Description
Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are a fun and festive Halloween dinner option featuring orange bell peppers carved with spooky faces and filled with a savory mixture of ground beef or turkey, rice, and tomato sauce. Baked to tender perfection and optionally topped with melted cheese, these stuffed peppers are a delightful main course that’s both visually appealing and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 4 orange bell peppers
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Meat and Dairy
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (optional)
Pantry Items
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed peppers.
- Prepare Peppers: Cut the tops off the orange bell peppers and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Using a small knife, carve jack-o’-lantern faces into the front of each pepper. Set the prepared peppers aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook Meat and Mix Filling: Add the ground beef or turkey to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess fat if necessary. Stir in the cooked rice, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper, and let the mixture simmer for 3–4 minutes to blend flavors.
- Stuff Peppers: Fill each carved bell pepper with the meat and rice mixture. If desired, sprinkle shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese on top of the filling for a cheesy finish.
- Bake Stuffed Peppers: Place the stuffed peppers upright in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese (if used) is melted and slightly browned.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm as a festive and fun Halloween main course.
Notes
- Use different colored bell peppers for visual variety.
- To make this dish vegetarian, substitute ground meat with cooked lentils or black beans.
- Stuffed peppers can be prepped ahead of time and baked when ready for convenience.
