Baked Chili Mac Stuffed Peppers

My neighbor knocked on my door one Tuesday evening with a bag of bell peppers from her garden, oversized and glossy, practically begging to be stuffed with something bold. I'd been craving comfort food that didn't feel heavy, so I raided my pantry and discovered this hybrid between chili and mac and cheese could live inside those pepper shells. The first bite—crispy cheese melting into spiced meat and pasta—made me realize I'd stumbled onto something worth repeating.

I made this for my sister after she mentioned wanting weeknight meals that weren't boring, and watching her scrape every last bit of chili mac from inside her pepper with the side of her fork told me everything I needed to know. She's made it four times since, texting me photos of her own color combinations and asking whether she could bulk it up with extra beans. That's when I knew it had become one of those recipes that travels better than most.

Ingredients

• Large bell peppers (4 total): Choose a mix of red, yellow, or orange for sweetness, or stick with green if you prefer earthier notes; the size matters because smaller peppers tend to topple during baking.
• Lean ground beef or turkey (200 g): The lean part is crucial here because excess fat pools at the bottom and makes the filling greasy, so don't skip draining if you use fattier cuts.
• Small onion, finely chopped: Finely is the key word because chunky pieces won't soften enough in the short cooking time.
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced): Fresh garlic brings a brightness that jarred simply cannot replicate, so take thirty seconds to mince it properly.
• Olive oil (1 tablespoon): Just enough to build flavor without making the filling swim in oil.
• Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika: This trio is non-negotiable for that unmistakable chili flavor that makes the dish feel intentional rather than thrown together.
• Salt and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon each): Taste as you go because canned ingredients vary wildly in sodium.
• Canned diced tomatoes and kidney beans (400 g and 200 g): Draining them removes excess liquid that would otherwise turn your filling soupy during the final bake.
• Elbow macaroni (80 g): Whole wheat adds nuttiness but regular pasta cooks faster and doesn't get gritty when packed into peppers.
• Low-sodium broth (250 ml): The pasta absorbs this liquid, so you're essentially cooking risotto-style inside the pepper; too much salt ruins the balance.
• Sharp cheddar cheese (80 g, shredded): Sharp cheddar has enough flavor that you don't need to bury the peppers in cheese, which is why the amount feels modest.
• Fresh cilantro or parsley (optional): A handful of green on top turns this from weeknight dinner into something that photographs well.

Instructions

Prepare your workspace:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and lightly grease a baking dish. Having everything ready before you start cooking means you won't scramble mid-process when things are sizzling.

Parboil the peppers:

Bring salted water to a boil, add whole peppers (tops already removed and seeds cleared), and boil for exactly 4 minutes—this softens them just enough without making them collapse. Drain them and set cut-side up in the baking dish where they'll stay for the rest of cooking.

Build the base:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add chopped onion, and let it turn translucent and soft before adding minced garlic for just one more minute. The timing matters because garlic burns easily and tastes bitter if you're not watching.

Brown the meat:

Push the onion and garlic to the side, add ground meat, and break it apart with a spoon as it cooks until no pink remains, about 4 to 5 minutes total. This is where you drain excess fat if the meat released a lot of liquid—better now than in your finished dish.

Add the spices:

Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds so the spices bloom and release their oils. Add diced tomatoes and kidney beans, stir once more, and let everything cook together for 2 minutes so the flavors start mingling.

Cook the pasta:

Stir in the dry macaroni and pour in the broth, then bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes until the pasta is just al dente and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Taste here and adjust salt or spices because this is your last chance before everything gets baked.

Fill the peppers:

Spoon the chili mac mixture evenly into each pepper cavity, piling it slightly above the rim because it settles during baking. Top each pepper generously with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Bake covered, then uncovered:

Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the peppers are fork-tender. The two-stage bake prevents the cheese from browning too dark while the peppers finish cooking.

Finish and serve:

Let the peppers rest for 2 minutes, garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if you have it, and serve hot while the cheese is still melted and the peppers are at their most tender.

Save

The moment that convinced me this recipe deserved a permanent spot in rotation came during a chaotic weeknight when my partner and I both needed dinner fast but wanted something that tasted intentional. Watching those peppers emerge golden from the oven, cheese bubbling down the sides, made something click—real food doesn't need to be complicated or time-consuming to feel like care on a plate. We sat down and barely spoke because we were too busy eating.

The Beauty of Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers have this quiet power where the vegetable itself becomes the serving dish, so your plating is done before guests even arrive. There's something satisfying about eating straight from the pepper shell instead of transferring everything to another plate—it feels more intimate somehow, like eating from nature's own bowl. The pepper flesh gets sweeter as it bakes and touches the savory filling, creating layers of flavor that a regular plate setup simply cannot achieve.

Why This Works as Meal Prep

These peppers live in the refrigerator for four days if stored in an airtight container, and they reheat beautifully either in the oven at low temperature or the microwave for rushed mornings. The filling actually deepens in flavor after a day or two as the spices continue settling in, so you're not eating a diminished version the next time around. I've reheated them straight from cold and they turn out nearly as good as fresh, which makes them secretly one of the best make-ahead meals hiding in your arsenal.

Ways to Customize This Dish

The foundation is flexible enough that you can play with ingredients based on what's in your kitchen or what you're craving. Ground turkey keeps everything lighter, plant-based crumbles work for vegetarian versions, and swapping kidney beans for black beans changes the texture slightly while keeping the chili essence intact. Fresh jalapeños stirred into the filling amp up heat without overpowering the other flavors, while extra broth makes the filling looser and more saucy if you prefer that consistency.

• Try adding diced bell peppers to the filling itself for extra vegetables and subtle sweetness that rounds out the spice.
• Monterey Jack cheese gives you a milder, creamier melt if sharp cheddar tastes too intense for your palate.
• A pinch of cayenne pepper hidden in the spice mix adds warmth without anyone identifying exactly what's making it feel more complex.

Save

This recipe proved to me that the most satisfying meals often come from combining familiar elements in unexpected ways. Keep making it, adjust it, and let it become the version that's yours rather than mine.

Common Questions

→ Can I make these stuffed peppers ahead of time?

Yes, prepare the filling and stuff the peppers up to a day in advance. Refrigerate covered, then bake when ready, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time if baking cold.

→ What other proteins work well in this filling?

Ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles are excellent alternatives to beef. Lentils also work for a vegetarian version while maintaining protein content.

→ Do I need to parboil the peppers first?

Parboiling for 4 minutes ensures the peppers become tender during baking. Skipping this step may result in crunchy peppers when the filling is done.

→ Can I freeze stuffed peppers?

Assemble and cool completely, then wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.

→ How can I make this dish spicier?

Add diced jalapeños to the chili mac mixture, increase the chili powder, or use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar for extra heat.