Slow Cooker Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe
These Slow Cooker Taco Stuffed Peppers are a flavorful and easy-to-make meal combining savory ground beef seasoned with taco spices, hearty rice, and melted cheddar cheese, all cooked to perfection in vibrant bell peppers. Perfect for a comforting dinner with minimal prep and hands-off cooking time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Ingredients
Scale
Slow Cooker Base
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
Stuffing
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 4–5 bell peppers (any colors; 4 large or 5 medium)
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1.25 oz. taco seasoning mix (1 packet)
- 15 saltine crackers (crushed)
- 1/2 cup minute rice (uncooked)
Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the slow cooker base: Pour 1 1/2 cups of salsa into the bottom of the slow cooker to create a flavorful base for the stuffed peppers to cook on.
- Prep the peppers and stuffing mix: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Chop the tops you removed and add them to a mixing bowl. In this bowl, add the ground beef, chopped pepper tops, diced onion, egg, sour cream, 1/4 cup salsa, taco seasoning, crushed saltine crackers, and uncooked minute rice. Mix all ingredients with clean hands just until combined to avoid tough meat.
- Stuff the peppers: Fill each hollowed pepper with the meat mixture, packing it firmly but not overly compacted.
- Arrange peppers in slow cooker: Place the stuffed peppers upright over the salsa in the slow cooker, ensuring they are stable and surrounded by the sauce.
- Cook the peppers: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW heat for 5 hours. Do not open the lid during cooking to maintain temperature and moisture.
- Add cheese topping: After 5 hours, sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top of each cooked pepper. Replace the lid and let it melt for a few minutes.
- Serve and enjoy: Once the cheese is melted, serve the stuffed peppers warm directly from the slow cooker.
Notes
- Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep the texture tender.
- Use any color bell peppers for a vibrant presentation.
- Minute rice does not need pre-cooking as it will cook in the slow cooker.
- Keep the slow cooker covered during cooking to retain moisture and ensure even cooking.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated the next day.
Keywords: slow cooker stuffed peppers, taco stuffed peppers, ground beef stuffed peppers, easy slow cooker recipes, Mexican stuffed peppers
