The filling is chili mac: ground beef browned with onion, seasoned with chili powder and cumin, loosened with tomato sauce, with kidney beans and elbow macaroni folded through.
Six medium bell peppers have their tops cut off and seeds removed, then stand upright in a baking dish for 10 minutes in the oven on their own before they are filled, topped with cheddar and baked again.
Peppers Bake While the Filling Cooks
The hollow peppers get their first 10 minutes while the macaroni and chili come together on the stove.
In the oven
- 375°F
Six hollowed bell peppers standing upright in a baking dish.
- 10 minutes
Pre-baked and ready to fill.
On the stove
- Pot
Elbow macaroni cooked just shy of al dente.
- Skillet
Ground beef and onion browned to 160°F, drained.
- Seasoned
Chili powder, cumin, tomato sauce and kidney beans stirred in; macaroni folded through.
Filled and baked
The chili mac goes into the upright peppers under a cup of cheddar for 20 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, then cilantro on top.
How to Make It
Hollowed peppers pre-baked upright for 10 minutes
Heat the oven to 375°F. Stand the hollowed bell peppers upright in a baking dish and bake 10 minutes.
Macaroni cooked, beef and onion browned to 160°F
Cook the macaroni just shy of al dente. Brown the ground beef with the onion to 160°F and drain.
Chili spices, tomato sauce, beans and macaroni
Stir the chili powder, cumin, tomato sauce and kidney beans into the beef, then fold in the macaroni.
Upright peppers filled, topped with cheddar, baked 20 minutes
Fill the upright peppers, top with cheddar and bake 20 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot. Finish with cilantro.
Ingredient Notes
- Medium bell peppers
- Six, with the tops removed and the seeds scooped out, so each stands as a whole cup.
- Kidney beans
- One cup, drained, stirred into the beef with the tomato sauce.
- Elbow macaroni
- Eight ounces, cooked a little short so it finishes in the oven.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pre-baking the hollow peppers starts softening them so they are tender by the time the filling is hot.
- Cooking the macaroni just shy of al dente lets it absorb some of the tomato sauce in the oven.
- Kidney beans make the filling hearty and keep it chili-like.
- Browning the beef to 160°F before stuffing means the bake only needs to heat everything through.
Success Tips
- Trim a thin sliver from the base of any pepper that wobbles, without cutting through, so it stands level.
- Mound the filling generously; it settles slightly as it bakes.
- Pack the peppers close together in the dish so they hold each other upright.
Serving Ideas
Serve one stuffed pepper per plate, standing upright with the melted cheddar on top and chopped cilantro scattered over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What meat is in the filling?
Ground beef, browned with onion to 160°F before stuffing.
How do I know they are ready?
The peppers should be tender and the filling hot all the way through after 20 minutes.
How are the peppers prepared?
Cut the tops off six medium bell peppers and remove the seeds, leaving each pepper whole to stand upright.
