Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers are tender colored peppers filled with beef, rice and bursting with mexican flavors.
My daughter calls this recipe slow cooker taco peppers. She loves anything taco so I called them taco peppers for her so that she would be more likely to eat them. I don’t know about you but I’m always willing to get creative with the names of food to get her to eat them. And, sometimes like with this recipe it works like a charm.
This slow cooker stuffed peppers recipe is a crowd pleaser in our house. It makes me happy because I can put them in the slow cooker and leave them until they are done and ready to eat. I really like meals that I can put into the slow cooker and forget about until dinnertime. I usually serve my stuffed peppers with a side salad.
Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers
How do I pick a good bell pepper?
It doesn’t matter what color pepper that you are purchasing, picking them works the same way. Check your peppers for shiny, unblemished peppers without any brown or soft spots. A soft spot on a pepper is a bruising or rotting spot. You always want to look for smooth pepper. Wrinkled skin means the pepper is overripe. On the bottom of your pepper you will want to see flat bottoms not pointed bottoms so that they stand up properly in your slow cooker. I personally prefer a red bell pepper however any color works in this recipe including green.
Can I use white rice instead of brown rice?
Yes! You can use any type of rice that your family prefers. You could even use quinoa if you want to get some extra health benefits from your binder. I recommend slightly undercooking your rice or quinoa so that it does not become mushy while cooking in the crockpot.
What can I use instead of red enchilada sauce?
If you want to use something instead of red enchilada sauce you have plenty of options. You can use taco sauce, green enchilada sauce or even salsa. Don’t have taco sauce on hand. Mix together a can of tomato sauce and a packet of taco seasoning. It makes for a delicious homemade taco sauce.
Can I use a different type of meat in these Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers?
One of the best things about this slow cooker stuffed pepper recipe is that it’s very flexible. You can use ground beef, ground sausage, ground pork, or even ground turkey or chicken for this recipe. If you are using sausage I recommend using a spicy italian sausage or original italian sausage. As a family we don’t recommend using sweet sausage we just don’t like the taste in these peppers.
Can I freeze Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers?
Stuffed Peppers freezes great. I love that you can freeze these peppers either stuffed and uncooked or cooked. Either way you can store them in the freezer for up to 4 months as long as you keep them completely covered in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Thaw your peppers in the fridge overnight.
If you are freezing cooked peppers, reheat them in the microwave, oven or slow cooker to serve again. To reheat in the slow cooker, just return to your slow cooker on low heat for about 1 to 2 hours until they are warm all the way through the center.
Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- bell peppers in various colors, stems and seeds removed
- ground beef
- brown rice, cooked
- taco seasoning
- garlic powder
- black beans, drained and rinsed
- fiesta blend cheese, divided
- red enchilada sauce, divided
How To Make
Prepare a slow cooker by spritzing the liner with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, brown rice, taco seasoning, garlic powder, black beans, ¾ cup fiesta blend cheese, and 1 cup enchilada sauce.
Scoop the mixture into each of the bell peppers, mounding at the top. Place the stuffed bell peppers into the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center bell pepper reaches 165 degrees.
Prior to serving, pour remaining enchilada sauce over the stuffed bell peppers and top with remaining cheese. Replace the lid until the cheese has melted.
Serve topped with additional cheese and/or chopped fresh cilantro.
Cooking Tips
- Top your peppers with any smooth melting cheese like monterey jack, pepper jack if you want something spicy.
- Garnish with salsa, guacamole or sour cream drizzle.
- Slightly undercook your rice to prevent it turning mushy while in the slow cooker.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Crock Pot Taco Potato Casserole
Slow Cooker Turkey Noodle Soup
Slow Cooker Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers in various colors stems and seeds removed
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup brown rice cooked
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 15 ounces black beans ,drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fiesta blend cheese divided
- 1 ¼ cup red enchilada sauce divided
Instructions
- Prepare a slow cooker by spritzing the liner with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, brown rice, taco seasoning, garlic powder, black beans, ¾ cup fiesta blend cheese, and 1 cup enchilada sauce.
- Scoop the mixture into each of the bell peppers, mounding at the top. Place the stuffed bell peppers into the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center bell pepper reaches 165 degrees.
- Prior to serving, pour remaining enchilada sauce over the stuffed bell peppers and top with remaining cheese. Replace the lid until the cheese has melted.
- Serve topped with additional cheese and/or chopped fresh cilantro.