Taco Stuffed Peppers

Taco Stuffed Peppers pack all the bold, savory flavors of taco night into tender, oven-baked bell peppers! Each pepper is filled to the brim with seasoned ground beef, fluffy rice, zesty diced tomatoes and green chiles, and melted cheddar cheese.

With just 6 simple ingredients and 15 minutes of prep, this healthy, family-friendly dinner comes together fast on busy weeknights—and tastes so good your family will request it every week.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our Taco Stuffed Peppers, you will need the following ingredients:

• Red bell peppers: Red bell peppers are naturally sweet and pair wonderfully with savory taco seasoning, but yellow, orange, or green bell peppers work great too. Pick wide, sturdy peppers with flat bottoms so they stand upright in your baking dish.
• Lean ground beef: Gives the filling hearty taco flavor without excess grease. You can also substitute ground turkey or shredded cooked chicken.
• Cooked rice: White rice, brown rice, or even leftover Mexican rice helps bind the meat mixture and soak up all the taco juices.
• Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles: One 10-ounce can, drained, adds zesty flavor and tender texture right into the filling.
• Low-sodium taco seasoning: One 1.25-ounce packet seasons the entire skillet of beef and rice in seconds.
• Shredded cheddar cheese: Melts into a bubbly, golden layer on top of each stuffed pepper. A Mexican cheese blend or Colby Jack works well too.

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Stock Pot (10 qt)
• Saucepan (Large)
• Baking Dish (8 Inch Square)
• Chef Knife
• Cutting Board
• Spoon (Slotted)

How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Prep the bell peppers: Wash the bell peppers, slice off the tops, and remove all seeds and white membranes from the inside.
3. Parboil the peppers: Place the hollowed-out peppers in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove the pot from the heat, and let the peppers sit in the hot water for 5 minutes until slightly tender. Remove the peppers from the water, drain well, and set aside.
4. Brown the ground beef: In a large saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked through and no longer pink, then drain the excess fat.
5. Mix the taco filling: Add the cooked rice, drained Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, and taco seasoning packet to the cooked beef. Stir until evenly combined.
6. Stuff the peppers: Stand the peppers upright in an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish and spoon the warm meat mixture into each pepper, filling them to the top.
7. Top with cheese and bake: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the tops of the peppers and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm with your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe Notes

• Don’t skip parboiling the peppers: Letting the peppers sit in boiled water for 5 minutes softens them up before they go into the oven so they finish baking tender at the same time the filling heats through and the cheese melts.
• Swaps for Rotel tomatoes: If someone in your family isn’t a fan of diced tomatoes, swap the drained Rotel for ½ cup to ¾ cup of red taco sauce, red enchilada sauce, or your favorite smooth salsa.
• Use any color bell pepper: While red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are sweeter, green bell peppers are a delicious and budget-friendly swap that works just as well.
• Add your favorite taco toppings: Dress up your baked peppers right before serving with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, or black olives. You can also stir black beans or sweet corn right into the meat and rice mixture.

Storage Suggestions

Once the stuffed peppers have cooled completely, here is how you can store, freeze, and reheat them:

• Refrigerator: Place cooled leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
• Make Ahead: You can parboil the peppers, prepare the beef and rice filling, and stuff the peppers up to 24 hours in advance. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to top with cheese and bake (add 5–10 minutes to the baking time if baking straight from the fridge).
• Freezer: To freeze before baking, arrange the stuffed, unbaked peppers on a baking sheet and flash-freeze for 1 hour until firm. Transfer the peppers to individual freezer-safe bags or an airtight freezer container, press out the excess air, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.
• Reheating: Reheat leftover peppers in a covered baking dish at 350°F for 15–20 minutes until heated through, or microwave individual peppers in 1-minute increments until warm.

Enjoy More Delicious Beef Main Dishes

The possibilities for delicious beef main dishes are endless, from cuts of meat like steak or roast, to family-friendly ground beef dishes, explore our comprehensive collection of beef recipes.

• Cheeseburger Tacos
• Chile Colorado Beef Burritos
• Crispy Steak Burritos
• Ground Beef Crunchwrap Supreme
• Ground Beef Tostadas
• Oven Baked Beef Tacos
• Oven Baked Beef Taquitos
• Oven Baked Shredded Beef Chimichangas
• Steak Burrito Bowl
• Street Tacos (Carne Asada)