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Quick and Easy Taco Stuffed Peppers – With Ground Turkey

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These easy-to-make Taco Stuffed Peppers are the perfect weeknight Mexican dinner that everyone will love! They are made a little healthier by using ground turkey in place of the beef and adding in other nutritious ingredients like onions, garlic, corn, and black beans. Make them ahead or even freeze them! Gluten-free!

White baking dish filled with taco stuffed bell peppers topped with melted cheese, greek yogurt, salsa, and sliced avocado with more toppings in bowls around it.

My family loves these Taco Stuffed Peppers. They are so easy to make and come out perfectly cooked with a wonderful melty, cheesy topping. You can make them ahead or even freeze them for a quick weeknight dinner everyone will love!

Try these taco stuffed zucchini boats for a lower-carb version.

The taco spices in the filling for these taco peppers are amazing and make these Mexican stuffed peppers taste incredible!

Looking for more Mexican-inspired recipes? Check out this amazing chicken taco salad!

We also love these Mini Stuffed Peppers for a cheesy bite-size stuffed pepper that makes the best healthy appetizer!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Quick and easy – it only takes about 30 minutes to make them!
  • Healthy dinner – this taco stuffed peppers recipe is full of protein and fiber but is also so delicious!
  • A new spin on a classic recipe – similar to Italian stuffed peppers, this recipe has a fun Mexican-themed spin and is also slightly healthier. 
  • Freezer-friendly – these peppers freeze great and reheat wonderfully too!
  • Customizable – you can easily make them meatless, KETO, or dairy-free! See variations below!
Ingredients for tacos stuffed bell peppers with labels over each ingredient.

Ingredients for taco stuffed peppers

  • Bell peppers – large bell peppers, any colors you like. 
  • Olive oil + olive oil spray – used to season the peppers and cook the filling.
  • Ground turkey – lean ground turkey, 93/7 works best in this recipe. 
  • Onions + garlic – to use in the filling to add some amazing flavors. 
  • Taco seasoning – homemade taco seasoning or store-bought is fine. 
  • Corn – I used Mexicorn for extra flavor but you can use any type of corn you have on hand. Even roasted corn would be great in this recipe!
  • Canned black beans – to add some amazing fiber and protein to the filling. 
  • Salsa – jarred, store-bought or homemade salsa will all work!
  • Cooked brown rice – to give the filling some added texture, and fiber. You could also use quinoa or cooked cauliflower rice for a lower-carb version of this recipe. 
  • Shredded cheddar cheese – pre-shredded store-bought is fine or you can shred your own. 
  • Optional toppings – sliced avocado, lime, sour cream or Greek yogurt, more salsa, cilantro. 

How to make taco stuffed peppers

  1. Prepare the bell peppers. Slice the bell peppers in half, lengthwise, remove the seeds and ribs, place the cut peppers into a baking dish, spray them with olive oil or brush each one with some oil, and season with some salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
  2. Make the filling. Cook the ground turkey with some olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet on the stovetop, and season with some taco seasoning. Then add in the onions and garlic along with the remaining taco seasoning and cook. Finally, add in the black beans and corn and toss and cook that all together. Finish the filling by stirring in the cooked brown rice and salsa.
  3. Fill and bake. Divide the taco filling between the peppers, top each one with some shredded cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  4. Top and serve. Add your favorite toppings and serve!
Sliced collared bell peppers on a light brown cutting board.
Different color bell peppers sliced in half in a white baking dish.
Cooked ground meat in a black skillet with a wooden spoon in the skillet.
Cooked ground turkey, with corn, black beans and rice in a skillet with a wooden spoon in the pan.
Multi colored bell peppers filled with a ground turkey veggie mixture in a white baking dish.
Uncooked stuffed peppers topped with shredded cheddar cheese in a white baking dish.
Cooked taco stuffed peppers topped with melted cheddar cheese in a white baking pan with a bowl of salsa and cilantro behind it and a sliced avocado and bowl of greek yogurt in front of it.

Recipe Tips 

  • Use larger bell peppers so you can fit lots of delicious filling into each of them. 
  • Cook the peppers before you fill them to get them perfectly soft which makes them easier to fill and more edible when you go to eat them. 
  • Season the filling well. I like to use at least 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning since there is a lot of filling and then layer the seasoning in as you make the filling. Per the recipe card below.
  • Don’t overstuff the peppers. You want a good amount of filling in each but don’t fill them too much or the filling will spill over when you bake them. 

