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Halloween Stuffed Peppers

Halloween stuffed peppers with jack-o-lantern faces are baked until the cheese turns golden and the filling is hot throughout. Orange bell peppers stay crisp as they cook around a beef-and-rice mixture with diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Orange bell peppers
  • 6 orange bell peppers
Ground beef filling
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
  • 1 cup shredded cheese

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Carve and prep the peppers
  1. Cut the pepper tops and carve small jack-o-lantern faces into the peppers. Keep the carved peppers intact so they hold their shape while baking.
Make the beef and rice filling
  1. Brown the ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, then mix until evenly combined.
Stuff and bake
  1. Fill each pepper with the beef-and-rice mixture. Pack it down gently so the filling reaches the carved face area.
  2. Top each stuffed pepper with shredded cheese. Add enough to cover the surface for crisp, browned edges.
  3. Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and serve while hot.

Notes

Carve the faces before baking so the peppers keep their shape and don’t collapse during the cook. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout. Freezing is not recommended because bell peppers can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter swap, use lean ground turkey in place of the beef while keeping the same seasoning and baking time.