Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Filled with ground beef, rice, and black beans, these Mexican stuffed peppers are a delicious and protein-packed meal the whole family can enjoy. Plus, they keep well in the fridge and freezer, making them a great meal prep idea!

If you’re looking for a fun, new, family-friendly dinner idea, this Mexican stuffed peppers recipe is for you. Not only are they easy to make, but they are a great way to use leftover rice, and they are very versatile.

Once you’ve got the basics down, you can mix and match the ingredients to use whatever ingredients on hand. Any ground meat, type of rice, style of beans, and taco seasoning will work well to create cheesy, tender, and flavorful stuffed Mexican peppers.

Why You’ll Love Them

• High in Protein – The combination of ground beef and rice ensures each serving contains over 40 grams of protein.
• Full of Flavor – The stuffed peppers are full of Mexican-inspired flavors.
• Great for Meal Prep – These stuffed peppers keep well in the fridge and freezer, making them a great make-ahead meal idea.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Bell Peppers – To add some veggies and create the base of the stuffed peppers. You can use any color of bell pepper, including red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers, or use large poblano peppers instead.
• Ground Beef – To add some protein. I used extra-lean ground beef, but you can use any type of ground beef, or swap it for ground turkey or chicken if preferred.
• Onion and Garlic – To flavor the beef and rice filling. The recipe calls for a whole onion and garlic cloves, but you can use onion powder and garlic powder if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Rice – To make add some complex carbohydrates and add some moisture to the filling. The recipe calls for white rice, but you can use brown rice if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Black Beans – To add plant-based protein and fiber. The recipe calls for black beans, but kidney beans would also work well.
• Tomatoes – To add some more veggies and ensure the filling is thick. The recipe calls for a can of crushed tomatoes, but plain diced tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, or tomato sauce would also work well.
• Spices – A mixture of chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt to season the stuffed tacos. You can also use taco seasoning if preferred. See the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Cheese – To add some more protein and healthy fats, and add a cheesy topping to the stuffed peppers. The recipe calls for Monterey Jack cheese, but cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese would also work well.
• Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is a balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fats. These Mexican stuffed peppers can be enjoyed as a complete meal or adapted or served with a side dish to suit your personal calorie or macro needs. For example:

• To make them higher in protein, swap the black beans for additional ground beef.
• To make them lower in fat, swap the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.
• To make them low carb, swap the rice for cauliflower rice.
• To make them higher in fiber, serve them with steamed broccoli or a side salad.
• To make them more filling, serve them with a side of cooked rice and/or vegetables.
• To add flavor, serve them with sour cream, guacamole, avocado slices, salsa, hot sauce, and/or fresh cilantro.

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes:

• Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos
• Mexican Corn Chicken Soup
• Turkey Taco Skillet

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Author: Stephanie Kay

With 43 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per serving, these Mexican stuffed peppers are perfect for a hearty and healthy meal. 

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Main
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: Mexican

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Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers, any color
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

To Serve (optional):

• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Cilantro, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and grab a large baking dish or sheet pan.
2. On a cutting board, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the cores and seeds.
3. Place the bell pepper halves in the baking dish, open side down, and drizzle them with a little olive oil, using your hands to ensure the outside of each bell pepper is well coated. Transfer the baking dish to the oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
4. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil on medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender.
5. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, for 5-6 minutes until mostly browned.
6. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the beef is completely cooked through.
7. Turn the heat down to medium, add the tomatoes and water, and stir to combine with the beef mixture.
8. Add the cooked rice, drained black beans, and frozen corn, stir to combine with the beef mixture, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the corn has thawed. Remove the pan from the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
9. Working one at a time, fill the bell pepper halves with the ground beef and rice mixture and place them in the baking dish, open side up. Continue until all the bell peppers are filled.
10. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (this is essential to ensure the bell peppers are tender) and transfer it to the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
11. Once baked, remove the baking dish from the oven and top each bell pepper with shredded cheese. Then return the baking dish to the oven, without the aluminum foil, for a final 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
12. The Mexican stuffed peppers can be served immediately with a dollop sour cream and/or guacamole and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
13. Any leftovers can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To Use Onion Powder: Swap the onion for 1 teaspoon of onion powder. Skip step #4 and add it in step #6.

To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic cloves for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and add it in step #6.

To Use Taco Seasoning: Swap the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt for 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Add it in step #6.

To Use Uncooked Rice: In a pot, combine 1/3 rice with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook covered for 15 minutes, or as per package directions, until it can be fluffed with a fork. Once cooked, at it as per instructions in step #8.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 pepper halves
• Calories: 561 calories
• Sugar: 14 grams
• Fat: 21 grams
• Carbohydrates: 53 grams
• Fiber: 13 grams
• Protein: 43 grams