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Festive Halloween Peppers

Featured in Food That Makes Occasions Special.

Bring spooky vibes to your table with these Halloween peppers! Orange bell peppers are carved like jack-o'-lanterns and packed with seasoned turkey, beans, rice, and spices. Baked till soft, the flavors blend beautifully, while melted cheese tops it all off. Fun, festive, and healthy, they're perfect for the season!
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Updated on Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:30:46 GMT
Orange bell peppers carved like jack-o'-lanterns with a cheesy baked filling, placed on a tray with green stems on top. Pin it
Orange bell peppers carved like jack-o'-lanterns with a cheesy baked filling, placed on a tray with green stems on top. | mecooking.com

Time to gear up for Halloween with these spooky Stuffed Peppers! These fun jack-o-lantern peppers aren't just cute to look at—they're packed with a tasty filling that'll leave everyone satisfied and full.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

  • Orange Bell Peppers: 8 hollowed peppers with jack-o-lantern faces cut into them.
  • Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons to cook your onions in.
  • Yellow Onion: 2 1/4 cups chopped up, roughly 1 onion, adds great taste.
  • Ground Turkey or Chicken: 1 pound to give the filling substance.
  • Garlic: 1 tablespoon minced, about 3 cloves, for extra punch.
  • White Basmati Rice: 1 1/2 cups, cooked as the package tells you.
  • Black Beans: 1 can (15.5 ounces), rinsed and drained for more bulk.
  • Tomato Sauce: 1 can (15 ounces), keeps everything juicy and tasty.
  • Oregano: 1 teaspoon dried, for that nice herb flavor.
  • Basil: 1 teaspoon dried, makes everything taste better.
  • Kosher Salt: 1/2 teaspoon to bring out the flavors.
  • Black Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon for a bit of spice.
  • Cheese: 3/4 cup shredded cheddar or colby jack to melt on top.

HOW TO MAKE IT

Step 1:
Get your oven hot at 400 degrees F.
Step 2:
Slice the tops from your bell peppers. Grab a small knife and scoop out all the seeds and ribs, then cut jack-o-lantern faces on one side. Put them in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Step 3:
Pour olive oil into a big skillet over medium heat. Toss in your diced onions and let them cook for about 5 minutes, giving them a stir now and then.
Step 4:
Throw in your ground turkey (or chicken) and garlic. Cook everything for another 5 minutes, breaking up the meat as you go with a wooden spoon.
Step 5:
Mix in your cooked rice, black beans, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Let it all cook for 3 to 5 more minutes till the rice soaks up some sauce. Take it off the heat.
Step 6:
Fill each pepper with a big scoop of the mixture and sprinkle cheese evenly on top of each one.
Step 7:
Add 1 1/2 cups water to the bottom of your baking dish. Bake without covering for 10 minutes, until the cheese gets all melty and the peppers start to soften.

Eating and Keeping Tips

  • Enjoy these peppers while they're hot, with some fresh parsley or cilantro on top.
  • They taste great with a simple salad or some bread with garlic butter on the side.
  • Keep any extras in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days. Just warm them up before you eat them again.

Advice from Top Chefs

  • Gordon Ramsay says to throw in some fresh herbs for better taste.
  • Rachael Ray thinks a bit of hot sauce gives them a nice kick.
  • Ina Garten always makes sure to add enough salt and pepper to the filling.

MIX IT UP

  • Try swapping rice for other grains like quinoa or farro.
  • Use different cheeses such as pepper jack to change up the flavor.
  • Make them meat-free by using just beans and veggies for the filling.

Halloween Stuffed Peppers

Celebrate Halloween with these stuffed peppers! Filled with rice, beans, and turkey, they’re creative, tasty, and sure to wow everyone.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
25 Minutes
Total Time
45 Minutes
By: Mariana

Category: Holiday & Seasonal

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 Servings (8 filled peppers)

Dietary: Gluten-Free

Ingredients

01 8 orange peppers, any shade will work.
02 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ready to use.
03 About 1 onion, diced finely—approximately 2 1/4 cups.
04 1 pound of ground chicken or turkey (16 ounces).
05 Three garlic cloves, minced—it’s about 1 tablespoon.
06 White basmati rice—1 1/2 cups cooked following the box.
07 A 15.5-ounce can of black beans (rinsed and drained).
08 A can of tomato sauce (15 ounces).
09 1 teaspoon of oregano, dried.
10 1 teaspoon dry basil leaves.
11 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt for seasoning.
12 A quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
13 Cheddar or colby jack—shredded, around 3/4 cup.

Instructions

Step 01

Turn the oven on to 400°F and let it warm up.

Step 02

Slice the tops off the peppers, clean out seeds and ribs with a paring knife, then cut out jack-o-lantern faces on one side. Set the hollowed peppers in a 9x13-inch dish.

Step 03

In a big pan, heat the olive oil on medium. Toss in the onions and stir every so often for about 5 minutes.

Step 04

Add the ground turkey or chicken along with garlic to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to crumble the meat as it browns for another 5 minutes.

Step 05

Mix in the rice, tomato sauce, black beans, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook on the stove for around 3 to 5 minutes until the rice absorbs some sauce. Then remove from heat.

Step 06

Stuff each pepper generously with the filling. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly on top of all the peppers.

Step 07

Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the bottom of the dish. Put it in the oven uncovered for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and peppers soften slightly.

Notes

  1. Carve different faces on the peppers for fun, creative designs.
  2. Switch up the ground chicken or turkey with any meat you enjoy.
  3. You can assemble these ahead of time, then pop them in the oven when you’re ready.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 320
  • Total Fat: 10 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 45 g
  • Protein: 20 g