Recipe: Mexican-Style Meatless Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are such beautiful single-serving dinners, but they have way more going for them than just good looks. After a quick assembly, the peppers bake up soft and sweet in the oven, leaving you free to set the table or get a head start on tackling the dishes. This Mexican-inspired meatless version is a comforting blend of rice, veggies, cheese, and salsa that requires zero stove time (if you start with cooked rice). It’s great when you’re looking for a new take on an old favorite.
Salsa Is the Secret
A jar of tomato salsa is the secret ingredient that holds the filling for these main-dish stuffed peppers together. Salsa adds lots of flavor and moisture to keep things from drying out, and the choice is yours to go spicy or mild. It also adds garlic and onion flavors without any extra chopping on your part.
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But the real flavoring comes from a small spoonful of The Spice Hunter Mexican Seasoning Blend. It’s a blend of the herbs and spices that make Mexican dishes so fragrant, and this dish uses it to perfume the rice and beans to attract diners straight to the dinner table. It’s an easy way to elevate the humble stuffed pepper, and since these peppers can be stuffed ahead of time and just thrown into the oven when you’re ready, this dish is something you’ll want to put on heavy rotation.
Mexican-Style Meatless Stuffed Peppers
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Makes 8 pepper halves
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 4
medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
- 1 (15-ounce) can
pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups
cooked rice
- 1 cup
mild jarred tomato salsa
- 1 cup
fresh or frozen corn kernels (do not thaw)
- 1 1/4 cups
shredded Mexican-style cheese (5 ounces), divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
The Spice Hunter Mexican Seasoning Blend
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise through the stem. Remove and discard the seeds. Place them cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
Place the beans, rice, salsa, corn, 1 cup of the cheese, The Spice Hunter Mexican Seasoning Blend, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Divide the filling evenly among the peppers. Sprinkle the filling with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Spray a sheet or two of sheet aluminium foil with cooking spray. Place sprayed-side down over the baking sheet.
Bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese melts and turns golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with the cilantro before serving.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The peppers can be stuffed and refrigerated up to 1 day in advance. Add an additional 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This post was created by the Kitchn Creative Studio and is sponsored by The Spice Hunter.
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