Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Get ready for a savory, fiesta-filled adventure with these cheesy and delicious Mexican Stuffed Peppers! Filled to the brim with spicy seasonings, black beans, beef, rice and more, this is one special dish that will have everyone saying, "Olé!"

Why We Love It

To me, stuffed peppers are one of the most delicious and savory dishes of all time. Each cheesy, sauce-filled bite is so satisfyingly delightful, and, when baked to perfection, the flavor profile and textures are hard to beat.

For the longest time, I made the classic version with tomato sauce, rice, cheese and beef. They are totally delicious, and if you've never had one, well, let's just say you've been missing out!

But sometimes I become a little restless with recipes--even ones as delicious as the original stuffed pepper. Ever hear of the saying "Don't mess with a good thing?" Well, let's just say I don't always listen. I messed. And I created a stuffed pepper that's seriously better than any version I'd ever had before.

I'm talking about these deliciously cheesy, supremely flavorful Mexican Stuffed Peppers. Just looking at the pictures here is seriously making me hungry. It's so hard for me to decide which part of them is my favorite. The savory and spicy Mexican flavors work so well with the black beans, enchilada sauce, rice and beef--they're all just so good together!

Then there's the cheese. Oh my--yes, that gooey, wonderful cheese--not to mention the sweet specialness of the baked bell peppers that keep all that goodness inside!

Why You'll Love It

If you love Mexican flavors, then this is the dish for you! It's got it all--cheese, beef, beans, rice, sauce and spices (if you want, you can even take a little shortcut and use taco seasoning). We even dollop some sour cream (along with green onions) on top when ready to serve!

The nice thing about this recipe is that the peppers aren't boiled or cooked ahead of time. Everything bakes together in the oven, and in about an hour, you have a wonderful, hearty family meal.

Now I'm not saying these Mexican Stuffed Peppers will ever replace your tacos on Taco Tuesday. But I bet they get folded into the rotation! Before you know it, you'll be a pro at this dish. If your family loves tacos and cheese as much as mine does, you might even have to start a Mexican Stuffed Peppers Monday! I'm seriously considering one.

Want to make this meal even more special? Make South of the Border Salsa to enjoy on the side or as an additional topping!

For another great, cheesy, Mexican meal, check out Three Layer Cheesy Taco Bake!

Ingredients for Mexican Stuffed Peppers

• 4 large (or 6 medium) bell peppers--I like a colorful variety, but that is a personal preference
• 1 pound lean or extra lean ground beef--try to avoid going lower than 85% or the grease will affect the filling
• 1/4 cup diced onion--accentuates the flavors
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice--helps to absorb the sauce and juices
• 8 ounces Mexican shredded cheese--I like Kraft or Sargento because they are creamy
• 3/4 cup rinsed and drained black beans--adds a hearty flavor
• 15 ounce can enchilada sauce--sweet and mildly spicy
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder--works well in this and saves time over fresh

The following spices add to this dish's charm, but if you're short on time, feel free to substitute with 1 packet of taco seasoning:

• 1-2 teaspoons of chili powder--we like this spicy; sometimes I'll even throw in a tablespoon of this
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper--gives an added kick, but you can omit if you don't like things super spicy

Sour cream, green onions and jalapeño work well for toppings.

It's also helpful to have a little olive oil to grease your baking dish.

How to make Mexican Stuffed Peppers

You'll want to gather the following equipment:

• chef's knife
• cutting board
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• large saucepan with lid (for pepper filling)
• small saucepan with lid (for rice)
• mixing/stirring spoon
• 13x9 glass baking dish (lightly greased with olive oil)

Before starting:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Cook rice in small saucepan
• Halve peppers; seed and remove stems; scoop out membranes (as shown above)

Now let's get down to making this delish dish!

In a large saucepan, cook ground beef with onions over medium heat until beef is browned; drain excess grease.

Add the salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Then add the chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper along with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir and cook over over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Next, add the cooked rice and black beans; stir. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes over low/medium heat.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese (the rest will be used to top the peppers).

Next, stir in the enchilada sauce.

Lightly spray 13x9 glass casserole dish with olive oil. Then arrange pepper cavities (open side up) in dish.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Olive oil is preferred because it adds a little flavor to the pepper bottoms and helps them brown just slightly during baking.

Carefully scoop filling into the pepper cavities, filling each to the brim.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: If you have some filling left over, you can refrigerate it for taco night (it's great in tortillas) or freeze it and use it in a future stuffed pepper!

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Then cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake, covered, in a 400 degree preheated oven until peppers are tender, about 35 minutes.

Then remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Then top with sour cream and green onions (optional).

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: I like serving these with some sour cream on top to cut the spiciness a little bit.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers Leftovers?

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days.

Once cooled, you may also freeze leftovers in airtight freezer safe packaging for up to 3 months.

Reheating instructions:

• Place in a covered casserole dish. Bake in 325° oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
• If cooking frozen leftovers, thaw overnight in fridge and then follow above.