Costa Blanca’s Delicious Spooky Stuffed Peppers

These “Jack-o’-lantern” stuffed bell peppers make a healthy and festive main dish for your Halloween party! They are filled with a savoury mixture of minced meat, rice, and...

July 29, 2025 Updated on July 29, 2025 One Min Read

These “Jack-o’-lantern” stuffed bell peppers make a healthy and festive main dish for your Halloween party! They are filled with a savoury mixture of minced meat, rice, and vegetables, resulting in a hearty and impressive meal that is surprisingly simple to prepare.

Delicious Spooky Stuffed Peppers
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Serves: 4

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

4 medium-sized orange bell peppers or a mix with yellow for variety

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 kg minced beef or turkey

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup of cooked rice, white or brown

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and optional

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F, or 190°C. Wash the bell peppers thoroughly. Carefully cut off the tops of the bell peppers and remove the seeds and white membranes from within. With a small, sharp knife, carefully carve a "Jack-o-lantern" face into one side of each bell pepper.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Cook the minced meat, breaking it up with a spoon, until completely browned. Drain any excess fat from the the pan. Cook the chopped onion in the pan until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the undrained diced tomatoes, cooked rice, 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, fresh parsley (if using), Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.

Carefully spoon the savoury filling mixture into each carved bell pepper, filling them generously.

Place the stuffed bell peppers upright in a baking dish; if desired, add a small amount of water to the bottom to steam the peppers and keep them from drying out.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the bell peppers are tender when pierced with a fork and the filling is thoroughly heated and bubbling. If you want extra cheesy tops, sprinkle a little more grated cheddar cheese over each pepper during the final 10 minutes of baking.

Carefully take the hot peppers out of the oven. Serve hot and enjoy your festive, delicious Spooky Stuffed Peppers!