Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers are colorful bell peppers filled with ground beef, taco spices, black beans, corn, and cheese.
Everyone loves Taco Tuesday, and what could be better than a mashup of the classic stuffed bell pepper recipe with taco flavors for a new Mexican-inspired, easy weeknight dinner?
Whether you are bored with your usual dinner rotations or looking for a new easy dinner that the whole family will love, these tasty taco-stuffed peppers are a perfect meal for any night of the week!
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About This Recipe
We all know the classic stuffed bell pepper. Generally, green bell peppers are stuffed with a meatloaf mixture and then they are topped and baked in an Italian seasoned tomato sauce.
But what if you want to change things up a little? You certainly can and these taco meat stuffed bell peppers taste delicious and are a great alternative!
Simply brown ground beef and season it with your favorite taco seasoning and a bit of tomato paste. Then add corn, black beans, and cheese to the taco meat to make a delicious taco-inspired filling for bright red, yellow, and orange bell peppers.
All that’s left to do is top the stuffed peppers with more cheese before they are popped in the oven for a short bake.
But there is more to this dish than great taste. Adding corn and black beans is key to stretching your budget dollar and sneaking more veggies into your meal.
So, if you are looking for a new classic recipe that the whole family will love, these tasty taco-stuffed peppers are a perfect meal!
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make these Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers:
- Red, Orange, & Yellow Bell Peppers - The flavor of red, orange, and yellow bell peppers is slightly sweet and pairs well with the savory taco stuffing. Green bell peppers can also be used but will have a strong vegetal smell and taste. Make sure the size of your peppers is not too large so that they will fit in your baking dish.
- Ground Beef - Any ground beef will work well. Lean ground beef will not require draining before adding the taco seasonings. But higher levels of fat may brown better and taste better.
- Taco Seasoning Mix - Use your favorite taco seasoning mix.
- Tomato Paste - Tomato paste adds depth of flavor to the seasoned taco meat.
- Black Beans - Black beans add another flavor and texture to the filling. They also stretch the pepper filling to allow this recipe to contain just 1 pound of ground meat.
- Corn - Kernels of corn add a slight sweetness and visual appeal to the taco filling. I prefer to use fresh corn or frozen that has been thawed.
- Shredded Cheese - Use your favorite cheese. Cheddar, Monterey jack, mozzarella, and Mexican 4 cheese blends are all good choices.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
How to Make Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers
Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C and spray a 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Halve the bell peppers and remove the seeds and the white membrane. Place the halved peppers cut side down in the prepared baking dish.
Cover with cling wrap, vent the wrap by piercing it with a knife or fork, and microwave the peppers for 4 minutes. Check the peppers for being done. Peppers should be tender and easily pierced by a fork.
If the bell peppers are not tender after 4 minutes, continue to microwave the peppers 30 seconds at a time until the peppers are tender.
Heat a large 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is well heated, add the ground beef. Stir the ground beef with a large spoon, breaking the ground beef up and turning it frequently until the meat is well browned on all sides. Drain the meat if needed.
Add the taco seasoning mix and continue to stir the meat until it is coated with the seasonings. Add the tomato paste and water, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let the meat filling cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the black beans, corn, and ½ cup of shredded cheese to the ground beef mixture. Mix the taco filling well with a large spoon.
Fill the bell pepper halves with the taco meat mixture and sprinkle the filled peppers with the remaining shredded cheese.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are heated through and the cheese is melted.
Serve the peppers with your favorite taco toppings like chopped onions, cilantro, wedges of lime, salsa or hot sauce, avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
My Top Tip
♡ Shred the Cheese Yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is super convenient and will work just fine in this recipe. However, packaged shredded cheese is coated with an agent to keep the cheese from sticking and clumping and this agent also changes the look and texture of melted cheese. So, for the best melting cheese, shred the cheese yourself from a block.
What to Serve with Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Guacamole and Chips
- Plain Rice
- Easy Corn Salad
- Seasoned Pinto Beans
- Sweet Corn Cake
- Classic Margarita Cocktails
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute Other Ground Meats. Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Lower Carb Version. This recipe is already low carb but you can omit the tomato paste, black beans, and corn for an even lower carb/keto version.
- Make it Spicier. Omit the tomato paste, reduce the water to ⅓ cup, and add a can of Rotel Tomatoes.
- Add Enchilada Sauce. If you like your peppers saucy add 2 cups of enchilada sauce around and over the peppers before baking.
- Stretch to 8 Servings. Add 1 cup of cooked white or brown rice to the taco meat mixture, add one additional pepper, and use a larger baking dish.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make-Ahead: The stuffed peppers can be made up to two days ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to bake them.
Storage: Leftover Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers can be covered completely in plastic wrap, or aluminum foil, or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze Stuffed Peppers?
You can prepare taco-stuffed peppers up to the step of baking them and then freeze them for later. Place the stuffed peppers in an airtight freezer-safe container with a cover.
Aluminum trays with a cardboard lid work well if you cover the tray and lid completely with plastic wrap. These stuffed peppers can last up to three months in the freezer.
More Recipes with Ground Beef
♡ Did you love these Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers? Please leave a star rating and a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers
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Ingredients
- 3 Bell Peppers, Halved, with Seeds and White Membrane Removed
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1 Taco Seasoning Mix, 1 Ounce
- 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Cup Water
- ½ Cup Black Beans
- ½ Cup Corn
- 1 ½ Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese, Divided
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C and spray a 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.Halve the bell peppers and remove the seeds and the white membrane. Place the halved peppers cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with cling wrap, vent the wrap by piercing it with a knife or fork and microwave the peppers for 4 minutes. Check if peppers are done . Peppers should be tender and easily pierced by a fork. If the bell peppers are not tender after 4 minutes, continue to microwave the peppers 30 seconds at a time until the peppers are tender.3 Bell Peppers
- Heat a large 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is well heated, add the ground beef. Stir the ground beef with a large spoon, breaking the ground beef up and turning it frequently until the meat is well browned on all sides. Drain the meat if needed.1 Pound Ground Beef
- Add the contents of the taco seasoning mix and continue to stir the meat until it is coated with the seasonings. Add the tomato paste and water, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let the meat filling cook for 10 minutes.1 Taco Seasoning Mix, 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste, 1 Cup Water
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add the black beans, corn, and ½ cup of shredded cheese to the ground beef mixture. Mix the taco filling well with a large spoon.½ Cup Black Beans, ½ Cup Corn, 1 ½ Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese
- Fill the bell pepper halves with the taco meat mixture and sprinkle the filled peppers with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the peppers in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are heated through and the cheese is melted.
- Serve the peppers with your favorite taco toppings like chopped onions, cilantro, wedges of lime, salsa or hot sauce, avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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