Taco Stuffed Peppers is a healthy Mexican-inspired recipe that’s easy to make, and the whole family will love it! Seasoned ground turkey, black beans, salsa, and brown rice stuffed into a bell pepper for a perfectly portioned-out healthy dinner recipe. Make this Mexican stuffed pepper recipe on Sunday for the week, or freeze ahead for future meals.
Taco night is a regular on our meal plan. Some weeks I like to put together a simple taco bar. Other weeks, I want to serve taco-inspired recipes like this Taco Meatloaf, Spicy Taco Macaroni, Taco Chicken Parmesan, and these Taco Stuffed Peppers.
Reasons you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make – Putting together these Mexican stuffed bell peppers is so easy. The hardest part is smelling the aromas filling up your kitchen while waiting for them to finish cooking.
- Healthy – Portion-controlled and filled with lean protein and whole grains to keep you full.
- Gluten-free – This taco stuffed pepper recipe can naturally fit into a gluten-free lifestyle.
- Make-ahead and Freezer-friendly – Assemble the ingredients ahead of time to pop into the oven during the busy week or prepare on Sunday to reheat for lunches or dinners. You can also freeze the assembled or cooked peppers to make for meals later on.
Ingredients
- Ground turkey. Using ground turkey is an excellent choice to keep the saturated fat low in this recipe. Ground turkey is lean, high protein, and filling. You can also use ground chicken, ground beef, or swap in vegetarian crumbles or extra beans.
- Black beans. Black beans add extra protein and a punch of protein. Pinto beans are also delicious. Or, if you prefer, leave the beans out.
- Taco seasoning. Using homemade taco seasoning keeps the taco filling clean and gluten-free. You can also use high-quality store-bought taco seasoning such as Simply Organic or Thrive Market.
- Pepper jack cheese. Pepper jack cheese gives the peppers a nice spicy bite. You can also use taco or cheddar cheese. Freshly shredded cheese provides the best flavor and gives the filling creaminess.
- Salsa. Salsa gives taco stuffed peppers another layer of flavor. Use your favorite salsa.
- Brown rice. Brown rice is whole-grain, high in fiber, and has more nutrition than white rice. You can cook and freeze brown rice ahead of time to use for stuffed peppers or other recipes.
- Bell peppers. You can use any color bell pepper when making stuffed peppers. I like grabbing cost-effective green bell peppers.
Cooking Tips
- Use leftover taco meat. Anytime I make a big batch of Crockpot tacos, I save 3-4 cups to use in taco stuffed peppers or any Mexican stuffed pepper recipe. You can also use this Crockpot Turkey Tacos recipe
- Look for flat bottom peppers. Bell peppers that have a flat bottom will stand up more effortless in the baking dish. A pointier base will cause them to tip over.
- Switch up flavors using different sauces. Instead of salsa, try swapping out this easy enchilada sauce, salsa verde, or taco sauce. You can even throw in a can of diced chilis or smoked chili peppers in adobo sauce.
- Use quinoa or other grains. Bulgur and farro work well in stuffed peppers.
Dietary Swaps
- Make it dairy-free. If you have a dairy sensitivity, then leave out the cheese or use non-dairy cheese.
- Make it low-carb. Leaving out the rice (or swap for cauliflower rice) and beans makes this Whole30, Paleo, and Keto Friendly.
- Make it vegetarian. Leave out the meat and add an extra can of beans or use vegetarian “meat” crumbles.
Serving Suggestions
Mexican stuffed peppers are a meal all in itself. However, if you want sides to serve along with it, then here are some ideas:
- Mexican Quinoa Salad
- Guacamole and chips
- Green salad
- Cornbread or muffins
Supplies
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
How to Make Taco Stuffed Peppers
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey until it is cook through and is no longer pink. As the ground turkey is cooking, break it into small pieces.
- Stir in the black beans, taco seasoning, and water. Cook for 5 minutes or until bubbly and the liquid in the meat mixture has slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheese, 1 cup salsa, and rice. If the pan isn’t large enough to accommodate all ingredients, pour the taco mixture into a large mixing bowl and then stir in the other ingredients. Set the filling aside.
I recommend cooking the brown rice a day or so in advance. Here are instructions for perfectly cooking brown rice in a rice cooker.
- Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs.
- Pour the last cup of salsa into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Divide the filling among the bell peppers. Then arrange the stuffed peppers side by side in the pan. Sprinkle the tops with the rest of the cheese. If there’s leftover filling, then place it into the dish around the peppers.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 -50 minutes or until the inside until peppers are tender and cheese melts.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese. Place the peppers back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. You can also broil the peppers to melt the cheese.
