Mexican-Style Stuffed Bell Peppers

In this Latin twist on stuffed bell peppers, black beans replace the traditional rice and salsa stands in for the standard tomato sauce.
This recipe from The Diabetes & Heart Healthy Diabetes Cookbook, 2nd edition, co-published with the American Heart Association. To order directly from the American Diabetes Association, click here.
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- Prep time
- 10 min
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- Cook time
- 50 min
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- Servings
- 4 Servings
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- Serving size
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1 stuffed bell pepper
Ingredients
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large red or green bell peppers, or a combination (stems, seeds, and ribs discarded, tops chopped and reserved)
- 4
- 4
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nonstick cooking spray
- 1
- 1
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onion(s) (chopped)
- 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup
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medium garlic (minced)
- 3 clove
- 3 clove
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ground beef (95% fat-free)
- 8 oz
- 227 g
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chili powder
- 2 tsp
- 2 tsp
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ground cumin
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
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salt
- 1/8 tsp
- 1/8 tsp
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low-sodium salsa
- 3/4 cup
- 3/4 cup
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no-salt-added canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cup
- 1 cup
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fresh cilantro (chopped, divided use)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp
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shredded cheddar cheese, or use Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack
- 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup
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light sour cream
- 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup
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Directions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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In a microwave oven, place the bell peppers with the cut side up on a paper towel. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4–5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Transfer with the cut side up to a 9-inch square baking dish or shallow casserole dish.
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Meanwhile, lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Cook the chopped bell pepper tops, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Stir in the beef. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn and break up the beef. Discard any drippings.
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Sprinkle the beef mixture with the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the salsa. Remove from the heat.
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Gently stir in the beans and 1/2 cup cilantro. Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
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Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese over the beef mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.
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Top the peppers with the sour cream. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.
Reviews
Write a Review-
I followed this recipe to the "T" and my family loves it! I did cut my bell peppers in half length wise to make them go farther. The sour cream is just the touch! Thank you!
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@Austin Martin All fixed! Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
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This recipe looks good, but the ingredients list is incomplete.