Taco stuffed peppers swap the tortilla for a halved bell pepper, then fill it with seasoned ground beef, black beans, brown rice, and salsa before baking until the pepper is tender and the cheese on top is melted. The result is a complete, high-protein meal in a single vessel. They store and reheat well, which makes them genuinely useful on a busy week.
Why this recipe works
Two things drive this recipe. First, roasting the peppers before stuffing them — even briefly — drives off excess moisture and softens the walls so the finished pepper isn’t watery or tough around the filling. A raw pepper goes into the oven full of water; a pre-roasted one doesn’t flood the filling as it bakes. Second, brown rice is cooked separately and fully before it goes into the filling. Undercooked rice inside a stuffed pepper stays undercooked; the bake time is not long enough to finish raw or parboiled grains. Getting both components right before assembly means the final bake is just about melting the cheese and bringing everything together — not cooking anything from scratch.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the drain after browning the beef. Ground beef releases fat as it cooks. If you leave it in the pan, the filling turns greasy and the peppers sit in a puddle of fat. Tip the cooked beef into a colander or spoon off the fat before adding the beans and seasoning.
- Overfilling the peppers. Packing the filling above the rim means it spills during baking and the pepper tips over. Fill to just below the top edge and press gently so it holds its shape.
- Using watery salsa. Jarred salsa varies a lot. If yours is thin and liquid-heavy, the filling will be soggy. Spoon off the excess liquid before mixing it in, or use a chunkier variety.
- Not checking the internal temperature of the beef. Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C). With all the mixing and baking it almost always does, but if you’re scaling the recipe up for a big batch, spot-check the filling with an instant-read thermometer before serving.
- Storing assembled unbaked peppers for too long before cooking. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the filling and the pre-roasted pepper halves separate in the fridge. Assembled but unbaked peppers sitting overnight get soggy. Combine and bake the day you plan to eat them — skip the garnish at that point too, it’s not worth the extra dish.
Keeping and reheating
Baked stuffed peppers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, which makes them a solid option for weekday lunches. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, covering loosely with a damp paper towel to stop the pepper from drying out. For a crispier cheese top, use an oven or toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes. They also freeze well: cool completely, wrap each pepper individually in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating — do not reheat from frozen in the microwave or the pepper turns mushy and the filling heats unevenly.
Easy and Healthy Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
6 large green pepper (green capsicum) - assorted colors, tops and seeds removed
1 cup water
1 pound ground beef (minced beef) - 85% or 90% 
1 packet taco seasoning - I used Old El Paso Low Salt
1 15- ounce black beans - plain or seasoned
1 cup brown rice
½ cup salsa
1 cup sour cream - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Cook brown rice according to package instructions. This usually takes about 45-50 minutes, so I recommend doing this first.
- Cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds.
- Pour the 1 cup of water to cover the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet and arrange the peppers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 10 minutes.
- While peppers are baking, cook black beans in a medium-sized pot according to directions. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until brown. Drain.
- Make the taco seasoning in the same skillet used for the beef according to packet instructions. Return beef to skillet and mix with the taco seasoning.
- Add the black beans, rice, and salsa to the beef mixture.
- Stuff the peppers with the mixture and top with cheese.
- Bake them for another 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Top with more cheese, salsa and sour cream if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?
Yes, ground turkey works well here. Cook it to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) — higher than beef — and do not serve it pink. Because turkey is leaner than most ground beef, add a small drizzle of olive oil to the pan when browning to prevent it from sticking and drying out.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes, the cooked filling keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. When you’re ready to eat, roast the pepper halves, fill them cold straight from the fridge, top with cheese, and bake — add about 5 extra minutes to the bake time to account for the cold filling.
What if I can’t find brown rice or want to save time?
Pre-cooked brown rice pouches (the microwaveable kind) work perfectly and cut the prep time significantly. Use the same quantity the recipe calls for and mix it in just as you would freshly cooked rice. Cauliflower rice is another option if you want to reduce carbs, though the filling will be slightly less substantial.
My peppers are falling over in the baking dish — how do I stop that?
Trim a very thin slice off the bottom of each pepper half to create a flat base, being careful not to cut through to the cavity. Alternatively, nestle the peppers snugly together in a baking dish that fits them closely — they hold each other upright. A dish with too much empty space lets them tip.
More mince recipes to try
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Hearty Beef Cauliflower Bake
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
