Stuffed full of ground turkey, black beans, and corn, these delicious peppers make for a savory meal!
It’s Taco Tuesday, but you ran out of taco shells. Now what do you do? If you have assorted bell peppers on hand, you have your answer. Making taco-stuffed peppers puts a delicious, low-carb twist on this family-favorite dish. Besides, everyone knows the best part of the taco is the meat and cheese. You get both with this easy-to-make recipe.
The savory filling has all the flavors of tacos, thanks to the taco seasoning. There’s no lengthy list of spices here. Of course, if you want to make it from scratch, use our Taco Seasoning Recipe that you can prepare in bulk so you always have some on hand.
You can easily swap the ground turkey for ground chicken, beef, veal, lamb, or pork. Meatless crumbles will work if you want to keep it vegetarian, or you can use chopped mushrooms, which also provide a meat-like texture. Other good vegetable additions to this recipe include chopped spinach and shredded zucchini (with the water squeezed out). You can also substitute cooked rice for the ground turkey, and if you want a vegan version, switch to a plant-based shredded cheese.
Enhance your stuffed peppers with the same toppings you would add to tacos, such as sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeños, green onions, salsa, hot sauce, shredded lettuce, and diced tomatoes. Chopped avocados or guacamole are other great toppings to add before serving.
Don’t stop at peppers!
Wait! What? Yes, I know this recipe is all about stuffing peppers with a taco meat mixture, but that does not mean you have to stop there. I know that not everyone likes bell peppers because I used to be one of those people. If you have someone in your family who doesn’t like peppers, you can stuff other vegetables that they like with this mixture.
Along with taco-stuffed peppers, you can make stuffed portobello mushrooms, poblano peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, or go the pasta route and make stuffed shells. The mushrooms and tomatoes do not require cooking before stuffing. Yellow squash and zucchini can be hollowed out and dropped in a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds to soften slightly. If you want to use poblano peppers, make sure to cook them until soft before stuffing, or they will be too tough to eat.
Another fun option is to stuff this mixture into cooked spaghetti squash, which is one of my favorite veggies for that purpose. Stuffing assorted vegetables also makes for an interesting platter when you bring it to the table. Cutting the stuffed vegetables in half allows everyone to try multiple options.
How do I store leftovers?
Allow leftover taco-stuffed peppers to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once chilled, you can freeze the stuffed peppers for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or zippered bags. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator. The texture of the peppers may change upon thawing, and you may need to drain off some excess liquid, but they will still taste great. Reheat the peppers in a microwave or 350°F oven until warm.
Serving suggestions
Serve your taco-stuffed peppers with an assortment of fun toppings, including Guacamole Salsa or this Chunky Guacamole Recipe. Rice Cooker Mexican Rice or Mexican Cauliflower Rice is ideal on the side. Another fun side dish is also one of my favorite naturally gluten-free dishes: Arepas! These savory corn cakes are so good! Of course, if you want to go all out, make this Queso Recipe and put out a bowl of Air-Fryer Tortilla Chips for dipping. Enjoy your fiesta!
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brushing
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 16 ounces lean ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup corn kernels frozen or fresh
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Arrange the bell pepper halves on a baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and ground turkey, and cook until browned.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Mix in the black beans and corn kernels, and let the filling simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the peppers from the oven. Spoon the turkey mixture into each pepper half and top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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