Bring some frightful fun to your dinner table this October with these Halloween Stuffed Peppers! Carved to look like little jack-o’-lanterns, these orange bell peppers are filled with a hearty, flavorful mixture of rice, ground beef (or turkey), and savory seasonings.
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They’re just like traditional stuffed peppers — but with a spooky twist that makes them perfect for Halloween night. Whether you’re fueling up before trick-or-treating or hosting a themed dinner, these adorable “pepper pumpkins” are sure to delight kids and adults alike.
Not only are they festive and fun, but they’re also simple to make and easy to customize. You can swap in your favorite fillings — try quinoa and black beans for a vegetarian version or add extra cheese for a gooey, crowd-pleasing finish.
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Once baked, the peppers soften slightly, creating the perfect “carved pumpkin” look that’s both cute and delicious. Serve them with a side salad or spooky breadsticks for a complete Halloween meal that’s as creative as it is comforting.
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
To make Mexican stuffed peppers you can just use shredded chicken and Mexican style rice left over from another dinner. I didn’t have any leftovers, so this is how I made mine. This recipes serves about 6 people.
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Ingredients:
- 6 orange bell peppers
- 1 box Rice-a-Roni mexican style rice
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 can black beans, drained
- Grated cheese (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
Cook the rice according to the directions on the box, and fry or boil chicken and shred it. Drain the can of beans.
To prepare the bell peppers, wash them and cut off of the tops. Use a spoon to gently scoop out the insides of the bell pepper.
Use a small sharp knife to cut a face into the front of the bell pepper. I didn’t bother with drawing a face on it first, I just cut triangles for the eyes and nose and then cut out a mouth shape. Repeat with the other bell peppers.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cooked rice, shredded chicken, and drained black beans together. Spoon the rice mixture into the bell peppers, filling them to the top. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top.
Place the lids back on the peppers and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake filled peppers for 30 minutes, until the pepper are soft.
Remove from oven and serve with sour cream.
Spaghetti Stuffed Peppers
To make spaghetti stuffed peppers, make your favorite spaghetti and fill the peppers with the spaghetti before baking.
When I am in a hurry, I use store-bought spaghetti sauce and just mix it with a pound of cooked hamburger and cooked spaghetti noodles.
If you are interested, here is my recipe for canning homemade spaghetti sauce. I also have a great recipe for spaghetti seasoning mix if you want to save some money and flavor your own sauce with a homemade mix.
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Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
If you want to make these peppers vegetarian style, no problem!
To make vegetarian style stuffed peppers, cook 1 cup quinoa in 3 cups vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Chop up one small onion, one garlic clove, and a cup of baby spinach. Add to the quinoa during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Fill the carved peppers with the quinoa and bake as directed above.
Like this recipe? You might also like my spider deviled eggs and my Halloween spider cookies.
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Follow my easy dinners and Halloween recipes and crafts boards on Pinterest.
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