Baked Chili Mac Stuffed Peppers (Printer View)

Tender bell peppers filled with spicy beef and bean chili mac, topped with bubbly cheddar for a comforting dinner.

# What you'll need:

→ Peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops removed and seeds discarded

→ Pasta

02 - 3/4 cup elbow macaroni, whole wheat or regular

→ Chili Mixture

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
07 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese

15 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

→ Garnish

16 - Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
17 - Sliced green onions, optional

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate peppers in an upright position.
02 - Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook elbow macaroni 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
04 - Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet, breaking apart with a spoon, and cook until fully browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in black beans, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in cooked macaroni and half the cheddar cheese (1/2 cup).
07 - Arrange bell peppers upright in the prepared baking dish. Spoon chili mac mixture evenly into each pepper, pressing down gently to fill completely.
08 - Cover each filled pepper with the remaining cheddar cheese.
09 - Pour 1/4 cup water into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
10 - Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is golden brown.
11 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you're really just layering smart shortcuts into something genuinely impressive.
  • Each pepper becomes its own edible bowl, which somehow makes eating healthier vegetables feel like an indulgence.
  • The protein hits different when you pack it into colorful peppers—your body knows it's getting real nutrition, and it's satisfied for hours afterward.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time—I learned this the hard way when I went straight to plating and everything was sliding around like a messy avalanche.
  • Undercooking the pasta by just one minute makes a genuine difference; overcooked pasta turns to mush and ruins the texture contrast.
  • Choose peppers with stable bottoms even if they're not perfectly uniform—a wobbly pepper tips sideways in the oven, and your filling spills everywhere.
03 -
  • Always taste your filling before stuffing—season it to your preference because the peppers won't add much salt once they're baked, and you can't adjust seasoning after they're in the oven.
  • If you're using turkey instead of beef, watch it carefully as it cooks because it browns faster and can dry out if overdone; once it's no longer pink, you're done.
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