Description
Celebrate Halloween with these festive Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers, featuring orange bell peppers carved with spooky faces and filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, tomato sauce, and seasoned rice. This hearty baked dish is perfect for a fun and family-friendly fall meal.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 6 Orange Bell Peppers
Main Filling
- 2 cups Cooked White Rice
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 15 ounces Canned Tomato Sauce
- 10.75 ounces Canned Tomato Soup
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Cook white rice in a rice steamer or by adding 1 cup of uncooked rice with 2 cups of water to a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, then stir. Place the lid on and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork.
- Prepare Peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and set them aside. Remove the ribs and seeds from inside each pepper. Using a small, sharp knife, carefully cut out jack-o'-lantern faces on each pepper to create a festive look. Place the carved peppers in a baking dish.
- Cook the Beef Mixture: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain excess grease. Add the cooked rice, tomato sauce, tomato soup, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well and bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the beef and rice mixture into each carved pepper until filled, leaving a small well at the top to allow the pepper tops to be placed back on. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to retain moisture during baking.
- Bake: Bake the stuffed peppers in a preheated oven at 350℉ (175℃) for 50 minutes or until the peppers reach your desired level of tenderness. The 50-minute mark generally yields fork-tender peppers perfect for serving.
Notes
- Be careful when carving the bell peppers to avoid cutting yourself or damaging the pepper walls.
- Rice can be prepared ahead of time to save cooking time.
- Feel free to adjust the seasoning to preference, adding more chili powder for extra heat.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute ground beef with cooked lentils or a meat alternative.
- Using aluminum foil keeps the peppers moist while baking and prevents the tops from drying out.