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Grilled Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are always a hit around here! This Grilled Southwest Stuffed Peppers recipe takes it to the next level with just a hint of taco flavor and a tingle of heat from the jalapenos! Bell peppers are the perfect vessel to serve in. They are not only wonderfully tasty when you grill them, but they hold their shape too!!

The great thing about this recipe is that you can serve this as a side dish to a wonderful dinner or as a light lunch. Because I went with southwest flavors, I chose to use ground beef as my protein in this recipe. You can use just about anything you like!! From ground turkey or ground chicken or to quinoa, which has 8 grams of protein per cup. If you were to use quinoa it would allow you to keep the entire dish vegetarian.

What do you eat with stuffed peppers?

You can eat just about anything with stuffed peppers, they are that versatile. You could serve them beside a great grilled steak. Or how about a beer can chicken or grilled turkey breast. Whether you are using red, green, yellow, or orange peppers, this dish is definitely a healthy choice! I have done a similar recipe using poblano peppers, which were awesome. The only thing about poblanos is that they can be hard to find throughout the year in our grocery stores. This is why the bell peppers are the best; they are available pretty much year-round.

The preparation for these peppers is very easy. You can put them together while your family or guests are relaxing before dinner or you can have them prepared in advance in the refrigerator. Simply take them out of the fridge and allow them to warm to room temperature before you put them on the grill, super simple!

 

How do you cut peppers for stuffed peppers?

I like to cut the peppers for my stuffed peppers vertically so that one pepper creates two stuffed peppers. Sometimes you see them where the top is cut off and they stand vertical on your plate. That will work too, cutting them vertically in half is definitely my preference.

How to Make Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients 

• Bell peppers
• Rice
• Salsa
• Ground beef
• Diced jalapeno
• Corn
• Garlic
• Taco seasoning
• Cumin
• Tex-Mex grated cheese
• Salt and pepper
• Green onions

Start by cooking your ground beef in a large skillet; you need to cook it until it is no longer pink. Then add in the taco seasoning and cumin to the ground beef and mix to combine. You can cook your rice at the same time that your ground beef is cooking so it will be ready to go when you start to prepare the peppers for the grill. You can use brown rice if you like, but I prefer white rice for this recipe.

 

Slice the peppers in half vertically and remove seeds and ribs from each half. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat while you prepare your peppers. Once you get them on the grill they won’t take more than 15 – 20 minutes to cook.

Place the peppers cut side up on a large tray so you can stuff them easily. In a large bowl combine the cooked ground beef, salsa, cooked rice, diced jalapenos (you could use green chilies), corn, garlic, taco seasoning, and cumin. Mix to combine but be careful not to over mix. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. 

Fill each of the pepper halves with the beef mixture, making sure that you press it down. It should be slightly compacted; you will also want to mound it up a bit. After all, it’s the stuffing that makes this a great recipe!

There are other things you could add to your stuffed peppers, for example, black beans, diced tomato, chili powder, or even a little sauteed onion. Once you have the basics you can add in whatever flavors you like!

How to Grill Stuffed Peppers

 

Grill the stuffed peppers for 15 – 20 minutes or until the peppers are soft. Carefully sprinkle the tops with the grated cheese. Make sure you don’t burn yourself! Close the lid for a couple of minutes to allow the cheese to melt. Top with sliced green onions. They are best served right away hot off the grill, although you can make them in advance and reheat them in a low oven. They will also keep in a warming drawer or low oven for a while. You just need to be careful not to allow them to dry out. 

Do you have to cook meat before stuffing peppers?

Do you have to cook the meat before stuffing peppers? The short answer is yes, you do. No matter what protein you are using in your stuffed peppers you definitely must precook it before adding it to the stuffing mixture. Whether you are using ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or sausage meat it must be fully cooked. You must also cook the rice before mixing it with the stuffing mixture.

The reason all the ingredients must be cooked is that the stuffed pepper goes on the grill for a relatively short period of time. The peppers have a chance to get soft, and the stuffing is heated through. The stuffed peppers are not on the grill long enough to cook your meat or the rice in the stuffing mixture. Nobody wants to be served raw or rare ground beef, or any other ground meat for that matter!

Can you freeze a stuffed pepper?

Actually stuffed peppers are the perfect dish for freezing! As long as you seal them up in an airtight container or a casserole dish covered in plastic wrap and foil they will be fine! They will retain their flavor and texture as well as they will hold their shape. 

Just make sure that you take the peppers out of the freezer and allow them to thaw completely before grilling. This recipe is the perfect make-ahead dish to serve at your next BBQ; I hope you try it!

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!