Easy Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers | Ready in 25 Minutes

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There are days when I crave elaborate, involved recipes. But then there are busy weeknights when I just need something quick and easy, that taste like a million dollars. Enter this Air Fryer Stuffed Pepper recipe we can sit down to, in less than 30 minutes.

Cooking stuffed bell peppers in the Air Fryer makes them a little extra crispy on the outside, which adds mush flavor. Like my juicy Air Fryer Burgers and Air Fryer Taco Lasagna, this recipe is easy to double, so you can feed your family a meal they will love in less time than it takes to order for takeout. Perfect for Taco Tuesdays, Mexican feasts, and Cinco de Mayo.

Why Make This Recipe

You know when a recipe quietly becomes part of your regular rotation? Yeap, that’s what happened here friend.

• Simple: Just a handful of ingredients are all that’s needed.
• Fast: These cook super fast, in about 15 minutes after being stuffed.
• Perfect: The peppers are tender and the filling is juicy, every single time.
• Great for meal prep: I make extra and eat all week. Leftovers reheat and freeze well.
• Customizable: You can change up the filling according to your taste or pantry.
• Dietary: These are suitable for gluten free diets.

Ingredient Notes and Variations

This is fairly easy to pull together. But I have some notes and variation tips for you.

• Bell Peppers: I prefer the sweeter red, orange or yellow peppers, but if you prefer a more savory, slightly bitter taste then use green peppers. Start with whole pepper and de-seed and hollow them out. I find larger peppers are easier to fill.
• Ground beef: I prefer lean ground beef but regular ground beef or Italian sausage works too. To go lighter, use ground turkey, but add a little extra seasoning.
• Cauliflower rice: I prefer to use cauliflower rice to keep this a little lighter but you can use cooked quinoa or regular cooked rice instead.
• Veggies: I use quick cook veggies like red onion, chopped tomatoes, and chopped kale for flavor. You can swap with other quick cook veggies like white onion, chopped snow peas, mushrooms or add in cooked beans and corn kernels.
• Seasoning: I keep this simple with taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Other seasonings I use include Italian seasoning, dried thyme, chipotle, and hot sauce.
• Cheese: Hot tip, freshly shredded cheese is better than pre-bought for easier melting. Use mozzarella, cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese, or pepper jack.

How To Cook Stuffed Peppers In Air Fryer

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 360F or 180C and lightly spray the basket. 
2. Sauté onion in a skillet for a few minutes then add the beef and brown it stirring occasionally, drain any grease and then add in seasoning.
3. Add diced tomatoes, cauliflower rice and kale and stir fry for 4-6 minutes until veggies are soft. Drain any excess moisture from the mixture.
4. Stuff the peppers with the ground beef mixture and place peppers in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10-12 minutes or till they are softened to your taste.
5. Top with shredded cheese and cook for a couple of minutes until you have melted cheese. Serve warm with garnish of your choice.

Cooking time can vary depending on the air fryer make and model. Use the cooking times listed here as a guide, check food for doneness, and adjust time as needed. 

Bintu’s Recipe Tips

Although this is quick to make, I have a few tips that make a big difference.

• Choose peppers with a flattish bottom so that they stand up during air frying. If your peppers don’t stand, you can make tin foil nests for them or slice a bit at the bottom to even them out without making a hole in them.
• Choose similar sized peppers so they cook at the same rate.
• Don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer so that air circulates and the food cooks evenly. Make sure to leave space between each pepper.
• Depending on the size of the peppers, you may have some filling left over for which you can just stuff another pepper.
• I sometimes add in some tomato sauce for an extra flavor boost. Yum.

Storage

Leftover stuffed peppers are great for meal prep.

• Store: Store cooled peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 
• Freeze: you can freeze stuffed peppers, first by individually wrapping in plastic wrap, then in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
• Reheat: reheat in a preheated air fryer for about 3-4 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

This is great as is or with a simple green salad. My fav way is to also serve it with other veggies like Air Fryer Green Beans or Air Fryer Radishes and Air Fryer Asparagus as well as Air Fryer Baby Potatoes or even Air Fryer Potato Wedges. Bread rolls and easy Frozen Garlic Bread work too.

For More Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
• Air Fryer Fish Tacos.
• Air Fryer Hamburgers.
• Air Fryer Pork Chops.
• Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
• Juicy AIr Fryer Frozen Hamburger.
• Air Fryer Cauliflower.
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts.
• Air Fryer Loaded Greek Fries.
• Easy Air Fryer Taco Lasagna.

FAQs

Do You Need To Cook The Peppers Before Stuffing Them?

No you don’t and that is the best part. The peppers will soften as they cook in the air fryer.

What Is The Best Way To Cut The Peppers?

I prefer to cut them at the top so you get a deep well to stuff them. However, you can cut them length-wise down the middle as they then can be easier to lay flat in the Air Fryer.

How do I keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy?

Just make sure your filling isn’t too wet before you stuffing the peppers. Drain any excess liquid off. Also do not overcook the peppers in the Air Fryer.

Thank you for reading my stuffed peppers air fryer recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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