Mexican Stuffed Pepper Recipe

These festive, fun and easy Mexican Stuffed Peppers are loaded with hearty ground beef seasoned with the perfect mixture of spices, onions, tomatoes, rice and topped with sharp cheddar and zesty pepper jack cheese.

Ingredients

• 6 bell peppers any color
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 1 can 14.5 ounce fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white rice uncooked
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• chopped cilantro optional

Instructions

• Start by cutting off the tops of the peppers and removing the seeds and membranes. Boil the peppers in a large pot of water for about 4-5 minutes.  Drain the peppers very well.
• In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef.  When the ground beef is about halfway browned add the onion and cook until it is soft and the beef is browned.  Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.  Add the taco seasoning, water, fire roasted tomatoes, and rice.  Bring it all to a simmer and then cover and cook until the rice is tender.
• Fill the peppers with the ground beef mixture and place in a baking dish. Add a cup of water to the bottom of the dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Spread the tops of the peppers evenly with both cheeses and bake until the cheese is melted.  If desired top with chopped cilantro.

Notes

• Do you love spicy food? It’s no problem—stir in a little bit of cayenne pepper and/or minced jalapeno.
• Most stuffed pepper recipes call for cooked rice.  With this recipe, the rice cooks right in the skillet with the ground beef and other seasonings. 
• Other ingredients to add to the mixture include corn, black beans, or diced tomatoes.
• Add a cup of water to the bottom of the baking dish with the peppers. This will help steam them and make them a little softer.
• These peppers can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.  Remove the peppers from the fridge about 30-40 minutes prior to baking to bring the peppers up to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4058IU | Vitamin C: 155mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 3mg