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Easy Taco Stuffed Peppers are a fun low carb dinner ready in 30 minutes. One pound of ground beef is cooked with beans, seasoned with a homemade spice blend, stuffed into bell peppers, then topped with cheese. All baked until the cheese is melted, and topped with your favorite taco toppings!
Ditch the taco shell and enjoy this low carb version of a classic ground beef taco. These taco stuffed bell peppers are a fun and easy family dinner recipe that everyone will love. This recipe is kid friendly also! Simply use a mild, green bell pepper for the younger ones and allow them to put their favorite toppings on.
If you’re a fan of making healthy swaps and finding more ways to enjoy vegetables with your dinner make sure you also try these Taco Stuffed Avocados, and our Taco Salad.
Taco Stuffed Peppers Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground Beef: You can substitute out the ground beef for a lean ground turkey or chicken. Or use shredded chicken or any other taco meat you may have from leftovers, like our Carnitas or Shredded Mexican Beef.
- Taco Seasoning: The blend of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and oregano makes up the seasoning needed to make a flavorful ground beef taco mixture. You can substitute this taco seasoning blend with a store-bought taco seasoning.
- Rotel: This canned tomato and green Chile blend gives a nice flavor and a slight amount of heat. You can substitute with fresh tomato and diced jalapeno or poblano. Or use a can of diced tomato and a can of diced green peppers. If using fresh ingredients, you will need to cook them with the meat a bit to get them softened.
- Black Beans: Substitute with pinto beans if desired.
- Cheese: Use your favorite cheese, a mild cheddar is a family favorite for us, you could also use Monterey Jack or a Pepper Jack to spice things up.
HOW TO MAKE TACO STUFFED Bell PEPPERS
Slice the bell peppers in half. Spoon out the seeds and membranes. Place the peppers cut side up in a 9×13 baking dish.
Bake the peppers for 20 minutes until softened. Bell peppers are 92% water. Pre-baking them helps draw out excess moisture that we can remove before adding the filling.
While the peppers are baking, prepare the taco meat. Place the ground beef into a medium size skillet, cook over medium heat while breaking up the meat.
When the meat is mostly browned, add in the diced onion and continue to cook until meat is browned and onions are softened. Drain any excess grease. Return the skillet back to the stovetop.
Add in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds. Mix in the salt, garlic and onion powders, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Or use your own taco seasoning.
Stir in the Rotel and black beans until the entire mixture is combined.
When the bell peppers are done baking, carefully drain out any excess moisture that accumulated in the bottom of them.
Spoon the cooked meat mixture into the peppers. Top with grated cheese.
Bake the stuffed peppers for 5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
Remove from the oven and serve with additional taco toppings as desired.
Store
Leftover taco stuffed peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat the stuffed peppers place them in a baking pan, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until warm, approximately 15 minutes.
Freeze
After baking, allow the peppers to cool to room temperature, then place in a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. For meal prep you can freeze these individually in glass prep containers for an easy make-ahead lunch or dinner. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
You can prepare and freeze the stuffing mixture separately in a freezer safe container or bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and use in fresh bell peppers.
More Topping Ideas
The toppings for these stuffed peppers are endless. Some ideas include: shredded lettuce, green onions, sliced olives, homemade guacamole, salsa, sour cream, diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, Mexican crema, or try a flavored crema (avocado, lime, cilantro, smoky red pepper).
Taco Stuffed Peppers FAQs
If you are unable to fit all the filling into the peppers you can always save it to serve for a quick lunch the next day. It’s great when served in a lettuce wrap, in a bowl over some rice, or on it’s own with tortilla chips.
For best results in the slow cooker, slice the tops of the bell peppers off, to fit more in by standing them up. Pour a small amount of water or broth into your slow cooker, stand the peppers in with the open tops facing up. Add the stuffing to the peppers. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Once the peppers are softened, remove the lid and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook until the cheese melts. Add toppings and serve.
Keep the entire meal low carb by serving these side dishes:
Mexican Salad
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Roasted Mexican Vegetables
Fish Taco Coleslaw or Classic Southern Coleslaw
Tomato, Avocado, and Cilantro Salad
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Watch How To Make
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (10 ounce can) Rotel
- 1 (15 ounce can) black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
Toppings
- cilantro diced
- sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice the bell peppers in half. Spoon out the seeds and membranes. Place the peppers cut side up in a large baking dish.
- Bake the peppers for 20 minutes until softened.
- While the peppers are baking, prepare the taco meat. Place the ground beef into a medium size skillet, cook over medium heat while breaking up the meat.
- Add in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Mix in the salt, garlic and onion powders, cumin, chili powder, and oregano.
- Stir in the Rotel and black beans until the entire mixture is combined.
- When the bell peppers are done baking, if needed carefully drain out any excess moisture that accumulated in the bottom of them.
- Spoon the cooked meat mixture into the peppers. Top with grated cheese.
- Bake the stuffed peppers for 5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
- Remove from the oven and serve with additional taco toppings as desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Ground Beef: You can substitute out the ground beef for a lean ground turkey or chicken. Or use shredded chicken or any other taco meat you may have from leftovers, like our Carnitas or Shredded Mexican Beef.
- Taco Seasoning: The blend of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and oregano makes up the seasoning needed to make a flavorful ground beef taco mixture. You can substitute this seasoning blend with a store-bought taco seasoning.
- Rotel: This canned tomato and green Chile blend gives a nice flavor and a slight amount of heat. You can substitute with fresh tomato and diced jalapeno or poblano. Or use a can of diced tomato and a can of diced green peppers. If using fresh ingredients, you will need to cook them with the meat a bit to get them softened.
- Black Beans: Substitute with pinto beans if desired.
- Cheese: Use your favorite cheese, a mild cheddar is a family favorite for us, you could also use Monterey Jack or a Pepper Jack to spice things up.
- Storage: Leftover taco stuffed peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat the stuffed peppers place them in a baking pan, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until warm, approximately 15 minutes.
- Freezing: After baking, allow the peppers to cool to room temperature, then place in a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. For meal prep you can freeze these individually in glass prep containers for an easy make-ahead lunch or dinner. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You can prepare and freeze the stuffing mixture separately in a freezer safe container or bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and use in fresh bell peppers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published September 26, 2018. Updated January 3, 2024 with new images and information.
Photography and styling by JessGaertnerCreative.com
