Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

In this recipe, orange bell peppers are stuffed with a meat, cheese, and rice mixture and looks just like scary little Jack-o'-lanterns in this fun dish.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 613 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 4 large orange bell peppers
• 2 cups seasoned tomato sauce, warmed
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.333 cup thinly sliced green onions

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Serve and enjoy!

Step 2

Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) with oven rack in upper position. Coat a baking dish with olive oil.

Step 3

Cut eyes, nose, and mouth into flattest side of each pepper, just like a jack-o'-lantern, using a small knife. Cut around seed pods and remove tops, trimming and discarding any seeds from under the stems. Trim white membranes from inside each pepper; shake out any seeds. Place peppers in the prepared baking dish.

Step 4

Combine ground beef, cooked rice, Cheddar cheese, green onions, melted butter, ketchup, garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.

Step 5

Divide and stuff beef mixture into peppers; cover with reserved pepper tops.

Step 6

Wrap baking dish loosely with aluminum foil; place on a baking sheet.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil; continue baking until peppers are tender and ground beef is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Step 8

Place about 3 tablespoons warm tomato sauce on each plate; place stuffed peppers on top. Serve remaining sauce on the side.