers back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s melted.

What to Serve With Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Looking for some side dish ideas for serving alongside your stuffed bell peppers? Check these out!

How to Make Paleo or Keto Stuffed Peppers:

If you follow a low-carb or ketogenic diet, you can replace the cooked rice with 1 ½ cups cauliflower rice. The filling will be slightly runnier (so be careful when digging in), but the peppers will still be delicious!

Stuff it like you mean it!