If there's anything I love more than delicious food, it's easy-to-prepare delicious food. And honestly, I kind of love recipes that can have a bit more cook time so I can forget about it in the oven while I clean up, set the table, and make sides. Mexican Stuffed Peppers just happen to have all three of those qualities. The meat is prepared as you would traditional seasoned ground beef for tacos, but then baked into cleaned, halved bell peppers and topped with sharp cheddar for some extra love.
Heat oven to 375°F. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, then remove the seeds and ribs using a paring knife. Arrange the peppers in a single layer in a 9x13” casserole dish.
Make the taco seasoning. Combine all taco seasoning ingredients in a lidded jar; shake to combine.
Make the ground beef filling. Heat a 10” skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onions, toss to coat in the fat, and saute until soft, stirring occasionally, 7-8 minutes.
Add the ground beef. Cook with the onions, stirring occasionally to break up the beef, until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes.
Add the taco seasoning and tomato paste and work into the onions and beef. Pour in the beef broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Sautee the ground beef mixture 5 minutes more, then remove from heat. Add 1 c cheese and mix into the beef.
Distribute the taco stuffing evenly among the bell peppers. Add ½ c water to the casserole dish, or enough to just barely cover the bottom of the dish. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
Remove the casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the peppers. Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Rest peppers 5 minutes, then garnish with your favorite toppings and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional information below represents 2 halves before adding toppings.
Make it Keto:
Substitute ½ teaspoon xantham gum or glucomannan powder for the cornstarch
Sse 4 medium green bell peppers
Top each half with diced avocado
Total Fat: 40g; Total Calories: 561
Total carbs: 18g; dietary fiber: 6g; net carbs: 12g