Description
Baked Chili Mac Stuffed Peppers is a delightful and hearty dish that combines the flavors of chili macaroni and stuffed peppers, creating a comforting meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops removed and seeds cleaned
- 3/4 cup elbow macaroni, whole wheat or regular
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- Sliced green onions, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold peppers in an upright position.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni 1 to 2 minutes less than package directions to achieve al dente texture. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet and cook until fully browned and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Stir in black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and stir in cooked macaroni and half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Arrange prepared bell peppers upright in the greased baking dish. Divide chili mac mixture evenly among peppers, pressing gently to fill completely.
- Top each filled pepper with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the baking dish and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is golden brown.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to use any color bell pepper you prefer.
- This recipe can easily be adapted for vegetarian diets by using more beans or a meat substitute.
- For added spice, consider adding diced jalapeños to the chili mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 50mg