Baked Chili Mac Stuffed Peppers (Print Version)

Bell peppers filled with high-protein chili mac, topped with melted cheddar cheese for ultimate comfort food.

# What You'll Need:

→ Peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops removed and seeds hollowed out

→ Chili Mac

02 - 7 oz lean ground beef or turkey
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
12 - 7 oz canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 3 oz elbow macaroni, whole wheat or regular
14 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

→ Topping

15 - 3 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, optional

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a baking dish with oil to accommodate peppers standing upright.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to rolling boil. Submerge prepared bell peppers and cook for 4 minutes. Drain thoroughly and arrange cut side up in prepared baking dish.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until completely browned, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Pour off excess rendered fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add drained diced tomatoes and kidney beans. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine.
06 - Add elbow macaroni and chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to simmer and cook uncovered until pasta reaches al dente texture and majority of liquid absorbs, approximately 7 to 9 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Divide chili mac mixture evenly among hollowed bell peppers. Top each pepper with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
08 - Cover baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes in preheated 400°F oven.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese achieves golden color and bell peppers become tender.
10 - Remove from oven and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet before it goes into the oven, so cleanup is shockingly simple.
  • The peppers turn sweet and tender while the cheese on top gets that crispy edge everyone fights over.
  • You can freeze the stuffed peppers before baking and pull them out on nights when cooking feels impossible.
02 -
  • Drain the tomatoes well or your filling will be too wet and slide out when you cut into the peppers.
  • Dont skip the parboil step, raw peppers take forever to cook through in the oven and the edges burn before the insides soften.
  • Let the stuffed peppers rest for 5 minutes after baking so the filling sets and doesnt spill everywhere when you plate them.
03 -
  • Use a muffin tin to hold the peppers upright if your baking dish is too wide and they keep tipping over.
  • Add a pinch of brown sugar to the filling if your tomatoes taste too acidic, it balances everything out.
  • Grate your own cheddar instead of buying pre shredded, it melts smoother and tastes sharper.
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