Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers – Classic stuffed bell peppers given a Mexican makeover with black beans, corn, taco meat, and cheese, the perfect dish to use up any left over rice, taco meat, and beans.
The bell peppers grew in so lovely this year in the garden. I only had green, as I have never figured out if I have to pick them sooner or later to get the other colors. The green ones in the photos came from the garden and the red, yellow, and orange came from the store. And wouldn’t you know it, the green ones were the best!
When I made my Pollo Tacos al Pastor and then used the broth to make al Pastor Rice, I ended up with extra rice, as the majority of my guests filled up on tacos. I wasn’t going to waste the rice, so I decided stuffed peppers was the ticket.
Worry not, you don’t need to make the al pastor rice in order to make this dish. You can use Spanish or Mexican rice…you can even use plain white rice. But if you do, I’d highly recommend adding a lot more seasoning to the taco meat to compensate for the “plainness” of the white rice. 
Ingredients
- 6-8 bell peppers
- 1 1/2 cup cooked rice; any variety or flavor
- 1 lb taco meat (or seasoned ground beef)
- 1 1/2 cup salsa
- 1-8 oz can tomato sauce; divided
- 1-15 oz can black beans; rinsed/drained
- 1 cup corn; frozen or canned
- 1 1/4 cup cheese; grated (cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 clove garlic; minced/grated
- 1/8 tsp salt and pepper; to taste
Tomato Water
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/8 salt and pepper; to taste
- Big pinch oregano; preferably Mexican
- 4 oz of divided tomato sauce from above.
Instructions
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Cut off each top of the peppers and scrape out the seeds and veins. Set aside.
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Combine the ground beef, corn, rice, salsa, 4 oz of tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper; stirring until well combined.
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Gently fold in the black beans; set aside.
For the Tomato Water
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Mix together the water, tomato sauce and all the herbs/spices and pour into the bottom of a baking dish.
Assembly
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Arrange the empty bell peppers in a baking dish.
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Spoon the meat/rice mixture into each bell pepper to the rim.
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Cover with foil and place in a 375° F oven and bake for one hour or until the meat is cooked.
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Once cooked, removed foil and sprinkle with cheese, place in the now off, but still warm oven to melt, just a couple of minutes.
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Spoon some tomato water onto each plate and place a stuffed pepper in the center, serve, and enjoy.
50 Comments
Ramya Menon @ War and Cheese
September 2, 2015 at 12:46 amI love bell peppers. Usually when i stuff them I use rice or potato. Will definitely try this variation.
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:29 pmI’ve never stuffed with potato…must try that.
Linda
August 23, 2016 at 7:03 amLove love love this stuffed pepper recipe. Not sure why or what the tomatoe water does or used for, can you help me out, thanks
Linda
August 23, 2016 at 7:10 amNever mind , probably to steam the peppers. I have slightly blacked the peppers before stuffing, came out great. Also don’t forget to put cheese on the op after removing foil, let the cheese melt for a few minutes, yummy
Michelle at A Dish of Daily Life
September 2, 2015 at 4:22 amI think I need to add these to the fall dinner menu lineup! They look wonderful…and healthy too!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:30 pmThey are really good. I think you will enjoy them.
Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits
September 2, 2015 at 7:10 amThey look delicious, I bet my family would love them!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:30 pmI hope they do, thank you for stopping by.
Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen
September 2, 2015 at 7:15 amMy husband loves stuffed peppers! I am going to make these this weekend for him. Thanks for sharing
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:30 pmHope he is pleased with them.
Manila Spoon
September 2, 2015 at 8:11 amThis is such a delicious idea to use left-overs from burritos and tacos! I love Mexican food and flavors but have not thought of adding them as filling for stuffed peppers – thanks for the inspiration and this dish looks comfortingly scrumptious!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:30 pmI hate wasting food, so I have to get creative from time to time.
Cookin Canuck
September 2, 2015 at 8:32 amIt looks as though you grew some perfect green peppers! I love the idea of giving stuffed peppers a Mexican flair. Great meal for anytime!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:31 pmThey really were quite perfect, and those were the only 4 that came on.
Christie
September 2, 2015 at 8:57 amThis is a fabulous way to enjoy Mexican flavors in a healthier way.
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:31 pmI agree…I love the how the pepper provides a deeper flavor too.
Julia
September 2, 2015 at 12:03 pmI love stuffed peppers. I love that these are Mexican style.
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:31 pmHad to mix things up a bit.
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah
September 2, 2015 at 12:15 pmAbsolutely loving the filling and the presentation! We’ve got a long-standing promise to host our neighbors for dinner and a movie – I just know they’re going to love these!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:32 pmThey are really easy to make. I wanted to make them all in the slow cooker, but mine was too small.
Diana Rambles
September 2, 2015 at 12:33 pmI love how you used the different colored peppers!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:32 pmThat was a fun presentation aspect.
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats
September 2, 2015 at 1:43 pmYum! I’m sad as this year my pepper plants failed in the garden. Never have had that happen! My husband would love these!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:32 pmOh that’s terrible. If it makes you feel any better, my cilantro has failed for 4 years in a row now.
Sara
September 2, 2015 at 2:10 pmMexican food is always a hit around here, in fact I’m making tacos tonight. Can’t wait to try this!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:33 pmIf you have any left over goodies, you have dinner tomorrow.
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
September 2, 2015 at 2:22 pmI love anything Mexican–these beat the stuffed peppers I grew up with!
Michelle
September 2, 2015 at 2:33 pmThat’s high praise, thank you Kristen.
Debra @ Bowl Me Over
September 2, 2015 at 4:29 pmI love roasting peppers, totally changes the taste – so delicious! Your recipe looks so yummy Michelle, pinning!
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:28 pmThank you Debra, I love roasting them as well.
Jenny B @ Honey and Birch
September 2, 2015 at 5:09 pmThese peppers look so good Michelle!! I just love stuffed peppers!
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:28 pmThey were delicious Jenny.
Joy @ Joy Love Fod
September 2, 2015 at 7:51 pmYum, I love stuffed bell peppers, there are so pretty and colorful and sound absolutely delicious!
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:28 pmThank you Joy, they really were.
Healing Tomato
September 2, 2015 at 8:19 pmWhat a clever idea! I love how you put so many Mexican flavors into a tiny bell pepper. All that melted cheese is making me drool!
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:29 pmThe cheese might be the best part…might.
Katerina @ Diethood
September 3, 2015 at 6:49 amOh yum!!! I love stuffed peppers. Super easy to make and taste so good.
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:30 pmEasy is the name of the game around here with school in session.
christine
September 3, 2015 at 4:01 pmI really love that you used the bright colored peppers- totally goes w/ the Mexican theme. Flavors sound great.
Michelle
September 3, 2015 at 11:32 pmThank you Christine.
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)
September 5, 2015 at 11:05 pmI love this simple recipe for stuffed peppers. A winner for any busy evening.
Michelle
September 6, 2015 at 2:01 pmThank you Sandi.
Ashleigh
September 6, 2015 at 1:47 pmSo simple and easy, this is perfect for a weeknight meal. Peppers are hard to beat – Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Michelle
September 6, 2015 at 2:01 pmThank you Ashleigh.
Linda
September 18, 2015 at 8:43 amthis is so GOOD. I DID MAKE A COUPLE CHANGES , first i blanched the peppers. Second, I sautéed the ground turkey and added all the rest like the recipe instructed . It take less time in the oven, CAME OUT GREAT. just made them for the second time, yummy
Michelle
September 21, 2015 at 10:18 pmSo happy to hear you adapted to fit your needs. I opted to not blanch the peppers because my meat was going in raw. Here’s a secret: I originally started this recipe to be a slow cooker recipe, but they did not remotely fit in my slow cooker so I had to adapt.
Diane
January 29, 2016 at 8:25 pmMexican stuffed Bell Peppers just look so tasty! I love the flavors your putting in these. I can’t wait for our peppers to get started! Perfect!
Michelle De La Cerda
January 30, 2016 at 1:18 amOh, fresh from the garden peppers seem so far away.
Erica (@Erica's Recipes)
January 31, 2016 at 8:36 pmGreat recipe! We loved stuffed peppers!
Michelle De La Cerda
February 1, 2016 at 1:38 amThank you