Mexican stuffed peppers are the perfect dinner. Colorful bell peppers are stuffed with delicious ground beef and rice filling that’s bursting with flavor.
Stuffed pepper recipes are perfect for weeknight dinners and the leftovers make a great lunch if you have any left. Some of our favorite stuffed peppers recipes are Mediterranean stuffed peppers, Italian stuffed peppers and spicy stuffed peppers but these Mexican stuffed peppers are at the top of our list lately. They’re all easy and simple yet each is packed with amazing flavors.
This post is sponsored by CHI-CHI’s. As always, all opinions are mine.
Mexican stuffed peppers recipe
What I love about these Mexican stuffed bell peppers is that they’re so easy and tasty. They come together in no time and don’t require much effort yet are packed with flavor. You can even make the filling ahead of time and just stuff the peppers when you’re ready to cook. The flavors in these stuffed peppers are well combined and make this a lovely meal for weeknight dinners.
When making these stuffed peppers, I always make a double batch to make sure we have leftovers. They always taste better the next day and reheat really well. Stuffed peppers are also a great addition to a party table especially if you make them with cute little bell peppers.
Ingredients to make Mexican stuffed peppers
To make these easy stuffed peppers, you need the following ingredients:
- Bell peppers (red and yellow)
- Olive oil
- Onion and garlic
- Ground beef
- Green chilies
- Oregano and cumin and chili powder
- CHI-CHI’S® Fiesta Style Chile Tomatillo Verde Salsa
- Cooked rice
- Green enchilada sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese
For this recipe I used CHI-CHI’S® Fiesta Style Chile Tomatillo Verde Salsa which gives so much flavor to the stuffed peppers. CHI-CHI’S® salsa is an easy way to add festive flavor to this dish and the Fiesta Style Chili Tomatillo Verde Salsa is made with quality ingredients such as tomatillos, jalapenos and garlic with a tasty blend of spices. It gives such a great flavor to the filling we’re going to use to stuff the peppers with.
You can find CHI-CHI’Ss® products in grocery stores such as Price Chopper, Tops Market and SuperValu. Check out the store locator here.
How to make stuffed peppers Mexican style
It’s common to make stuffed peppers in the oven. Start by cutting the top of the stuffed peppers and clean the inside. Bring a pot of water to simmer and place the bell peppers in the pot. Let them simmer for about 10 minutes until they’re soft. This will help the bell peppers cook faster in the oven.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté onions until golden brown. Add in minced garlic and ground beef. Add the chilies and spices. Cook the ground beef until it’s brown and break it into small chunks as you cook it. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add in CHI-CHI’S®s Fiesta Style Chile Tomatillo Verde Salsa, or any other CHI-CHI’S®s Fiesta Style salsa to the cooked rice. Stir well and make sure all flavors are combined. Taste and add salt if needed.
I love CHI-CHI’S® s because it makes mealtime and snacktime more flavorful and festive with its crowd-pleasing line of Mexican food favorites, including sauces, tortillas, salsas and dips. CHI-CHI’S®s products are made from quality ingredients, including real tomatoes, vegetables, and flavorful seasonings.
Place the simmered bell peppers in a baking dish and stuff them with the ground beef and rice mixture. Top each stuffed bell pepper with shredded cheese. Pour the green enchilada sauce in the dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 375°F until the bell peppers are soft and done. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes and then serve.
How long should I cook the stuffed peppers for?
This depends on the size of the bell peppers and whether you’ve simmered them before stuffing them. If the bell peppers are regular sized and simmered for about 10 minutes before being stuffed, they will cook in about an hour at 375°F. Covering the bell peppers with some aluminum foil will help them cook faster.
Other methods of cooking stuffed peppers
The recipe below shows how to make stuffed peppers in the oven and here are other methods:
- Stuffed peppers in the slow cooker: Stuff the peppers from the top and place them in the slow cooker. Pour the enchilada sauce into the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Stuffed peppers in the instant pot: Place the trivet in the instant pot and place the stuffed peppers on the trivet. Pour in the enchilada sauce and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes and let it do the natural release for 5 minutes. Then do the quick release and serve.
- Stove top stuffed peppers: Pour enchilada sauce in a pot and place the stuffed peppers in the pot. Cook on medium for about 30 minutes.
What to serve with stuffed peppers
Mexican stuffed peppers are a full meal on their own and they can be served with different side salads such as cucumber tomato avocado salad. You can also simply serve them with avocado slice, sour cream and some freshly chopped tomatoes.
Can I freeze stuffed peppers?
It’s best to freeze the filling for these Mexican stuffed peppers and when you’re ready to cook, stuff fresh bell peppers with thawed filling. Fresh peppers always taste better.
Tips to make stuffed peppers
- You can use additional ingredients in this Mexican stuffed pepper recipe such as corn, mushrooms, black beans or jalapenos.
- Store the leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. These stuffed peppers are perfect for meal prep as they freeze and refrigerate well.
- You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef for this recipe. Additionally, you can use vegan protein or sausage if you like.
- I usually stuff the peppers from the top, but you can also cut them in half lengthwise and then stuff them. This would lower the cooking time.
- If you have extra filling, simply put it in a freezer bag and freeze for later. The filling freezes very well and would be great for a quick dinner.
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 6-8 bell peppers yellow and red
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 can green chilies
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 cup CHI-CHI'S® salsa
- 1 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1 can green enchilada sauce 10 oz.
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to simmer. Cut the top of the bell peppers and clean the inside by gently removing the seeds and veins.
- Simmer the bell peppers in the water for about 8-10 minutes so they're half way cooked. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion until golden brown.
- Add in minced garlic and ground beef. Add in chilies, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Cook the ground beef until brown and break it into small pieces.
- Add in CHI-CHI’S®s Fiesta Style Chile Tomatillo Verde Salsa and stir well. Add in cooked rice and combine it with other ingredients.
- Place the bell peppers in a baking dish and fill the with the ground beef and rice mixture. Top the stuffed peppers with shredded cheddar cheese. Pour in the enchilada sauce in the baking dish (not on the peppers) and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes and serve warm.
Meagen Brosius
These are one of my favorite dinner recipes. We make this recipe frequently and it’s SO GOOD every time!
Liz
When I saw the green chile sauce, I knew I had to try this recipe. I adore stuffed peppers and these were fabulous! A keeper!