Description
Celebrate Halloween with these festive Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers, featuring juicy orange bell peppers carved like mini pumpkins and filled with a savory blend of ground beef, seasoned tomato sauce, and fluffy white rice. This fun and delicious dish is perfect for a family-friendly dinner or festive gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 Orange Bell Peppers
- 2 cups Cooked White Rice
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 15 ounces Canned Tomato Sauce
- 10.75 ounces Canned Tomato Soup
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Begin by cooking the white rice either in a rice steamer or on the stovetop. Use 1 cup of uncooked rice with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, stir once, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Once done, fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Prepare the Peppers: Cut the tops off the orange bell peppers and remove the ribs and seeds inside. Carefully carve jack-o’-lantern faces into each pepper using a small sharp knife. Place the carved peppers in a baking dish.
- Cook the Beef Mixture: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain the excess grease. Add the cooked rice, tomato sauce, tomato soup, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well and simmer for 1-2 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the beef and rice mixture into each carved pepper, filling them while leaving a small well at the top so the pepper tops can be placed back on.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 50 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to your liking. 50 minutes results in fork-tender peppers.
Notes
- To make carving easier, use a small serrated knife designed for vegetables.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with cooked lentils or plant-based ground meat.
- Serve with a side of green salad or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftover stuffed peppers can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
