Description
Halloween Stuffed Peppers are a festive and delicious dinner idea, turning ordinary bell peppers into edible jack-o’-lanterns filled with a savory mixture. This recipe is easy to make and perfect for a fun, family-friendly meal during the fall season.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large orange bell peppers
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked long-grain rice (or brown rice)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, drained, plus 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing
- Optional add-ins: 3/4 cup black beans, 1/2 cup corn, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice 1 inch below pepper stems, remove seeds and ribs, and carve simple jack-o’-lantern faces into the Halloween stuffed peppers.
- Pre-bake empty carved peppers upright in a snug dish for 8–10 minutes to soften slightly.
- Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add ground beef or turkey; cook until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chosen seasoning (Italian or taco), salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Simmer for 3–4 minutes to reduce the liquid.
- Fold in the cooked rice and any optional add-ins like black beans or corn into the Halloween stuffed pepper filling. Remove from heat and stir in half of the shredded cheese.
- Stuff the Halloween peppers to the rim, but do not pack too tightly. Place the pepper tops back on.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with the remaining cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking. Let the Halloween stuffed peppers rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Carve simple, bold shapes into your Halloween stuffed peppers to prevent splitting during baking.
- For a vegetarian version of these Halloween stuffed peppers, omit the meat and add extra black beans and brown rice.
- Ensure you drain the diced tomatoes well to avoid a soggy filling for your Halloween stuffed peppers.
- Stand the Halloween stuffed peppers in a snug baking dish to help them maintain their shape.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg