If you are anything like us, you love to try new things and eat new recipes. However, from time to time we like to dive into the classics. I mean, what’s more classic than taco night? We’re finding more and more as we continue to try new things and as we try to eat healthier that you can be creative with the classics. Since we’re trying to cut down on the carbs in our lives we thought of how we could serve up tacos without the tortilla or shell. Our answer was to take the stuffed pepper idea and flip it!
First things first, we have to make the filling. Start things off by heating up a large frying pan to medium high heat. While that’s heating up, you can get the peppers prepped for later on. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the peppers. Don’t take off too much, make the cut where the curve connects with the sides. Take out the core and the seeds without making any cuts in the side. Now, lay it flat on one side. Cut the pepper into 1 inch segments so that it makes almost a ring shape. Note: I wouldn’t go any thinner than 1 inch because you won’t get much filling in there if it’s any thinner.
Once the pan has heated up pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the beef in the pan and spread it around the pan. Cook the meat until it starts to brown, around 3 minutes. Try to mince the meat as it cooks so you have lots of small bits of beef rather than clumps of it. Once the meat is browned, add on the taco seasoning. Stir the meat in the seasoning and let cook for 1 minute. Add in the corn and black beans and stir everything together well. Lower the heat to medium heat and let everything cook for 3 minutes.
Heat another pan to medium heat and pour in one more tablespoon of olive oil. Pending on the size of the frying pan place the segments of pepper in the pan (they can touch each other but you will have to fill them up so make sure you can get a spatula underneath them). Let the peppers cook on that side for 2 minutes. Flip the peppers over and fill them with the taco filling. Lastly, pile on the cheese! Once you put on your desired amount of cheese, for us about 1 oz. per pepper segment, cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 1 minute.
When the cheese melts they’re good to go! Carefully slide your spatula all the way under one of the peppers. The filling will be a little loose, so make sure you are all the way under it or the meat will spill out. Move the pepper to a plate and serve it up to your hungry diners! That’s it! It’s healthier than serving it in taco shells and it’s colorful so it looks good too!
Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 can Corn
- 1 can Black Beans
- 2 packets Taco Seasoning
- 4 Bell Peppers color optional
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat large frying pan to medium high heat. While pan is heating up, cut tops and bottoms off of peppers. Remove the core and seeds and cut the pepper into 1 inch thick segments (you’ll be filling them so don’t make any other cuts).
- Pour 1 Tbsp olive oil into the heated pan and add the beef. Cook beef for 3 minutes and mince the meat while it cooks.
- Add taco seasoning, stir together and cook for 1 minute.
- Add corn and beans to the beef, stir together. Lower the heat to medium and let cook for 3 more minutes.
- Heat another pan to medium heat. Pour in 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
- Place pepper segments in the pan and let cook for 2 minutes on one side.
- Flip the peppers over and fill with the taco filling. Cover with desired amount of cheese and cover the pan with a lid.
- Cook for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Carefully use a spatula to get completely underneath each pepper and serve.
