Save My kitchen smelled like a farmers market had exploded the afternoon I first stuffed these peppers with chili mac. A friend had texted asking what to bring to dinner, and instead of ordering takeout like usual, I found myself rummaging through the fridge with four bright bell peppers and a sudden determination to prove weeknight cooking didn't have to be boring. The combination felt obvious once I started—hearty, warm, colorful—but the first bite made me realize I'd accidentally created something that tastes like comfort tastes when nobody's rushing.
I made these for my sister on a random Tuesday when she mentioned feeling tired of her usual rotation, and watching her face as that first forkful of cheese-topped pepper met her mouth was worth every minute at the stove. She went quiet for a second—that good kind of quiet—then asked if I'd used some fancy technique when really I'd just combined things that belonged together and let the oven do most of the work.
Ingredients
- Large bell peppers (4 total, any color): Pick ones with flat bottoms so they sit steady in the baking dish without tipping, and don't stress if they're slightly different sizes since they'll cook at nearly the same rate.
- Elbow macaroni (3/4 cup): Cook it just shy of al dente because it'll soften more as everything bakes together, and that texture difference between the pasta and pepper matters.
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon): Good oil makes the onions golden instead of pale, so don't skip this or substitute butter here.
- Yellow onion and garlic (1 small onion, 2 cloves): These build the base flavor, and mincing them fine means they'll distribute evenly and disappear into the chili rather than staying chunky.
- Lean ground beef or turkey (1/2 pound): Ground turkey makes this lighter if you prefer, but ground beef has better flavor and won't dry out during baking.
- Black beans (1 can, drained): Rinsing them removes the starchy liquid and lets them taste like themselves instead of the can.
- Diced tomatoes with juices (1 can): Don't drain these since the liquid becomes part of the sauce and keeps everything moist as it bakes.
- Tomato paste (1 tablespoon): This concentrate adds depth without making the filling runny, which is why it matters here instead of using more canned tomatoes.
- Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika (1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon): These spices wake everything up with warmth and a gentle smokiness that makes people ask what your secret is.
- Sharp cheddar cheese, divided (1 cup total): Sharp cheddar melts beautifully and has enough flavor that you're not tasting just salt and cream, and splitting it between the filling and top keeps the cheese presence consistent throughout.
- Fresh cilantro and green onions (optional): These finish the dish with brightness and texture, especially nice if you want something to cut through the richness.
Instructions
- Set up your workspace:
- Preheat to 375°F and grease a baking dish that'll hold four peppers upright without crowding them. This temperature is hot enough to soften peppers without blasting the cheese into brown bits.
- Get the pasta going:
- Boil salted water and cook the macaroni one to two minutes under package time so it stays firm enough to not turn mushy after baking. Drain and set aside while you build the chili.
- Start your flavor base:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet and let the diced onion cook until the pieces turn translucent and soften, about three minutes—this is when the kitchen starts smelling like something good is happening. Add the garlic, stir for half a minute until the smell intensifies, then move forward.
- Brown the meat:
- Add ground beef or turkey to the skillet and break it up with a spoon as it cooks, letting it brown completely in five to six minutes without stirring constantly. If you see a pool of fat, pour some off since you want flavor without grease.
- Build the chili:
- Dump in the drained black beans, canned tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, and all the spices—chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir everything to combine, then let it simmer for five minutes so the flavors start getting to know each other.
- Combine everything:
- Remove from heat and stir in the cooked macaroni and half the cheddar cheese, folding gently so the pasta gets coated but doesn't break. This mixture should smell savory and warm, with distinct chili notes.
- Fill your peppers:
- Stand each pepper upright in the prepared baking dish and spoon the chili mac mixture into each one, pressing gently so everything settles into the cavity. Don't overstuff—if there's extra filling, you can serve it alongside or save it for tomorrow.
- Top with cheese:
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar evenly over the four peppers, making sure each one gets a fair share so the melted cheese is balanced.
- Add moisture and cover:
- Pour 1/4 cup water around the bottom of the baking dish (not over the peppers), then cover tightly with foil. The water steams the peppers from below while the foil traps heat.
- First bake phase:
- Bake covered for 30 minutes until the peppers are mostly tender but still hold their shape. You'll be able to pierce them with a fork but they shouldn't collapse.
- Finish and brown:
- Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes so the cheese turns golden and the peppers finish softening. The exposed cheese will bubble at the edges and brown slightly, which is exactly what you want.
- Rest before serving:
- Let everything sit for five minutes so the peppers firm up enough to plate without falling apart. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions if you have them, which adds brightness to each bite.
Save There's a moment when you pull these out of the oven and the cheese is bubbling and the kitchen is steaming and you realize you've just made something that tastes fancy but required almost no fancy technique. That's the moment these peppers stopped being a recipe I follow and became something I make because it works.
Why These Proportions Work
The three-quarter cup of pasta might seem small at first, but paired with beans and meat and sauce, it fills each pepper perfectly without creating a starchy mound. If you scaled everything up or added more pasta, the filling would squeeze out the sides as it bakes—I've watched it happen to friends who thought more was better. The cheese, split between the filling and the top, means you taste it throughout instead of just on the surface.
Making This Vegetarian
You won't miss the meat if you add extra beans—use a full can of black beans plus half a can of kidney beans, or go all black beans and stir in some plant-based crumbles for texture. The chili powder and cumin are still doing their job, and the tomatoes carry enough body that the filling feels substantial. A friend of mine who doesn't eat meat said my version tasted just as hearty, and I believed her because the spices and beans were doing the actual flavor work.
What Comes Next (Serving and Variations)
These peppers are happy with almost nothing—a simple green salad cuts through the richness, or a piece of garlic bread soaks up the sauce at the bottom of the plate. You could also serve the extra filling on the side for people who want more, or crumble cornbread over the top if you want something crunchy against the soft pepper and cheese.
- Spice lovers should add diced jalapeños to the chili mixture or drizzle hot sauce over the finished peppers while they're still warm.
- Substitute kidney beans or pinto beans if black beans don't appeal to you, since they all have similar texture and soak up spices the same way.
- Leftovers reheat gently in a 300°F oven covered with foil, and the filling is good enough to eat cold straight from the fridge if you're rushing the next day.
Save This dish proves that the best meals don't need a long ingredient list or complicated steps—sometimes they just need things that belong together and time in the oven to become something warm and satisfying. Once you make it once, it becomes the thing you reach for when you want dinner to feel intentional without the stress.
Recipe FAQs
- → Can I make these stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes, assemble the peppers up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Add the water and bake when ready, extending the cooking time by 5-10 minutes if baking cold from the refrigerator.
- → What color peppers work best?
Any color works well. Red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter when roasted, while green peppers have a slightly bitter, more savory profile that contrasts nicely with the rich chili mac filling.
- → How do I know when the peppers are done?
The peppers are ready when they're tender when pierced with a knife and the cheese is golden and bubbly. This typically takes 40 minutes total—30 covered and 10 uncovered.
- → Can I freeze these stuffed peppers?
Yes, freeze assembled peppers before baking. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add water and bake as directed, adding extra time if needed.
- → What can I serve with stuffed peppers?
A simple green salad with vinaigrette balances the hearty filling. Garlic bread, cornbread, or roasted vegetables also make excellent sides. For a lighter meal, serve alone as they're quite filling.
- → Can I use different pasta shapes?
Elbow macaroni works best because it's small enough to fit inside the peppers. You could substitute small shells, ditalini, or broken spaghetti pieces, but avoid larger shapes that might make filling difficult.