Description
This Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers recipe is a festive and flavorful main dish perfect for Halloween. Large orange bell peppers are carved like jack-o’-lanterns and stuffed with a savory mixture of ground beef, rice, sharp Cheddar cheese, and seasonings. Baked to tender perfection and served with warm seasoned tomato sauce, these stuffed peppers are both fun to make and delicious to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
Bell Peppers
- 4 large orange bell peppers
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Stuffing Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 0.333 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
Serving
- 2 cups seasoned tomato sauce, warmed
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients required for this recipe. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Carve Peppers: Using a small knife, carefully cut eyes, a nose, and a mouth into the flattest side of each orange bell pepper, creating jack-o’-lantern faces. Cut around the seed pods and remove the tops. Trim and discard any seeds from under the stems and the white membranes inside. Shake out any remaining seeds and place the peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
- Make Stuffing Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked rice, grated Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced green onions, melted butter, ketchup, minced garlic, kosher salt, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Stuff Peppers: Evenly fill each carved pepper with the beef and rice mixture. Replace the tops of the peppers to cover the stuffing.
- Bake Covered: Loosely wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil to retain moisture and place it on a sheet pan. Bake in the upper center rack of the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Bake Uncovered: After 1 hour, remove the foil and continue baking the peppers uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. This will ensure the peppers are tender and the ground beef is fully cooked.
- Serve: To serve, place each stuffed pepper on a few tablespoons of warm seasoned tomato sauce. Add extra sauce on the side if desired. Serve hot and enjoy your festive meal!
Notes
- Use orange bell peppers to enhance the festive jack-o’-lantern appearance.
- Ensure the tops and seeds are thoroughly removed to make stuffing easier and prevent bitterness.
- You can adjust the level of cayenne pepper based on your spice preference.
- Serve with extra seasoned tomato sauce to add moisture and flavor.
- This dish makes a fun and hearty main course for Halloween or fall gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 613 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1035 mg
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 141 mg
