Published by: Liz Marino | |
Last updated:
This post contains affiliate links.
JUMP TO RECIPERATE RECIPE
This easy Taco Stuffed Peppers recipe is perfect for a quick dinner! Learn how to make taco stuffed bell peppers that are healthy & yummy!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Clickhere to read my policy and about affiliate links.
Growing up, my mom would make traditional stuffed peppers all the time. Think homemade tomato sauce, ground beef, breadcrumbs, and rice. YUM!
Years ago we started making lighter stuffed peppers and since we loved that recipe so much, we thought it would be fun (and delicious) to add a taco twist.
Stuffed peppers are such an easy dinner because you just brown your meat, mix your filling, stuff, and bake! Perfect for taco night!
You can get this delicious and healthy dinner on the table in under an hour. You’re going to love it!
Also, if you like stuffed peppers as much as we do, you need to try ourWhole30 Stuffed Peppers, ourUnstuffed Peppers, Stuffed Pepper Casserole, or ourStuffed Pepper Soup.
Why We Love Stuffed Taco Peppers
There is a lot to love about this recipe. It’s one of our favorite dinners because it’s:
- Easy to make – Cook the meat, mix the filling, stuff the peppers, and bake. That’s it!
- Simple Ingredients – Most of these ingredients are pantry staples and there are only 11 ingredients needed for this delicious dinner!
- Easy to substitute – You can substitute every ingredient in this recipe depending on your preferences or what you have on hand. Check the green shaded box below for our recommendations.
Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers Ingredients
To make these delicious stuffed peppers, you’ll need:
- olive oil
- onion, garlic
- ground turkey or ground beef
- bell peppers
- tomato sauce
- taco seasoning
- black beans, frozen corn
- white rice
- cheese
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Satué onions, garlic, and ground beef in olive oil until browned.
- Stir tomato sauce, spices, black beans, corn, and cooked rice in the ground beef or ground turkey.
- Stuff peppers with meat mixture and pack in with a spoon or your hands. Top with cheese and place in greased baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and peppers can easily be pierced with a fork.
How Long to Cook a Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe: You cook taco stuffed peppers for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling on top.
Taco Peppers Substitutions
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil, butter, or ghee.
Onion/Garlic: Help add flavor to this dish. Feel free to substitute with 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder or onion powder
Ground Beef: We like 85/15 ground beef. Feel free to use leaner ground beef depending on what you like. Ground Turkey & Ground chicken will also work. To make vegetarian you can use cooked lentils or ground beef substitute. You’ll need to adjust your cooking time.
Bell Peppers: Red, orange and yellow bell peppers are sweeter than green peppers.
Tomato Sauce: I use plain, unsweetened canned tomato sauce.
Taco Seasoning: I like to make my own taco seasoning because it’s lower in salt. Here’s my Healthy Taco Seasoning Recipe.
Black Beans: You can substitute black beans with whatever beans you like or omit them all together.
Frozen Corn: You can omit frozen corn if you prefer.
Cooked Rice: Do not substitute with uncooked rice. Any type of rice will work. White, brown, jasmine, etc. I haven’t tried this with quinoa but I think it would work.
Cheddar Cheese: Cheese is optional, but recommended. Without it, the peppers might get dry. I haven’t tried making this with dairy free cheese.
To Make it Lower Carb: Substitute raw cauliflower rice for cooked rice. don’t use frozen cauliflower rice, it’ll be too watery. Check out our Whole30 Stuffed Peppers if you’re looking for a lower carb stuffed pepper recipe.
Other Flavors: If you love stuffed peppers, try these Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers! They’re a fun variation.
Storing Stuffed Taco Peppers
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Can I freeze taco meat stuffed peppers? You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. We like these containers for freezing !
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave, toaster oven, oven, or on the stove.
Serving Stuffed Peppers with Taco Meat
You can eat these stuffed peppers on their own, but they would also be delicious to top with your favorite taco toppings:
- salsa, pico de gallo, or diced tomatoes
- corn salsa
- avocado
- lettuce
- black olives, jalapeños
- sour cream
- hot sauce
- taco dressing
Here are some of our favorite side dishes with these peppers:
- Mexican Potatoes
- Avocado Ranch Salad
- Pineapple Salsa and chips
- with a Watermelon Mojito, Margarita, or Strawberry Mojito
Taco Meat Stuffed Peppers FAQ
How do you make stuffed peppers not soggy?
Make sure you don’t overcook the stuffed peppers. This would lead to soggy peppers.
Should peppers be cooked before stuffing?
If you are following this recipe, do not cook your peppers ahead of time. If you do, you would need to adjust your cook time to not have soggy peppers.
Do you cook the meat before stuffing peppers?
Yes, you definitely want to cook your meat before stuffing the peppers to ensure it is thoroughly cooked.
Other healthy dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes or 30+ Ground Beef and Rice Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
- Taco Casserole
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Healthy Taco Salad
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
- Crockpot Whole Chicken
- Taco Stuffed Zucchini
- Healthy Orange Chicken
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Recipe by: Liz Marino
5 from 7 votes
This easy Taco Stuffed Peppers recipe is perfect for a quick dinner! Learn how to make taco stuffed bell peppers that are healthy & yummy!
Prep Time : 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time : 30 minutes minutes
Total Time : 40 minutes minutes
Serves : 4 people
(hover over # to adjust)
PRINTPINRATE
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
- 4 bell peppers halved, redorange or yellow
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1.5 cups cooked white rice or brown rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a sauté pan on the stove, heat olive oil.
Cook onions, garlic, and ground beef in olive oil until browned, about 10 minutes.
While turkey is cooking – prepare peppers. Slice halfway and remove seeds and any white inner pieces.
When ground turkey is cooked, stir in tomato sauce, spices, black beans, corn and cooked rice.
Stuff peppers with filling (about ¾ cup filling per pepper) Try to pack the filling into the peppers using a spoon or your hands. Top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
Place stuffed peppers in a greased glass baking dish (I spray mine with olive oil)
Bake peppers in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and bubbling on top. The peppers should be able to be pierced easily with a fork.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Amount Per Serving (2 peppers halves stuffed)
Calories 491Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Trans Fat 0.02g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 91mg30%
Sodium 302mg13%
Potassium 939mg27%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 4101IU82%
Vitamin C 158mg192%
Calcium 239mg24%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. This is an estimate and can vary pending your ingredients
Tried this recipe?Share it! Make sure to tag @thecleaneatingcouple or use #thecleaneatingcouple!
