I want you to take a tasty adventure with an easy dish that will elevate your overall taste – try the taco stuffed peppers recipe.
In this blog post, we will discuss the complete process of how to prepare taco-stuffed peppers.
Later, we will also look at variations, pro tips to level up the taste, storage and freezing tips and much more.
What are Taco Stuffed Peppers?
Taco Stuffed Peppers are a delicious meal prepared by filling bell peppers with a mix inspired by traditional tacos.
They generally contain seasoned ground meat, corn, black beans, and spices all combined with salsa for better flavour.
It is a healthy meal offering a nice balance of fibre, protein and vitamins.
These taco stuffed peppers are flexible and can be easily customized with a variety of toppings, offering a nice way to enjoy taco flavours more healthily.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavorful and Satisfying: Packed with strong flavours of beans, spices and seasoned meat, it makes each bite satisfies your cravings for tacos.
Customizable: This meal is easy to customize, you can swap proteins, use your favourite vegetables or adjust spice levels to match your taste buds.
Healthy Option: It is prepared with healthy ingredients such as lean meats, bell peppers, and beans, the taco stuffed peppers offer a healthy combination of fibre, protein and vitamins.
Easy to Prepare: These peppers are easy to prepare and require less time to get ready, making them a nice choice for meal prep or busy weeknights.
One-Pan Meal: Everything cooks in one dish, it makes clean-up easier. The peppers hold the filling and are the main part of the meal, which makes the cooking simpler.
Tips
Choose the Right Peppers: Most people go for bell peppers, but poblanos or jalapeños can spice things up if you want.
Cook the Filling First: Brown your meat (beef, turkey, or chicken) with onions, garlic, and taco spices before you put it in the peppers. This blends the flavours and makes sure the meat cooks through.
Add Beans and Rice: Adding black beans or refried beans and cooked rice to the mix bulks it up, adds fibre, and makes it creamy. Your dish will fill you up and give you more nutrients.
Use Cheese Wisely: Mix some into the stuffing to make it creamy then sprinkle more on top before you bake. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican mix will melt on top.
Pre-cook the Peppers: Give the peppers a quick blanch or roast before you stuff them. This softens them up and cuts down on baking time so they end up tender and full of flavor.
Variations
Classic Beef Taco Stuffed Peppers: These peppers have a filling of spiced ground beef black beans, and chopped tomatoes.
They’re topped with cheese and cooked in the oven until soft.
Turkey and Rice Taco Stuffed Peppers: This healthier choice uses ground turkey cooked rice black beans, and taco spices.
It’s finished with a layer of cheddar cheese on top.
Vegetarian Taco Stuffed Peppers: These have quinoa black beans, corn diced tomatoes, and spices inside.
This combo makes for a filling and healthy meal without meat.
Southwestern Chicken Taco Stuffed Peppers: These contain shredded chicken mixed with salsa, corn, and cheese.
This gives a spicy spin to the usual recipe.
Mediterranean Taco Stuffed Peppers: This fusion dish uses ground lamb or beef, feta cheese, olives, and Mediterranean spices.
It’s topped with tzatziki sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican Rice: This tasty side dish has rice cooked in tomato sauce and spices. Sometimes, it includes peas and carrots too.
It goes well with the stuffed peppers and adds substance to the meal.
Refried Beans: These beans are smooth and full of flavour. They’re a staple Mexican side dish.
You can eat them as a dip or on the side. They add a rich, protein-packed extra to go with the peppers.
Guacamole: This creamy avocado dip blends lime juice, cilantro, and chopped tomatoes.
It brings a cool contrast to the hot flavorful stuffed peppers.
Salsa: This tangy tomato sauce can range from mild to hot adding zing and tartness to the dish.
You can serve it for dipping or pouring over the stuffed peppers.
Tortilla Chips: You can try crispy tortilla chips which are perfect for dipping in salsa or guacamole.
They add a fun element to the meal and make it more interesting.
Storing and Freezing
Storing
- After cooking, let the taco-stuffed peppers cool completely.
- Put them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with aluminium foil or plastic wrap.
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- For reheating, set the temperature of the oven to 175 C (350 F).
- Put the stuffed peppers in a baking dish and cover with foil to avoid drying out.
- Heat until well warmed for around 20-25 minutes. You can also put them in the microwave for a quick option, heating in 1-minute intervals until warm.
Freezing
- Let the cooked taco stuffed peppers cool completely.
- Wrap each pepper individually in an aluminium foil or plastic wrap. You can also put them in a freezer-safe airtight container.
- You can freeze the taco-stuffed peppers for up to 3 months.
Thawing
- Transfer the pepper to the refrigerator from the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight.
- Once thawed, you can reheat in the oven for around 25 minutes, by covering it with foil until well heated.
- You can also put them in the microwave for a quick option, heating in 1-minute intervals until warm.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the taco stuffed peppers are a filling and delicious meal that you can enjoy anytime.
They are packed with strong flavours from beans, seasoned meats and veggies, making them special as compared to regular tacos.
Whether you’re organizing a quick dinner or a meal prep dish, these tacos stuffed peppers are a perfect choice.
So why don’t you give these taco stuffed peppers a try? Grab your ingredients and start enjoy the process.
Don’t forget to share your experience in the comments below.
Read More:- Molcajete Salsa Recipe
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers any color
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey or a plant-based alternative
- 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn canned or frozen
- 1 packet taco seasoning or homemade seasoning
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar or Mexican blend
- Optional toppings: sour cream avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Set the temperature of the oven to 190 C (375 F).
- Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remmove the membranes and seeds. Put the peppers upright in a baking dish.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until turn brown over medium flame. Drain the excess fat.
- Add the corn, black beans, taco seasoning and salsa to the skillet. Mix to combine and cook until well heated, it may take around 5 minutes.
- Fill the bell peppers with the mixture of meat, pressing it down gently. Add shredded cheese on top of eah pepper.
- Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and aloow it bake for around 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender, it may take 15 minutes more.
- Take it out from the oven and allow it cool a bit.
- It’s time to serve the taco stuffed peppers. You can try them with topping such as avocado, cilantro, jalapenos or sour cream.
