Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers are colorful bell peppers filled with ground beef, taco spices, black beans, corn, and cheese. Serve the peppers with your favorite taco toppings for a new twist on Taco Tuesday.
Ingredients
3Bell PeppersHalved, with Seeds and White Membrane Removed
1PoundGround Beef
1Taco Seasoning Mix1 Ounce
3TablespoonsTomato Paste
1CupWater
½CupBlack Beans
½CupCorn
1 ½CupsShredded Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend CheeseDivided
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
My Top Tips♡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.Substitutions & VariationsSubstitute 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 & StorageThe stuffed peppers can be made up to two days ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to bake them.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 a layer of plastic wrap. The stuffed peppers can last up to 3