Looking for the ultimate spooky, fun, and absolutely delicious main course for your Halloween dinner? A savory dish that doubles as a festive and edible decoration? These incredible, from-scratch Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are the perfect centerpiece for your Halloween feast! Tender, sweet bell peppers are carved with creepy faces, filled with a hearty and savory beef and rice mixture, and topped with a glorious, gooey, melted cheese that oozes out in the most delightful way.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite Halloween tradition. We’ll show you the simple secrets to a perfectly tender stuffed pepper and a classic, crowd-pleasing filling that the whole family will love. This is the kind of soul-warming, one-dish wonder that is perfect for fueling up your little monsters before a long night of trick-or-treating.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Spooky & Fun Halloween Dinner
What makes these Halloween Stuffed Peppers so spectacularly delicious is their wonderful combination of a classic, comforting filling and a super fun, festive presentation. The “jack-o’-lanterns” are beautiful, sweet bell peppers (orange is perfect for a pumpkin look!) that are hollowed out and carved with spooky faces. The filling is a simple but perfect, savory blend of seasoned ground beef, fluffy cooked rice, and tomatoes, all topped with a blanket of melted cheddar cheese. The entire dish is baked until the peppers are perfectly tender and the cheese is bubbly and golden, making for a meal that is as fun to look at as it is to eat.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The “Guts” of Your Monster: The Essential Ingredients
This iconic dish uses a handful of simple, classic pantry staples to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The “Jack-o’-Lanterns” (The Bell Peppers!):
- For the most authentic “pumpkin” look, it is highly recommended to use large, orange bell peppers. Look for peppers that have a nice, blocky shape and a flat bottom so that they can stand up straight in the baking dish. Red or yellow bell peppers are also fantastic and sweet choices.
- The Hearty Filling:
- Lean Ground Beef: For the best flavor without the final dish being too greasy, it is recommended to use a lean ground beef, such as 90/10.
- Cooked Rice: This is a fantastic way to use up leftover cooked rice! Any type of rice—white, brown, or even a wild rice blend—will work beautifully in this recipe.
- The Seasoning: A classic, simple, and family-friendly taco-style spice blend of cumin and paprika gives the filling a wonderful, savory, and slightly smoky flavor.
- The Cheesy Topping: A generous sprinkle of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, melted over the top, is the key to that beautiful, gooey, and irresistible golden-brown finish that looks fantastic oozing out of the carved faces.
Step-by-Step to the Best Halloween Stuffed Peppers
This fun and festive meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Carve Your Jack-o’-Lantern Peppers
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2: Prepare your bell peppers. Carefully slice the tops off your 4 large bell peppers, just like you would for a pumpkin. Set the “lids” aside. Use a small knife and a spoon to remove all the seeds and the white membranes from the inside of the peppers.
Step 3 (The Fun Part!): Using a small, sharp paring knife, carefully carve your favorite spooky or silly jack-o’-lantern faces into the sides of each of the peppers.
Pro Tip: For an even more tender final result, you can place the empty, carved peppers in a baking dish, add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the dish, cover it with foil, and pre-bake them for about 15 minutes while you make your filling.
Part 2: Make the Savory Beef and Rice Filling
Step 1: In a large skillet, cook the 1 pound of ground beef with the 1 chopped small onion and the 2 minced cloves of garlic over medium heat until the beef is cooked all the way through and is no longer pink. Use a wooden spoon to break the beef into crumbles as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet.Step 2: Stir in your 1 cup of cooked rice, the 1 can of drained, diced tomatoes, the 1 teaspoon of cumin, the 1 teaspoon of paprika, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
Part 3: Stuff and Bake
Step 1: Generously stuff each of your carved peppers with the prepared beef and rice mixture and place them, standing up, in a baking dish.Step 2: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes.Pro Tip: Baking the peppers covered at first is a crucial step! It traps the steam inside the dish, which is the secret that helps the thick walls of the bell peppers to become perfectly soft and tender.Step 3: After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil. Sprinkle the tops of the peppers generously with the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.Step 4: Return the dish to the oven and continue to bake, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and a beautiful golden brown. You can place the pepper “lids” back on top so they resemble little pumpkins! Serve immediately while they are hot and cheesy.
Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers (The Perfect Halloween Dinner!)
A festive, Halloween-themed recipe for classic stuffed bell peppers. In this dish, large orange, red, or yellow bell peppers are carved with ‘creepy faces’ to resemble jack-o’-lanterns before being stuffed. The hearty filling is a savory mixture of browned ground beef, cooked rice, sautéed onions and garlic, and diced tomatoes, all seasoned with cumin and paprika. The stuffed peppers are baked until tender, then topped with a layer of melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers (orange, red, or yellow)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Black olives for eyes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Carefully cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Using a small paring knife, carve creepy jack-o’-lantern faces into the sides of the peppers.
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and minced garlic over medium heat until the meat is cooked through. Drain any excess fat.
- Stir in the cooked rice, drained diced tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Stuff the carved peppers with the beef and rice mixture and place them upright in a baking dish.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle the tops of the peppers with the shredded cheddar cheese, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. You can place the pepper tops (stems) back on to complete the ‘pumpkin’ look.
Notes
- This is a creative and fun way to serve a classic comfort food for a Halloween dinner.
- Carving the faces into the peppers before they are cooked is much easier and safer than doing it afterward.
- Using pre-cooked rice is a convenient time-saving shortcut for the filling.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
These Halloween Stuffed Peppers are the perfect make-ahead dish for a stress-free and festive dinner.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire beef and rice filling and even carve your peppers up to 2 days in advance. Store them in separate, airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, you can simply stuff the peppers and bake as directed. You can also fully assemble the entire, unbaked dish up to 24 hours in advance.
- Storage: Store any leftover stuffed peppers, well-covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: This is a fantastic freezer meal! You can freeze the stuffed peppers either before or after baking. Let them cool completely, then wrap them individually and store them in a freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Creative Recipe Variations (“Make it Your Own Potion!”)
- Make it a Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper: For a delicious and hearty vegetarian version, you can simply substitute the 1 pound of ground beef with one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed black beans or lentils.
- Use a Different Grain or Add-in: If you’re not a fan of rice, you could easily substitute it with an equal amount of cooked quinoa or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. A can of drained corn is also a fantastic and kid-friendly addition to the filling.
- Use a Different Sauce Base: For a saucier and more classic Tex-Mex flavor, you can substitute the can of diced tomatoes with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of your favorite store-bought salsa or enchilada sauce.
Enjoy Your Ultimate Spooky & Fun Halloween Dinner!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of fun, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. These classic Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are a testament to the power of a simple, creative idea to become an instant family favorite and a treasured holiday tradition. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to make your Halloween dinner a memorable one.
We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a stuffed pepper that is tender and not hard or crunchy?
The secret is to give the peppers enough time to cook and steam! The method in this recipe of baking them covered with foil for the first 30 minutes is crucial. This traps the steam and is the key that gently cooks the thick walls of the pepper until they are perfectly soft and tender. For an even more foolproof result, you can pre-bake the empty peppers for about 15 minutes before you even add the filling.
Q2: Can I make these Halloween stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead dish! The best method is to prepare the entire beef and rice filling and store it in the refrigerator. You can also carve your peppers ahead of time. Then, on the night of your party, you can simply stuff the peppers and bake them for a fresh-from-the-oven main course.
Q3: What is the best and safest way to carve a bell pepper?
The safest way is to use a small, sharp paring knife. After you have hollowed out the pepper, you can place it on your cutting board and use the tip of your knife to gently trace and then cut out your classic, spooky triangle eyes and a jagged mouth.
Q4: Can I freeze stuffed peppers?
Yes, this is a fantastic freezer meal! For the best result, it is a great idea to assemble the stuffed peppers completely, but do not bake them. You can then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and foil and place them in a freezer-safe container. When you are ready to eat, you can bake them directly from frozen, just be sure to cover them with foil for the first 45-50 minutes and then uncover them for the final 15 minutes.
Q5: What is the best kind of bell pepper to use for stuffing?
For this fun, Halloween-themed recipe, an orange bell pepper is the perfect choice because it looks the most like a pumpkin! However, red or yellow bell peppers are also fantastic choices because they are much sweeter and more flavorful when cooked than a green bell pepper.