- Enjoy hot with sour cream, cilantro, or other Mexican-inspired toppings.
Storage & Reheating Tips
There are so many ways to make taco-stuffed peppers ahead of time.
For the week
- Assemble the peppers ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate. Continue with the recipe on cooking day.
- Cook the stuffed peppers entirely ahead of time, store them in an airtight container and refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated. You can also reheat the peppers in a 350-degree oven for 10 – 20 minutes or until hot.
- Prepare the taco filling ahead of time, stuff the peppers on cooking day, and continue with the recipe.
- Cook one or two of the components ahead of time. For example, cooking brown rice will save 30 -45 minutes on cooking day. Or cook the taco meat ahead of time. On cooking day, bring the rest of the recipe together.
For the freezer
- Assemble the peppers entirely ahead of time, wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. On cooking, day place the peppers in a baking dish and continue with the recipe. If you cook the peppers from frozen, you’ll need to add an extra 15-25 minutes of cooking time, possibly more. If possible, thaw the peppers overnight in the refrigerator to reduce cooking time.
- Cook the peppers completely, place them into an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or until hot. You can reheat the peppers in a 350-degree oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until hot.
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Taco Stuffed Peppers is a healthy Mexican-inspired recipe that’s easy to make, and the whole family will love it! Seasoned ground turkey, black beans, salsa, and brown rice stuffed into a bell pepper for a perfectly portioned-out healthy dinner recipe. Make this Mexican stuffed pepper recipe on Sunday for the week, or freeze ahead for future meals.
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 439kcal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 15-ounce can black beans drained
- 2-3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning or 1.3-ounce packet store-bought seasoning.
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese divided
- 2 cups salsa divided
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
- 6 green bell peppers tops cut off and seeds removed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey until it is cook through and is no longer pink. As the ground turkey is cooking, break it into small pieces.
- Stir in the black beans, taco seasoning, and water. Cook for 5 minutes or until bubbly and the liquid in the meat mixture has slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup cheese, 1 cup salsa, and rice. If the pan isn’t large enough to accommodate all ingredients, pour the taco mixture into a large mixing bowl and then stir in the other ingredients. Set the filling aside.
- Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs.
- Pour the last cup of salsa into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Divide the filling among the bell peppers. Then arrange the stuffed peppers side-by-side in the pan. If there’s leftover filling, then place it into the dish around the peppers.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 -50 minutes or until the peppers are tender and cheese melts.
- Place the peppers back in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. You can also broil the peppers to melt the cheese.
- Enjoy hot with sour cream, cilantro, or other Mexican-inspired toppings.
Notes
Storage & Reheating Tips
There are so many ways to make taco-stuffed peppers ahead of time.
For the week
Assemble the peppers ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate. Continue with the recipe on cooking day.
Cook the stuffed peppers entirely ahead of time, store them in an airtight container and refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated. You can also reheat the peppers in a 350-degree oven for 10 – 20 minutes or until hot.
Prepare the taco filling ahead of time, stuff the peppers on cooking day, and continue with the recipe.
Cook one or two of the components ahead of time. For example, cooking brown rice will save 30 -45 minutes on cooking day. Or cook the taco meat ahead of time. On cooking day, bring the rest of the recipe together.
For the freezer
Assemble the peppers entirely ahead of time, wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. On cooking, day place the peppers in a baking dish and continue with the recipe. If you cook the peppers from frozen, you’ll need to add an extra 15-25 minutes of cooking time, possibly more. If possible, thaw the peppers overnight in the refrigerator to reduce cooking time.
Cook the peppers completely, place them into an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 3-5 minutes or until hot. You can reheat the peppers in a 350-degree oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 711mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g
Other Healthy Stuffed Peppers Recipes
Check out all of our healthy beef recipes.
Did you make this recipe?
Have you tried this Taco Stuffed Peppers recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can’t wait to see it.
Krista Vallera says
I made these for dinner tonight and they were awesome!!! My husband loved them and even my 18 month old son kept asking for bites! Will def be making these again soon!! Thank u!
Sharon Fadale says
These sound great. I’m going to give them a try. I had to laugh reading about your daughter. My son (14 years old) does the exact same thing! Kids…
liz says
What kind of greek yogurt you use and what type of salsa ?? Flavors?
carla sue says
Are these considered a low point meal….came out to 10pt per pepper? surprising, they seem real healthy and low
Tammy says
These peppers are huge so it does not surprise me they are 10 points. But honestly you could eat 1/2 of these and be full.