This taco stuffed peppers recipe is loaded with flavor – large sweet bell peppers stuffed with taco seasoned ground meat then topped with melty cheese. Don't forget the hot sauce!
Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Stuffed peppers! Did you know that we have a slight obsession with stuffed chili peppers? The stuffed chili pepper is a cause for celebration.
This recipe uses the sweet bell pepper. We were at the local grocery store, working our way through the produce section, and these peppers leaped into the cart. I've also made this many times with larger sweet peppers grown in my home garden.
They were begging to be stuffed. Since the holidays are arriving and we both need to hold back on the calorie intake in preparation for all the upcoming celebration eating, we opted for a lighter fare recipe this time.
About the Recipe
This recipe incorporates a simple ground turkey mixture that has been seasoned with plenty of taco seasoning.
However, you can use any ground meat you prefer - turkey, beef, pork or chicken. Try it with chorizo, or a combination of meats. We topped them with a bit of shredded cheddar cheese, but not too much, then baked them to awesome perfection.
This is what I also call a "hot sauce" recipe. Bust out your favorite hot sauce for this one and dash it over the top. It's a prime example of How to Cook with Hot Sauce.
You can make your own - Hot Sauce Recipes, anyone? - or pick up one of the excellent artisan hot sauces out there on the market. Any suggestions? What is your favorite hot sauce?
Here is the recipe. Happy eating.
Taco Stuffed Peppers Ingredients
- 2 Bell peppers (Any color will do – I used a couple large sweet peppers I grew in my garden)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped (use jalapeno for milder heat)
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 12 ounces ground turkey (any ground meat will do – ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning I used my own blend!
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder (or use extra taco seasoning or chili powder)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup water
- Juice from half a lime
- 4 tablespoons hot sauce use your favorite
- 3 ounces grated cheddar cheese (or use Monterrey Jack or pepperjack cheese)
- Chopped cilantro, hot sauce and spicy chili flakes for serving
How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers - the Recipe Method
First, heat a large pan to medium heat and add oil.
Add onion and serrano pepper and cook about 5 minutes to soften.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring here and there.
Add ground turkey (or your chosen ground meat) and cook about 8-10 minutes, breaking it apart as you go, until turkey is cooked through.
Add taco seasoning, ancho powder, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Cook 1 minute to let the flavors bloom.
Add water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, to let the flavors develop and water to reduce.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and core them out. Set them onto a baking dish, open sides up.
Top each pepper half with 3 ounces taco-seasoned turkey meat mixture (or whatever meat you are using).
Next, top the peppers with shredded cheese.
Bake in a slightly oiled baking pan for 15 - 20 minutes, until the peppers soften and the cheeses begin to brown. You can cook them longer, up to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are softened to your liking.
Remove from oven and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, spicy pepper flakes and hot sauce.
BOOM! Done! You're all set. It's quite and easy recipe. You basically cook up some ground taco meat, stuff the peppers, top them with cheese and bake them. I love it!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Larger Pepper Options. You can use bell peppers for this recipe and they will work great. However, this will work with any larger pepper that you want to stuff. I grew some huge Marconi peppers in my garden this year and used them for this recipe. Excellent peppers with a touch of sweetness.
- The Meats. I used ground turkey for this recipe, but it is great with any ground meat - ground beef, chicken or pork. Try it with chorizo, or us a combination of meats.
- Softer Peppers. If you’d like your peppers to be even softer, blanche them in hot water for 1-2 minutes before stuffing them.
- The Heat Factor. I'm using serrano peppers here for a bit of heat with my taco stuffing, but you can dial it back by using jalapeno peppers or no hot peppers at all. If you'd like spicier, go with hotter peppers, like the habanero or even a ghost pepper. Spicy!
- Other Ingredients. Feel free to incorporate other flavors for fun taco stuffed peppers, like black beans or refried beans. Sour cream or crema is great for topping!
- Freeze Your Stuffed Peppers. Stuffed peppers are very easy to freeze, so you can make an extra large batch and keep them for even quicker and easier meals through the week. Learn how to freeze stuffed peppers here.
Storage & Leftovers
Crockpot stuffed peppers will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily warm them in the oven to enjoy again.
Or, you can freeze them for 2-3 months in freezer containers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Stuffed peppers for everyone! They make excellent easy dinners.
Check Out Some of My Other Popular Stuffed Peppers Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I'm happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Bell peppers (Any color will do – I used a couple large sweet peppers I grew in my garden)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped (use jalapeno for milder heat)
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 12 ounces ground turkey (any ground meat will do – ground beef, turkey, chicken or pork)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning I used my own blend!
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder (or use extra taco seasoning)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup water
- Juice from half a lime
- 4 tablespoons hot sauce use your favorite
- 3 ounces grated cheddar cheese (or use Monterrey Jack or pepperjack cheese)
- Chopped cilantro, hot sauce and spicy chili flakes for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add oil.
- Add onion and serrano pepper and cook about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring here and there.
- Add ground turkey (or your chosen ground meat) and cook about 8-10 minutes, breaking it apart as you go, until turkey is cooked through.
- Add taco seasoning, ancho powder, salt and pepper to taste and stir. Cook 1 minute to let the flavors bloom.
- Add water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, to let the flavors develop and water to reduce.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and core them out. Set them onto a baking dish, open sides up.
- Top each pepper half with 3 ounces taco-seasoned turkey meat (or whatever meat you are using), then top with shredded cheese
- Bake in a slightly oiled baking pan for 15-20 minutes, until the peppers soften and the cheeses begin to brown.
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, spicy pepper flakes and hot sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This post was updated on 11/29/19 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 12/19/14.
Barb says
Juice from one-half lime???
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, or to taste. Cut a lime in half and just use the juice from one of the halves. I hope that is clear.
agentshags says
I tried this last night as a test run with sugar rush red and lemon drops, as well as taking some liberties and mixing in some rice and cream cheese, tomatoes and some tomato sauce. Got a batch in the oven right now that is smelling amazing with green bells and poblanos as well as some jalapenos (ran out of big peppers). Thank you for always having great ideas for how to use peppers. This site is a godsend for after a large harvest, when I often am scratching my head for new ideas to use my peppers aside from sauces and flakes. Keep up the amazing work, friends 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much! Sounds wonderful!
Alexis says
These were fantastic!!! I used my own taco seasoning mix. I'm on Atkins so I make everything low-carb (down 112 pounds) and these are a perfect additional to my menu. Easy to make and full of flavor. The tomatoes added a great burst of flavor as well. A+
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Alexis! I love it!