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Best Easy Jack-o-Lantern Stuffed Peppers Recipe for Halloween

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These fun and delicious jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers are perfect for Halloween parties or fall dinners. Made with simple ingredients like ground beef, rice, tomato sauce, and cheese, they’re quick to prepare and guaranteed to impress.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 large bell peppers (orange preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Fresh parsley or chives, chopped (optional)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Wash and dry bell peppers. Cut off tops about 1/2 inch from stem. Remove seeds and membranes. Carve jack-o-lantern faces into sides using a sharp paring knife, being careful not to cut through the pepper wall.
  3. Blanch peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain upside down on paper towels.
  4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cooked rice, tomato sauce (reserve 2 tablespoons for brushing), oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half the mozzarella and all the Parmesan.
  6. Place blanched peppers upright in a baking dish. Divide filling evenly among peppers, packing gently but firmly.
  7. Brush outside of peppers with olive oil. Brush reserved tomato sauce over exposed filling on top. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over tops.
  8. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden and peppers are tender. Optionally, broil last 2 minutes for extra browning.
  9. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or chives and serve with sour cream if desired.

Notes

Choose squat, round orange bell peppers for the best pumpkin look. Don’t over-blanch peppers (3 minutes is perfect). For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with black beans and quinoa. Peppers can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Freeze unbaked peppers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed peppers, jack-o-lantern, Halloween, ground beef, bell peppers, fall recipe, party food

Find it online: https://recipebelle.com/best-easy-jack-o-lantern-stuffed-peppers-recipe-for-halloween/