These Stuffed Bell Peppers With Cream Cheese are filled with a mouthwatering mixture of savory ground beef, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, and cream cheese. This recipe is about to become your new favorite.
With just a few simple steps and readily available ingredients, you'll be well on your way to a delicious, homemade meal.
Whether you're serving these as a main dish or an appetizer, these stuffed bell peppers are sure to be a hit with family and friends.
Why You Will Love This Stuffed Bell Peppers With Cream Cheese
Here's why you'll adore this recipe:
Flavor Explosion: The combination of savory ground beef, zesty taco seasoning, tangy diced tomatoes with green chilies, and creamy cream cheese creates an irresistible taste sensation in every bite.
Crowd-Pleaser: They're a crowd-pleasing favorite that caters to a variety of dietary preferences, including gluten-free and low-carb diets.
Customizable: You can easily swap out ingredients to suit your taste preferences or dietary needs. Try using different types of cheese, adding extra veggies, or substituting the ground beef with turkey or plant-based protein.
Satisfying: The bell peppers provide a good source of vitamins and fiber, while the ground beef and cheese offer protein and calcium, making this dish both delicious and satisfying.
INGREDIENTS
Here’s everything you need for this savory sensation:
- Bell Peppers: The base of the dish, bell peppers act as edible bowls to hold the flavorful filling. You can use any color of bell peppers.
- Ground Beef: The main protein source, ground beef provides a hearty and savory base for the filling.
- Taco Seasoning: A blend of spices like chili powder, cumin, and paprika, taco seasoning adds a zesty Mexican flavor to the beef mixture.
- Cream Cheese: Softened cream cheese is mixed into the filling, creating a rich and creamy texture.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder enhances the overall flavor of the dish with its pungent aroma and taste.
- Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (Rotel): This canned product adds a tangy, slightly spicy kick to the beef mixture, along with diced tomatoes for moisture and texture.
- Shredded Cheese: Colby Jack or another melting cheese like cheddar cheese is used to top the stuffed peppers, creating a gooey, cheesy topping.
How To Make This Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
This recipe is so easy, it’s hard to mess it up, but these steps make it truly shine!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f (175°C).
- Prepare the bell peppers: Wash the bell peppers and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membranes from the inside of each pepper half. place the peppers on a baking sheet, and cut side up.
- Cook the ground beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned and crumbled, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Season the beef mixture: Add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, and diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel) to the cooked ground beef. Stir to combine and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the shredded Colby Jack cheese.
- Combine the fillings: Add the seasoned ground beef mixture to the cream cheese mixture and stir until well incorporated.
- Stuff the peppers: Using a spoon, generously stuff each pepper half with the beef and cream cheese filling, mounding it slightly.
- Bake the stuffed peppers: Place the stuffed pepper halves on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
- Serve: Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven and serve hot, garnished with any desired toppings like sour cream, guacamole, or chopped fresh cilantro.
Tips For The Best Cream Cheese Stuffed Bell Peppers
With these top tips, you'll be serving up a mouthwatering masterpiece
- Soften the cream cheese: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and let it soften at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe. This will make it easier to whip and incorporate into the filling.
- Use a variety of bell peppers: Mix and match different colors of bell peppers for a visually appealing presentation. Red, yellow, orange, and green peppers all work well.
- Cook the beef thoroughly: Ensure that the ground beef is cooked through and crumbled into small pieces. This will make it easier to distribute evenly in the filling and prevent any large, dense chunks.
- Let the filling cool slightly: Allow the seasoned ground beef mixture to cool for a few minutes before combining it with the cream cheese. This will prevent the cream cheese from melting and becoming too runny.
- Add extra toppings: Enhance the flavor and texture by topping the baked stuffed peppers with additional ingredients like diced avocado, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream.
How To Store
Follow these steps to store green bell pepper meatloaf so you can enjoy it again!
To Store: Store any leftover stuffed bell peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Freeze Allow them to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: For frozen stuffed peppers, there's no need to thaw them first. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the frozen peppers on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Stuffed Bell Peppers With Cream Cheese
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Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers 3 yellow, 2 red, 1 orange, around 680g/1.5 lbs
- 680 g/1.5 lbs ground beef
- 2 packets taco seasoning mix around 60g/2.1 oz
- 340 g/12 oz cream cheese softened
- 20 g/1.5 tablespoon garlic powder
- 425 g/15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies Rotel
- 340 g/1.5 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crumbled. Drain excess fat.
- Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the taco seasoning, garlic powder, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until well combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise, removing the seeds and membranes.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the shredded cheese.
- Add the beef mixture to the cream cheese mixture and stir until well incorporated.
- Arrange the bell pepper halves on a baking sheet, and cut side up. Evenly distribute the filling among the pepper halves.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
- Optionally, you can pre-bake the empty pepper halves for 5 minutes to soften them before adding the filling.
Notes
- Use different types of cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, or mozzarella for a flavor twist.
- Swap ground turkey or plant-based meat alternatives for ground beef.
- Add diced onions, jalapeños, or other veggies to the filling for extra nutrition.
- For a crispier texture, broil the stuffed peppers for 2-3 minutes after baking.
- Serve with toppings like sour cream, guacamole, or salsa for added flavor.
- Let the filling cool completely before stuffing the peppers for easier handling.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of meat?
Absolutely! Ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based meat substitutes would work well in this recipe.
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Definitely! Feel free to experiment with different cheese varieties like cheddar, pepper jack, or mozzarella to suit your taste preferences.
Can I make these stuffed peppers vegetarian?
Yes, simply omit the ground beef and substitute it with additional vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or black beans for a delicious vegetarian option.
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