Easy taco stuffed peppers recipe with ground beef is a healthy dinner option for taco night. Top the stuffed peppers with favorite taco toppings.
If you like this recipe, check out my Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos next!
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If you’re looking for a delicious twist on Taco Tuesdays, this healthy recipe with red bell peppers is the way to go. I use some help from ready rice to make the easy taco filling. And then your whole family can top them however they want. They are terrific for meal prep. So they might become your go-to dinner on a busy weeknight.
More pepper recipes
Ingredients for taco stuffed peppers
- Red Bell Peppers – You can use any color large bell peppers. I used red because I love the taste of roasted red peppers. And because they looked the best at my grocery when I was shopping.
- Ground Beef – I chose to use ground round for testing this recipe. But you can use any type of ground meat – ground turkey, ground chicken or even a meatless variety.
- Beans – For tacos, I prefer pinto beans. But you can use a can of black beans if you prefer.
- Rice – Instead of low carb, I wanted each pepper half to contain some rice for a complete and well-balanced meal. You could use cauliflower rice or replace the rice with a can of drained corn.
- Cheese – Freshly grated cheese melts better. I like Monterey Jack cheese with Mexican-style flavors.
- Sauce – I mixed in an 8 oz can of tomato sauce with the taco filling and topped each pepper half with a drizzle of Taco Bell taco sauce.
- Taco Seasoning – Use one envelope of your favorite brand of taco seasoning.
- Toppings – I like serving the stuffed peppers topped with a little sour cream, fresh avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. You could also add other favorite toppings like chopped red onions or sliced black olives.
- Variations – Use cauliflower rice instead of precooked rice. Sub green bell peppers for red. Make it an appetizer by stuffing mini peppers instead.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set an oven-safe cooking rack on top. Wash and slice each bell pepper in half and use a sharp paring knife to scoop/trim out the seeds. Lay the pepper halves, cut side down, onto the cooking rack. Brush each pepper lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Roast them for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Microwave the rice package according to directions. Stir in the cooked rice, drained can of beans, taco seasoning packet and tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the filling for a few minutes. Off heat, add half of the shredded cheese and stir well until melted.
Remove the pan with the cooked peppers from the oven. Use metal tongs to flip over the roasted bell pepper halves. Evenly scoop the taco filling into each of the halves. Drizzle about a tablespoon of taco sauce on top of each filled pepper half. Top each stuffed pepper half with the remaining shredded cheese.
Cook the peppers at 400 degrees F for an additional 15 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before serving. For complete list of ingredients, keep scrolling to the bottom for my free printable recipe card.
Serving suggestions
This is an easy meal so the sides should be simple. Serve the peppers with some tortilla chips and salsa. Pick up a key lime pie from the grocery for dessert. If you’d like to make everything from scratch, here’s some more of my recipes to make these peppers a compete meal –
Storage directions
Place the cooked peppers into an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or in the freezer for up to one month.
Kitchen tools
- Sheet pan and oven safe cooking rack gift set that I use in my kitchen
- My favorite set of locking metal tongs
- The non-stick pan with glass lid I use in my kitchen
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 16 oz ground beef
- 8.5 oz cooked rice I used Ben's Ready Rice Spicy Mexican Style
- 15 oz pinto beans drained
- 1 envelope taco seasoning I used Taco Bell Mild
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 4 oz taco sauce I used Taco Bell Mild
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place an oven safe cooking rack on top. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash and cut each bell pepper in half. Use a sharp paring knife to trim away the ribs and seeds from inside.
- Place each half bell pepper cut side down on the cooking rack. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush each pepper with olive oil. Then season them with the salt.
- Roast the peppers in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cooked rice, drained beans, taco seasoning and tomato sauce.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally for a few minutes until well blended. Off heat, add half of the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted into the ground beef mixture.
- Take the pan with the cooked peppers out of the oven. Use tongs to gently flip each pepper over.
- Evenly divide the cooked filling among the pepper halves. Top each filled pepper with one tablespoon of taco sauce. Then sprinkle each pepper with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the taco stuffed peppers in the 400 degree F oven for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve the peppers topped like tacos.
Nutrition
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