Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Name: Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef ((or ground turkey or chicken)); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 6 bell peppers; 1 cup Colby jack cheese; 2 cups prepared Spanish rice ((recommend Ben's Original Ready Rice, Spanish Style))

This easy Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe is made with just four simple ingredients and takes only 25 minutes!

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

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It truly doesn’t get easier than this Mexican-influenced Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe! Made with just four simple ingredients, this 25-minute meal is a tasty and healthy dish that is sure to become a household staple.

Looking for a quick and easy way to get your veggies in? Look no further than this super simple Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe!

This shortcut recipe uses whole peppers hollowed out and stuffed with seasoned ground beef, prepared Spanish rice, and Colby jack cheese to create a quick and comforting dinner. They can be served alone as a healthy, balanced meal, or add a few side dishes to round out a full meal.

This recipe is easily dressed up or down to match almost any occasion. Serve them on their own for a quick lunch or paired with a few of your favorite sides as a casual Sunday dinner.

Kids love this recipe because of the fun presentation and adults appreciate the extra serving of veggies. Trust me, no one will be able to resist the sweet, savory, spicy, flavors of this ultimate comfort dish!

🥘 Ingredient Notes

All ingredients needed to make stuffed bell peppers.

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Ground Beef – I prefer 80/20 ground chuck for any recipe requiring ground beef. It has a high fat content which means more flavor. If you prefer leaner beef, that’s fine. Ground turkey and ground chicken also substitute well.
Prepared Spanish Rice – If you have a favorite homemade recipe, that’s perfect! Otherwise, use either a boxed mix (such as Zatarain) or a ready-to-use brand like Ben’s Original Ready Rice Spanish Flavor (90 seconds microwave cooking time).
Colby Jack Cheese – Any mild, creamy cheese works. Monterey Jack is also perfect.
Bell Peppers – They’re the star of the show, so make sure the ones you choose are free of blemishes and wrinkles and feel heavy for their size. Green, purple, red, yellow, and orange all work equally well.
Spices – A mixture of salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes provides the seasoning for the beef.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How to Make Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

In a frying pan over medium heat, add the ground beef together with the salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook until no pink remains in the ground beef. Drain and discard any excess fat.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the peppers by slicing the top off of each and removing the seeds and ribs from the insides.
Divide the beef mixture evenly between the prepared peppers.

Top the beef with prepared Spanish rice.
Sprinkle a generous amount of cheese on top of each.
Broil on high until everything is heated through and the cheese is bubbly.

🍽 How to Serve

Because these scrumptious bell peppers are brimming with a mixture of protein, carb, and fat, this dish makes a well-rounded meal on its own. However, if you’d like to add a few sides, I recommend serving Mexican or Tex-Mex side dishes such as chips and salsa, refried bean dip, or my Mexican Street Corn Salad.

A single stuffed pepper on a white plate.

🍚 Storing Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply pop a pepper in the microwave or the air fryer and heat until it’s warmed through.

May be frozen, well-wrapped, in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Keep in mind that frozen bell peppers become mushy when thawed so they won’t retain any of their fresh crispness.

💡 Tips and Tricks

Having a hard time getting your peppers to stand up? Try cutting them in half length-wise, then stuff and broil them.
You can easily prepare the recipe ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook. Then broil as directed until heated through.
I used a casserole dish for the recipe, but it can just as easily be prepared on a cookie sheet or baking pan.

🔀 Recipe Variations

Spice up the recipe even more by adding extra red chili flakes, some chipotle chili powder, or tabasco sauce to your ground beef mixture.
Skip the layering and simply mix the ground beef, Spanish rice, and cheese together in the skillet before stuffing the filling into the peppers.
Change the flavor profile from Mexican to Italian by swapping the spices for an Italian seasoning blend with basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, garlic, and onion powder.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these stuffed bell peppers without rice?

You can easily make these stuffed peppers keto-friendly by swapping out the rice for quinoa, riced cauliflower, lentils, or chickpeas.

Should the peppers be cooked before stuffing?

This is completely up to you! If you prefer veggies that are a bit softer, then steam or microwave the peppers for a few minutes before stuffing and broiling. If you prefer a fresh crispness, simply make the recipe as written.

What else can I add to stuffed peppers?

The sky is the limit when it comes to stuffing bell peppers! Try adding chopped veggies such as carrots, tomatoes, rutabagas, squash, zucchini, or turnips, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef, and add extra cheese.

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