These southwestern stuffed peppers are easily one of my favorite dishes to make because it brings a ferocious color pop to the table and it is extremely versatile. You can substitute any of the ingredients listed below in order to make this fit your dietary needs. It can be made fully vegetarian, dairy free, spicy, mild, slimming, or just packed full of all the good stuff. It also travels well which is a huge bonus for someone who is always on the go! I included how to go about making substitutions in the ingredient list below along with some simple step-by-step instructions on how to whip this up at home!
The Ingredients
- 1 cup of long grain white rice – I use whole grain rice for the additional nutritional benefits
- 4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
- 1 cup of frozen corn
- Green onions or scallions
- 1 – 4.5 ounce can of chopped green chilies (feel free to add in jalapeños or other hot peppers if you enjoy spice)!
- 1/2 lb. of ground beef chuck – I use grass fed beef for additional nutritional benefits. This can also be omitted for a vegetarian option – just add a 1/2 cup extra of rice and corn.
- Olive oil
- Black pepper and kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 4 ounces (1 cup) of grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup of sour cream OR 1/2 cup of plain low-fat greek yogurt (I use fage total yogurt)
- Salsa – I prefer salsa verde so as not to overpower the flavor
The Instructions
1 – Preheat your oven to 375° F.
2 – Cook the rice according to the package directions.
3 – Separate the lower white stalks of the scallions/green onions from the dark green tops. Chop up the tops and set aside. Julienne the lower white stalks for use in the next step.
4 – Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and beef and cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon until no longer pink. I usually add a little seasoning to the beef as well. I found a cumin sea salt at a farmers market in Costa Rica that works really well here
5 – In a glass bowl, combine together the cooked beef, corn, chilies, cumin, cooked rice, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
6 – Arrange the bell peppers, cut-side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or pan. Divide the beef mixture among the bell peppers, add ½ cup water to the dish, tightly cover the dish with foil, and bake until the bell peppers are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. If you want to take this a step further, remove the peppers after about 25 minutes and finish them on a grill top. This adds a depth of flavor with the charred skin and helps keep a ‘bite’ to the peppers.
7 – Once the peppers have cooked, uncover them and sprinkle on the remaining ½ cup of Monterey Jack. Bake for about 5 more minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Allow the peppers to cool slightly before adding on the finishing touches.
The Finishing Touches
- In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and a small amount of water until it reaches a sour cream like consistency. You can substitute sour cream as well if you are not a greek yogurt fan or omit this completely if you are dairy free.
- Drizzle the greek yogurt or sour cream over the bell peppers and top with salsa and scallion greens. Want it spicy? Finish it all off with your favorite hot sauce for the finishing touch!
- Pack up any remaining peppers and some salsa for a great on the go meal or snack.
Bon Appetite!