Variations

  • KETO Stuffed peppers – you can make this recipe KETO-friendly by swapping the brown rice with cooked cauliflower rice and leaving out the corn and black beans.
  • Quinoa Stuffed Peppers – use cooked quinoa in place of the cooked brown rice in this recipe. 
  • Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers – use chopped mushrooms or meatless crumbled meat in place of the ground turkey. You could also use crumbled tofu. 
  • Make this recipe dairy-free – for a dairy-free version of this recipe simply use dairy-free cheese or skip the cheese and just bake them for a few minutes until the top and edges are golden.
Green, orange, and red tacos stuffed bell peppers in a white dish topped with melted cheddar cheese.

Storing and reheating stuffed bell peppers

To store – these taco stuffed peppers stored great in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

To reheat – you can easily reheat them in portions in the microwave or in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees until warmed through. 

Can you freeze stuffed peppers?

Yes, you can freeze these peppers. They freeze best before you add the cheese.

To freeze: Fill the peppers and let them cool completely, place them into a freezer-friendly container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

You can also wrap each pepper in plastic wrap, then foil, and place them in a freezer-friendly ziplock bag to store them individually, which is my personal favorite way to freeze them.

To bake or reheat from frozen: when ready to eat, place them into the refrigerator overnight to defrost. Unwrap them and bake them for 30-35 minutes at 350° F and add the cheese for the last 10 minutes of baking time.

FAQs

What goes with taco-stuffed peppers?

We love to serve them with some sweet potato fries, kale salad, or some tortilla chips with extra salsa.

Do I need to cook the peppers before I fill them?

Yes, you should. Seasoning and baking the peppers before you fill them will make them easier to fill and softer when you eat them.

How long will stuffed peppers keep in the refrigerator?

You can store these taco-stuffed bell peppers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

How do you reheat stuffed peppers?

You can easily reheat them in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through.

Multiple coloured bell pepper halves filled with a meat and corn mixture topped with melty cheese in a white pan.

More healthy Mexican-inspired recipes

Other ground turkey recipes

Single stuffed red bell pepper on a plate topped with greek yogurt and cilantro with a fork in the pepper.

Did you make this taco-stuffed peppers recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram @pinchmegoodfood so I can see your creation.

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Green, orange, and red tacos stuffed bell peppers in a white dish topped with melted cheddar cheese.

Easy Taco Stuffed Peppers

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5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Amy Estes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

These easy-to-make Taco Stuffed Peppers are the perfect weeknight dinner that everyone will love! They are made a little healthier by using ground turkey in place of the beef and adding in other nutritious ingredients like onions, garlic, corn, and black beans. Make them ahead or even freeze them! Gluten-free!

Ingredients

Scale

For the stuffed peppers

  • 4 large bell peppers
  • Olive oil spray or 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper – to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey – I used 93/7
  • 1 medium onion, chopped – about 1 cup
  • ½ tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, I used homemade but store-bought is fine. 
  • 1 cup corn – Mexicorn or roasted corn are both great!
  • 1 cup canned black beans – that have been drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups tomato salsa – use homemade or store-bought
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice – you could also use quinoa or white rice
  • 1 cup shredded cheese – Mexican blend, or sharp cheddar cheese

For topping

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • Sour cream or plain greek yogurt
  • Limes
  • Sliced avocado
  • Salsa

Instructions

  1. Prepare the bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil spray. Slice each bell pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds. Place the bell peppers into the baking dish in an even layer. Brush or spray each pepper with some olive oil and season each with salt and pepper. Then bake them for 15 minutes then remove and let cool. 
  2. Make the filling. While the peppers are baking you can make the filling. Heat a saute pan or large skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the ground turkey and break it up and cook it for 2-3 minutes then add 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning. Toss and cook for 2 more minutes then add in the onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle in the rest of the taco seasoning, add in the corn and black beans and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the salsa and brown rice and let the filling simmer on low heat for 2 more minutes. Then remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly. 
  3. Fill and bake. Divide the filling evenly between the peppers, top each with some shredded cheese and bake for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted. 
  4. Top and serve. Top the peppers with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, salsa, cilantro, lime, and sliced avocado. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Select larger bell peppers that are all relatively the same shape and size for even cooking. I was able to fit 4 large sliced bell peppers in my 9×13 pan perfectly. 
  • Don’t overfill the peppers. Fill the peppers generously with the filling but do not overfill them or it will be difficult to remove them from the pan. 
  • Store any extra filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and use it in taco bowls, for tacos, or as a filling for a Mexican omelet. 
  • These stuffed bell peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  • Easily reheat them in the microwave or the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. 
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Healthy Dinner Ideas
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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