Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers are filled to the brim with seasoned ground beef, onion, garlic, smoky chipotle peppers, shredded cheese, and Mexican rice.  These stuffed peppers are bursting with Mexican flavors and are always a hit at dinnertime!

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Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers in a casserole dish after they've baked and come out of the oven.

Now that it’s getting cooler outside, I’m really looking forward to all the warm, satisfying foods like soups, and things that come hot out of the oven, like casseroles and Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers!

And these spicy stuffed peppers do not disappoint!  

They’re cheesy, spicy, and loaded with a flavorful, Mexican-inspired ground beef & rice filling all stuffed in an edible bowl.  What’s not to love?

Love stuffed peppers?  You’ve got to try these appetizers, Sausage Stuffed Sweet Mini Peppers

Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

  • Ground beef
  • Mexican rice
  • Bell peppers
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Chipotles in adobo
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Cheese
  • Seasonings – chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper

While not actually a “Mexican” dish, I’ve called these Mexican Stuffed Peppers because they are packed with Mexican flavors from taco-seasoned ground beef, Mexican rice, chipotle peppers, and Mexican spices. 

These peppers are so flavorful and delicious, they’ve become a new family favorite!

A pan with the filling for the Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers

How to make Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers

  1. Prepare the filling by cooking the ground beef with aromatics and spices.
  2. Either make the Mexican rice or use up leftover Mexican rice, and mix that together with the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Stuff that delicious filling in bell peppers, top with cheese, and bake according to recipe card.

📍This is just a summary.  The full recipe with exact ingredient amounts and instructions is on the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

The Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers in a casserole dish before they've been topped with cheese and baked.

Feel free to use your favorite type of bell pepper.  Green are traditional, but I’ve made these with red, yellow, orange, and green.  

The Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers in a casserole dish after they've been topped with cheese, but before they've been baked.

How to serve these stuffed peppers?

These peppers are an excellent main course or stand-alone meal.  A green salad is a great side dish.

My family also likes to eat them with tortilla chips and use them to scoop out some of the delicious filling.

Garnishes & toppings:

How to store stuffed peppers

Refrigerate stuffed peppers in an air-tight container and use within 3-4 days.

Can you freeze stuffed peppers?  Yes!  Stuffed peppers can be frozen in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.

Looking for more warm & hearty comfort foods?  Here are some favorites:

💡 Tips & Tricks

  • Chipotles in adobo are jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and then canned with a spicy, piquant tomato-based sauce.  You can find them near enchilada sauce in the Latin aisle of the grocery store.
  • If you can’t handle a lot of heat, I would omit or reduce the chipotle peppers as they are what is packing the punch in this recipe.  However, they do add tons of flavor! 
  • This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of Mexican rice.  You can half the recipe for The Best Mexican Rice.  Also a perfect way to use up leftover Mexican rice!
  • I like to add a little bit of water to the dish the peppers cook in to help soften the peppers.

Spicy Mexican Stuffed Pepper cut in half to show the inside

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Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Flavorful Eats
Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers are filled to the brim with seasoned ground beef, onion, garlic, smoky chipotle peppers, shredded cheese, and Mexican rice.  These stuffed peppers are bursting with Mexican flavors and are always a hit at dinnertime!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • skillet
  • baking dish

Ingredients
  

  • 6 bell peppers
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups prepared Mexican rice
  • 1 can chipotles in adobo (2 chopped chipotles from the can)
  • 1/2 tablespoon sauce from can of chipotles in adobo
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese divided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Slice the tops off the bell peppers and place bell peppers in a casserole dish. Remove the stems from the bell pepper tops and dice what's left, set 1/4 cup of the diced tops aside, discard or use the rest as desired.
  • In a large, deep skillet or medium dutch oven, sauté ground beef with onion, garlic, diced bell pepper tops, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Cook about 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Add to the ground beef: Mexican rice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomato sauce, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Stir until well-combined, then use a spoon to fill bell peppers.
  • Add the last cup of cheese to the top of the stuffed peppers. Pour 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the casserole dish and gently tent foil over the casserole dish, being careful that the foil doesn't touch the top of the peppers, so the cheese won't stick. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Keyword Beef, Chipotle, Ground beef, Peppers, Spicy
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2 thoughts on “Spicy Mexican Stuffed Peppers”

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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