Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers

Looking for a quick and simple, yet delicious meal the whole family will love? These super tasty Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers are filled with a tasty ground turkey mixture then topped with cheese before cooking to cheesy perfection in the air fryer. This easy air fryer recipe is ready in under 40 minutes.

This year I grew a bumper crop of long sweet peppers! I can’t wait to use them in a tasty Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry and roast them to make a tasty sauce for our Thanksgiving Cabbage Rolls. However, when I have leftover rice and some ground meat, the best way to serve them is stuffed. The cheesier, the better!

Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers

Stuffing vegetables is a worldwide cooking phenomenon. Did you know that there are meat stuffed potatoes in Israel and stuffed eggplant in China? Spanish tapas, or pintxos often include tuna or cheese stuffed vegetables while the Italians stuff artichokes.

Mexican chiles rellenos are roasted poblano peppers filled with meat before being dipped in a light batter and deep fried. This stuffed peppers recipe is the Tex-Mex version which contains Mexican flavours but is not authentically Mexican.

Here’s why you’re going to love this easy family dinner recipe. Homemade Taco Seasoning in the rice, tomato, and ground turkey stuffing mixture adds incredible flavour, while the cheese makes these stuffed peppers practically irresistible.

Additionally, this is one of those air fryer recipes that cuts the cooking time, making it perfect for any night of the week but especially helpful on busy nights. You can make the filling and pre-cook the peppers ahead of time, then finish the recipe just before dinner. Honestly, this recipe is as simple as making air fryer bacon!

Don’t have an air fryer? You can still make this recipe in a regular oven. Just roast the peppers for 20 minutes at 400 F. Then stuff them, top them with cheese and bake for another ten minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and gooey.

Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

The beauty of this gluten free main dish recipe lies in its flexibility. Don’t have long sweet peppers? Make stuffed bell peppers! Don’t have an air fryer? Use an oven! Want more spice? Use long hot peppers!

Want to make this recipe vegetarian? Use crumbled tofu or black beans in place of ground meat! Not a fan of Tex-Mex flavours? Replace the taco seasoning and cilantro with Italian seasoning and basil or parsley. Need a low carb version? Go all meat! 

When seasoning the stuffing mixture, feel free to release your creativity and make it your own. The only nonnegotiable is the top layer of gooey melted cheese!

• Long Sweet Peppers
• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Cilantro
• Ground Turkey
• Rice
• Diced Tomatoes
• Taco Seasoning
• Cheese

Try a colourful mix of long sweet peppers or feel free to use regular coloured or green bell peppers. Slice the bell peppers in half and remove the seeds before roasting. Want to spice this dish up? Use hot Hungarian peppers or add some cayenne powder to the filling mixture.

I like to use ground turkey thigh in this recipe, however lean ground beef, ground pork, or even ground Italian sausage will also work. You can even use ground chicken or tofu in this flexible recipe.

If you have leftover rice, feel free to use it in this recipe. You will need approximately 3 cups cooked rice or 1 cup of uncooked rice for the filling. Feel free to substitute brown rice, if desired.

For reduced sodium diets, choose sodium free diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and omit/reduce the salt measurement. Use my homemade Taco Seasoning recipe which doesn’t contain added salt. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Classic Mexican or Tex-Mex cheese blends usually includes Monterey Jack, Colby Jack Cheese, Monterey Jack with Jalapeno Peppers and Cheddar Cheeses. It is worth it to buy each cheese and shred it at home because bagged pre-shredded cheese doesn’t seem to melt the same as freshly shredded cheese.

How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers

Making stuffed peppers in the air fryer is as easy as roast, stuff, and melt! You’ll still use a stove to make the filling mixture, but an air fryer makes it easier and quicker to complete this meal.

NOTE: If you need to cook the rice, start it first using your preferred method so that it’s ready to add to the filling later.

Prepare the Peppers

Start by preheating air fryer to 400ºF. To prepare the peppers for stuffing, cut a lengthways slit down one side of each pepper. Gently scoop out the seeds.

Next, place the peppers in the air fryer basket. Cook peppers for 5 minutes at 400ºF. Use tongs to carefully remove the peppers from the air fryer basket then place them onto a large plate. Set aside.

Prepare the Filling

To make the filling, drizzle the olive oil around the pan. Add diced onions, and minced garlic and cook in the skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until onions become translucent. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons taco seasoning and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Next, add the ground turkey to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes or until turkey is cooked through then stir in diced tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Simmer turkey mixture for 10 minutes or until liquid has cooked off.

Add cooked rice, chopped cilantro and 1 cup shredded cheese to meat mixture and mix well.

Fill and Cook the Stuffed Peppers

Immediately spoon meat mixture into peppers and top them with remaining cheese. Place back in the air fryer and cook stuffed peppers at 400ºF for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers

Honestly, sometimes we eat these Stuffed Peppers on their own (we eat two per person in this case) when we’re in a hurry. However, they also go with a large variety of side dishes including but not limited to:

• Simple Chopped Salad
• A scoop of Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Pumpkin Cream Sauce with Penne
• Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
• Maple Balsamic Roasted Carrots
• Maple Gochujang Brussels Sprouts

Store leftover stuffed peppers for 2-3 days in the fridge and reheat well in (you guessed it) the air fryer.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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