Mexican Stuffed Peppers

These Mexican Stuffed Peppers are a delicious make ahead weeknight meal!

Looking for a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal? Of course you are! Most of us are so busy these days between work, kids, sports, exercise, and our own extra curricular activities, it's tough to get a good, hot meal on the table. I've got a good one for you today. These Mexican Stuffed Peppers can be made over the weekend, or a night in advance, and then cooked the day you want to eat them. You know, when you come home and are exhausted and don't want to even THINK about what's for dinner. That's the perfect night for this meal.

Growing up my mom made stuffed peppers quite often. This dish is a riff on her traditional recipe, but made with sweet colorful bell peppers, rather than green, and full of Mexican flavors. It's a nice change, and a dish that my whole family loves.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Author: Sarah Bates | The Chef Next Door
Makes 4 servings
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Ingredients:
4 large sweet bell peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 cup uncooked white rice
14.5 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice & Cilantro
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup marinara sauce
Mexican cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops, cutting them in half, and removing the stems and seeds. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and turkey and cook until browned and completely cooked through. Add the chili powder. cumin and salt and stir to combine. Next, add in the uncooked rice, diced tomatoes and water and mix well. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has evaporated, which will take about 15 minutes.

Pour the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Spoon the filling mixture into each bell pepper half and place them tightly into the prepared baking dish. Top each pepper half with some of the Mexican cheese then cover with foil.

Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender, the filling is hot, and the cheese has melted. Serve two pepper halves on a plate with a little sauce from the bottom of the baking dish spooned over the top. 

If you want to cook now and eat this dish later, allow the dish to cool completely, then wrap it tightly with foil and refrigerate up to 48 hours. Allow it to sit out at room temperature while the oven is warming up, then cook as instructed.

Bon Appetit!

If you like this post, be sure to check out Go Go Go Gourmet's Pesto Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppers!