Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Orange bell peppers carved like jack-o'-lanterns and stuffed with seasoned beef, rice, and cheese. A festive Halloween dinner that looks impressive but stays weeknight-easy and food-safe.
🛒Ingredients
- 6 large orange bell peppers
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)
🔧Kitchen Tools Needed
- Baking dish
- Sharp paring knife
- Skillet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Foil
- Cutting board
📝Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice tops off peppers and remove seeds. Carefully cut jack-o'-lantern faces into one side of each pepper with a small sharp knife.
- 2
Stand peppers upright in a baking dish. Lightly brush outsides with olive oil.
- 3
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion 3 minutes. Add garlic 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook until browned and 160°F (beef) or 165°F (turkey). Drain fat.
- 4
Stir in tomatoes, cooked rice, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes. Off heat, fold in 1/2 cup cheese.
- 5
Stuff peppers with filling. Top with remaining cheese. Add 1/4 cup water to the dish.
- 6
Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more until peppers are tender and filling is hot (165°F).
- 7
Rest 5 minutes. Garnish with herbs and serve.
🥗Nutrition Information
⚡Calories per serving: 340
🏷️Recipe Tags
❓Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep peppers from tipping over?
Trim a thin slice from the bottom so they stand flat, without cutting through.
Can I use leftover rice?
Yes—about 1 cup cooked rice works. Warm filling to 165°F before stuffing if rice was chilled.
Make-ahead tips?
Carve and stuff up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bake from cold, adding 10 minutes.
Vegetarian version?
Use sautéed mushrooms, black beans, and corn with the same spices and cheese.
What temperature is safe?
Filling should reach 165°F in the center before serving.
