Mexican stuffed peppers have a hearty filling of seasoned beef, beans, rice and cheese, Make this easy recipe for a protein-packed meal!
We all have favorite dinners that we grew up eating, and this dish is one of my favorites.
Whether you make them with a filling of ground beef, chicken, or quinoa, stuffed bell peppers are easy to make, economical, and incredibly delicious!
The classic recipe uses a filling of taco seasoned ground beef, rice, and tomatoes or tomato sauce and lots of cheese. Those fillings are tasty, but there are plenty of other ways to prepare a dish like this.
Check out my recipes for Hawaiian Stuffed Peppers and Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers.
The filling is really versatile, so don’t be afraid to let your creativity shine! If you don’t like one of the ingredients I use, swap it out for something you prefer. This is a great way to use up leftovers, too.
Mexican stuffed peppers
The Mexican-inspired ingredients make this stuffed pepper recipe a fun twist for taco night or a Cinco de Mayo party menu. Even better, they are easy to make ahead and they freeze beautifully!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Bell peppers – I keep things colorful by using a combination of green and red peppers. Yellow and orange bell peppers are great for stuffing as well.
- Cooked rice – Because you’ll be cooking the rice beforehand, you can use white, brown, or even wild rice in your filling. It’s completely up to you!
- Ground beef – To prevent greasy filling, it’s best to use ground beef with a maximum of 15 percent fat. The label will state 85/15. Obviously, the leaner the beef, the more expensive it will be.
- Salsa verde – This is salsa from green chiles and tomatillos. You can buy it or use my roasted salsa verde recipe to make your own.
- Pinto beans – I prefer pintos, but if you don’t care for them, swap them out for black beans. Or, leave them out completely. They’re a great source of soluble fiber and protein though!
- Seasonings – To season the beef, I use homemade taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and a bit of white or yellow onion.
- Toppings – Chopped cilantro, extra cheese of choice (like cotija sprinkled on top) and my quick pickled red onions.
Video: Making Mexican stuffed peppers
Making the filling is the toughest part of this recipe and honestly, it isn’t difficult at all.
You can see it for yourself, from start to finish. Just watch the video located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Recipe FAQ
Yes, not only will you need to par-cook the peppers, but you’ll also have to cook the ground beef and the rice. This is because green peppers have thick walls. If you place raw filling inside of them, there isn’t enough cooking time to ensure that everything cooks properly.
Absolutely! This is a fantastic make-ahead meal. If you want to freeze stuffed peppers, you’ll first need to cook them. Then, allow them to cool to room temperature before wrapping and freezing them.
For easy reheating, freeze them in a disposable aluminum pan or freezer friendly casserole dish. This way, they can go straight into the oven.
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This post, originally published on Kevin is Cooking May 13, 2020, was last updated with new content on Oct. 26, 2021.
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Mexican Stuffed Peppers + Video
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 lb lean ground beef 85/15 blend
- 2 tbsp Taco seasoning
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 15 oz pinto beans drained or 2 cups cooked
- 1 cup cooked white rice
Garnish
- pickled red onions
- cotija cheese or queso fresco
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice each bell pepper in half top to bottom through stem. Remove seeds and membranes. Place in a rectangle 9×13″ casserole dish (or two 8×8″ to accommodate) that has been sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season kosher salt. Cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add ground beef to hot skillet, break up with spoon. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Add Taco Seasoning and Salsa Verde and cook until beef has browned and sauce has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat and add to large bowl.
- Add the cheddar cheese, pinto beans and cooked rice to seasoned beef in bowl. Stir to incorporate and heat through. Divide and spoon mixture into each baked pepper, reserving any leftover filling for other use or freeze.
- Place in oven to bake 10 minutes to melt cheese and heat through. Serve with Pickled Onions and crumbled Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese if desired, or more salsa verde.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Nutrition
Incredibly Delish! I used a jar of Trader Joe’s Cowboy Salsa which had corn and black beans and I’m still smackin my lips. Kevin, thank you for sharing your recipes. I love how you have a video for each recipe and provide detailed explanations, and look forward to trying some of your other recipes next.
Really appreciate the kind words and for you coming back to let me know J.D.
Kevin, very nice recipe, looks so good!!
I absolutely love stuffed peppers! These look next level! Love the Mexican flavors!
Thanks so much Chey! Super easy and great to freeze for another time, too.
Love, love, love these!!! Super easy to make. I omitted the beans and used more meat. Still the flavors were balanced and delicious. Thank you for the easy recipe.
Thank you! It is one of our favorites around here!