Taco Stuffed Peppers

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Shake up Taco Tuesday with these colorful Taco Stuffed Peppers filled with ground beef, taco spices, black beans, corn, and melted cheese.

Everyone loves Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo, and what could be better than a mashup of the classic stuffed pepper recipe with mildly spicy taco flavors for a new Mexican-inspired, easy weeknight dinner?

Whether you're tired of your usual dinner rotation or looking for an easy main dish that the whole family will love, these tasty taco-stuffed peppers are a perfect meal for any night of the week!

Halved bell peppers stuffed with taco meat, vegetables, and cheese in a white baking dish.

🔍 Quick Look: Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Ready in: 60 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: ~324 kcal
Main Ingredients: Bell peppers, ground beef, taco seasoning mix, tomato paste, black beans, corn, and shredded cheese
Elements of Taste: Spicy • Salty • Umami
Mixing Techniques: Stir and Mix
Cook Method: Steam, Brown (Sear), Bake
Difficulty: Easy, making it great for cooks of all levels.
Why You'll Love It: The peppers are partially cooked before filling, so they bake up tender while the taco filling stays moist and cheesy.
Perfect for: Weeknight dinners, Taco Tuesday, Sunday suppers, and meal prep.

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🔍 Quick Look: Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Why You'll Love These Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers
My Top Tip
What to Serve with Taco Stuffed Peppers
Taco Stuffed Peppers FAQ's
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Freezing
More Recipes Featuring Ground Beef
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Why You'll Love These Taco Stuffed Peppers

Traditional stuffed peppers use a classic meatloaf filling and Italian flavors, but these Taco Stuffed Peppers combine the flavors of tacos with colorful bell peppers for an easy, satisfying dinner.

The peppers get a quick head start in the microwave, so they become tender without needing to boil them. For the filling, simply brown the ground beef, then season it with your favorite taco seasoning. This is the same quick seasoning trick I use when making my Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas. Then add tomato paste, black beans, corn, and cheese for a hearty taco filling.

Black beans and corn stretch one pound of ground beef into six generous servings, making these stuffed peppers an economical family dinner. Add your favorite taco toppings and everyone can customize their own.

Ingredient Notes

Here's everything you'll need to make Taco Stuffed Peppers. Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.

Ingredients from left, clockwise: bell peppers, ground beef, taco seasoning mix, tomato paste, shredded cheese, corn, and black beans.

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 does not need to be drained before adding the taco seasonings. Ground beef with a little more fat generally browns well and has a richer flavor.
Taco Seasoning Mix - Use your favorite taco seasoning mix. I like to use a mild spice mix to keep it family-friendly.
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.

Substitutions & Variations

Substitute Other Ground Meats. Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken.
Vegetarian Version. Substitute plant-based crumbles for the ground beef.
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 your favorite red enchilada sauce around and over the peppers before baking. I personally love my mom's Homemade Enchilada Sauce, which is flavorful but not spicy.
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.

How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers

♡ So, let's cook!

Process Photo 1 - Preparing the bell peppers to steam them in the microwave.

Step 1: Preheat Oven & Steam Peppers. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C and spray a 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Halve the peppers, remove seeds and membranes, and place cut-side up in the dish. Cover with vented cling wrap and microwave for 4 minutes, or until fork-tender, adding 30-second intervals as needed.

Process Photo 2 - Searing the ground beef and cooking in taco seasoning.

Step 2: Brown & Season Ground Beef. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up and stirring frequently, until well browned, developing rich umami flavors; drain if needed. Stir in taco seasoning until evenly coated.

Process Photo 3 - Adding tomato paste and water to the taco seasoned, browned ground beef.

Step 3: Stir in Tomato Paste. Stir in the tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let the meat filling cook for 10 minutes.

Process Photo 4 - Mixing black beans, corn, and shredded cheese into the ground beef mixture.

Step 4: Add Beans, Corn, and Cheese. 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.

Process Photo 5 - Fill the bell pepper halves with the taco meat mixture, place them in the baking dish, and sprinkle with more shredded cheese.

Step 5: Fill the Peppers. Fill the bell pepper halves with the taco meat mixture, place them in the baking dish, and sprinkle the filled peppers with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Process Photo 6 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake.

Step 6: Bake. 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, such as chopped onions, flavorful cilantro, lime wedges, salsa or hot sauce, avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

My Top Tip

♡ Shred the Cheese Yourself. For the best melting cheese, shred the cheese yourself from a block. 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, which also changes the look and texture of melted cheese.

What to Serve with Taco Stuffed Peppers

Taco Stuffed Peppers FAQ's

What are some common mistakes when making stuffed peppers?

Steam or parboil the peppers to soften them before baking. This shortens the baking time and helps the peppers cook evenly. Also, don't make the stuffing too moist. Excess moisture can overcook the peppers and make them soft enough to fall apart.

Should I boil peppers before stuffing them?

No, I prefer to steam them in the microwave using the same pan I will bake them in. This saves time and makes the pepper tender.

Can I use ground turkey in this recipe for taco stuffed peppers?

Yes, you can substitute ground turkey in this recipe. However, you may need to add more seasoning when substituting ground turkey.

Can you freeze taco 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.

Make-Ahead, Storage, & Freezing

Make-Ahead: The stuffed peppers can be made completely through Step 5 up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake them.
Storage: Leftover Taco Stuffed Peppers can be covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Yes. Taco stuffed peppers freeze very well. Assemble them through Step 5, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months.