Taco seasoned meat, black beans and a healthy dose of veggies! These taco stuffed peppers are a lighter approach to taco night and best of all take just over 30 minutes from start to finish!
Taco night always has and always will be my most favourite night of the week.
The weather has been getting warmer around here and we are coming out of our winter carb coma and craving things that are lighter, more veggie packed and a little less, well, carb-y. And that's where these taco stuffed peppers come in!
These peppers are all the things I love about taco night - but stuffed into a nice healthy pepper instead of wrapped up in a corn or flour tortilla. Lean seasoned taco meat, healthy fibre filled black beans, and even some shredded zucchini for extra nutrients and to up the veggie factor. And of course, a bit of cheese on top for balance.
You can eat these stuffed peppers as a meal on their own, out build out dinner with a side salad, your favourite veggie or even some Mexican rice if you're looking to bulky the meal up.
Just like tacos, you can dress them up any way you like - my favourite way is with some pico de gallo or gaucamole!
The best part of this meal though is what a cinch it is to make - simply prepare the filling then stuff and bake and you've got stuffed peppers on your plate in about 30 minutes!
You're going to love this!
- Quick and Easy - these stuffed peppers come together in just two simple steps: prepare the filling, stuff and bake!
- Healthy and fibre packed - bulking out the stuffed peppers with zucchini and black beans instead of rice adds a bunch of healthy nutrients and fibre to the dish.
- Freezer friendly - If you've got leftovers and won't eat them in time just throw them in the freezer for a later meal! Simply thaw and bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes or until the peppers are warmed through.
Ingredients
- Peppers - I used red and orange peppers but go ahead and use your favourites! When shopping I look for wider peppers that form deep halves so that they stuff well.
- Ground beef - look for extra lean. If you want to make this dish a bit healthier, you can also substitute for ground turkey or chicken.
- Zucchini - I love adding hidden veggies to things, and zucchini is one of my favourites to use! If you have picky kids they wont even taste it in there, promise!
- Black beans - I use these instead of rice to bulk out the dish with extra fibre. They also add great flavour!
- Tomato paste - used to thicken up the sauce a bit.
- Taco spices - chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder - bringing the taco flavour to our stuffed peppers.
How to make them
Prebake the peppers. Heat your oven to 400ºF and place your halved peppers inside of a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Prepare the filling as the peppers bake.
Prepare your filling. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef and seasonings. Brown the beef for a couple of minutes then add the water, tomato paste and seasonings along with the zucchini and black beans and mix well. Let the mixture cook until the water has mostly evaporated.
Stuff the peppers and bake. Remove the pre-baked peppers from the oven and dump out any water that has collected in them and then place them back in the dish. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture then top with the shredded cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Common Questions
I don't mind at all just having a couple of these taco stuffed peppers and calling it a meal. If you are looking to add sides though, you can do anything from a green salad to your favourite veggie or a side of rice.
Roasting the peppers a bit first and then disposing of the released water will help to keep them from being watery. If you skip this step expect some water in your stuffed peppers.
Yes! If you want to switch it up or make this dish a bit healthier go ahead and swap the ground beef for ground turkey. Chicken or pork would work too!
Yes! Simply follow the instructions up to topping the peppers with cheese then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. Add a couple extra minutes of baking time to heat them through though.
More recipes you'll love!
If you like these taco stuffed peppers, you might want to check out some of our other great Tex-Mex recipes!
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Taco Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients:
- 4 peppers - halved and seeds removed
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- ½ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 zucchini - shredded
- 1⁄2 can black beans - drained
- 1⁄2 cup shredded habanero cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Slice peppers in half lengthwise then place in a casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes.
- While the peppers cook, brown the beef in a large skillet, then add the water, tomato paste, seasonings, and black beans. Simmer for a couple of minutes then add the shredded zucchini. Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and carefully remove any water that has pooled in the bottom of them. Divide the beef mixture amongst the halved peppers then top with shredded cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
* nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.
Alexandra says
This is such a delicious way to enjoy peppers! Yum! The flavours are so good.
Margo Bibby says
Yummy recipe - easy to prepare and very tasty!
Courtney says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it!