The Best Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers – Quick Facts
- Ready In: 30 Minutes!
- Serves: 4; option to make more, if desired.
- Main Ingredients: bell peppers, ground turkey, tomatoes, taco seasoning.
- Dietary Info: dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian option, kid-friendly
- Best For: Halloween
- Origin: I needed a warm and fun dinner to serve my kiddos before sending them out for a night of trick-or-treating and candy eating. Here in the midwest it gets pretty chilly, so a warm dinner is definitely preferred. They absolutely LOVE these Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers and it is now a yearly tradition!
And if you need a festive cocktail to enjoy with your dinner, try our cozy apple cider or apple cider bourbon cocktail (for the adults)!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- Bell Peppers – any bell peppers can be used, but orange is obviously the Halloween classic to make them look like pumpkins. Be sure to choose peppers that can stand on their own and have a flat side to easily carve a jack-o-lantern face.
- Ground Turkey – feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken, if you prefer.
- Taco Seasoning – pick-up your favorite store-bought packet of taco seasoning or make our homemade taco seasoning!
- Shredded Cheese – everything is always better with cheese! We used Colby Jack but feel free to use what you have on hand or your favorite.
- Black Beans & Rice (only used in version 2) – we like to keep it simple and use this boxed black beans & rice is our go-to. Ingredients are pretty simple and its so easy.
How To Make Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Step 1 – Prep the bell peppers by cutting off the tops, removing seeds, and cutting a fun jack-o’-lantern face. Bake them for 15 minutes.
Step 2 – While the pepper bake, cook up the filling mixture in a skillet on the stovetop.
Step 3 – Fill each bell pepper with the filling mixture.
Step 4 – Add cheese on top and return to the oven for a few minutes until melted.
Jack O’ Lantern Stuffed Pepper Toppings
- Sour Cream: regular, homemade dairy free sour cream or a store bought version!
- Salsa: love our Blender Salsa or add some fruit and make a Mango Pineapple Salsa.
- Guacamole: highly recommend our homemade fresh guacamole or a store-bought version.
- Canned or Fresh Ingredients: sliced black olives, sliced green onions, tomatoes & avocado.
- Cheese: omit for Whole30; use dairy-free, goat, or regular cheese.
Halloween Stuffed Pepper Variations
After testing these easy jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers a few different ways, we have a few variations for you:
- Whole30/Paleo – simply omit the shredded cheese on top for these to be compliant.
- Vegetarian or Black Beans & Rice Option – prep the peppers the same way, but use some simple black beans and rice as the filling instead of the meat mixture.
Step 1 – For the vegetarian option, gather and prep the 3 simple ingredients.
Step 2 – Cook the black beans & rice according to the package directions while the peppers bake.
Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Pepper FAQs
Yes, follow the directions until the final bake to melt the cheese. Instead, cover and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days before baking them in the oven.
You don’t HAVE to cook them before stuffing, but if you don’t they will stay quite crisp. We highly recommended that you don’t skip the pepper cooking step!
No problem! Get creative and carve anything you want, like ghosts, Frankenstein, zombies, etc.
Yes, they can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or in the microwave for about 2 minutes per pepper.
Other Fun Halloween Recipes You Might Like
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Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top + Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our fun and delicious Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are a festive Halloween dinner that the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 4 large orange bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (sub avocado oil)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 batch homemade taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 large roma tomato, diced
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded (sub with dairy-free alternative)
- optional toppings: dairy-free sour cream, salsa, black olives, homemade guacamole
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a small baking dish non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- Prepare Jack-O-Lanterns: Take bell peppers, one at a time. Lay flat on its side on a cutting board and cut off the top of the pepper as thin as you can (do not discard). Use a small paring knife to scrape/cut out the seeds and membranes from the inside of the pepper. Then use the same paring knife to carefully cut a jack-o-lantern face into the front of the pepper, just like you would on a pumpkin. Repeat with all peppers and set in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake: Bake the bell peppers (with tops) for approximately 15-20 minutes or until your desired softness.
- Cook Filling: Meanwhile, take a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and let cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and cook until it reduces, about 2-3 minutes. Add ground turkey to brown in the hot pan. Break apart and allow to cook, about 5-7 minutes, or until fully cooked. Add taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and diced tomatoes; stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.
- Stuff Peppers + Cheese: Scoop taco mixture into each pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on top of each one. Return to the oven to bake until cheese is melted.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately with your desired toppings.
Notes
- Whole30/Paleo Version: simply omit the cheese on top.
- Black Beans + Rice (Vegetarian) Version: Prepare the peppers the same way, but stuff them with some homemade black beans and rice or use a boxed black beans & rice. Stuff each pepper with some black beans & rice, add cheese on top, and serve with your favorite toppings.
- Ground Turkey: option to use ground beef or ground chicken, if you prefer!
- Tomato Paste: I like to use a tube of tomato paste, so I don’t have to open a can only to use one tablespoon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 8.9 g
- Sodium: 130.9 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.9 g
- Protein: 24.6 g
- Cholesterol: 78.2 mg
Bridget says
Love making these festive and delicious peppers every year!
Sarah Gragson says
Fun & festive. I was making 12,so I put rice & meat together with a large can of diced tomatoes. It was a hit!
Erin says
So glad to hear that, Sarah!!!
Meagan says
Made these with some friends for a Halloween weekend dinner and they were a hit! Loved being able to play and make a delicious meal and especially love the non-meat option for our vegetarian friend. I think these will become a Halloween staple for us!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Meagan! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback – I really appreciate it!