Easy Mexican Stuffed Peppers Recipe
These Mexican Stuffed Peppers are packed with zesty ground beef, hearty rice, and melted cheese for a perfect weeknight meal. This easy, colorful dinner is a crowd-pleasing favorite that brings bold taco flavors straight to your table.
Equipment
- 12x16 casserole dish (well greased) *If you don't have this extra large size, you can use a 13x9 plus an 8x8 for this recipe.
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- large saucepan
- meat chopper
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Ingredients
- 5 large bell peppers
- salt & pepper for added seasoning in pepper cavities
- 1 pound lean or extra lean ground beef or turkey
- ¼ cup onion diced
- 1 cup pre-cooked rice long grain preferred; can also use quinoa
- 8 ounces Mexican shredded cheese
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained (about ½ of a 15. oz can)
- 15 ounce can enchilada sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-2 teaspoons chili powder choose your spice level
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- sour cream, green onions, cilantro, or parsley optional toppings when serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Slice peppers vertically to create 2 "halves"; remove membranes and seeds. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place seasoned pepper cavities in prepared casserole dish, cavity side facing up. Bake for 10 minutes to slightly soften.
- While peppers are softening in oven, prepare the filling. 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 to the saucepan. 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.
- After 10 minutes, remove peppers from oven. Bump up the oven temp to 375℉. While the oven preheats to this new temp, fill the peppers.
- Carefully scoop filling into the pepper cavities, filling each to the brim. (If you have extra filling, you can save it for tacos or burritos).
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of the meat mixture. Then loosely cover the dish with tented aluminum foil.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Then remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese on top is bubbling.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Optional to top with sour cream, green onions, cilantro, or parsley.
Notes
Store your cooled stuffed peppers in an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to three months.
Be careful when removing the dish from the oven, as the peppers and their filling will be extremely hot. Let the stuffed peppers stand for at least 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to set.
You can assemble these peppers up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the fridge. Simply bake them when you are ready, adding a few extra minutes to the total cook time.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 halvesCalories: 513kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 34gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 979mgPotassium: 1064mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 5891IUVitamin C: 217mgCalcium: 354mgIron: 5mg
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