Make a dinner your whole family will love with these easy Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Peppers! Crisp bell peppers are filled with seasoned taco meat, air-fried until tender, and topped off with a layer of melty cheese. Perfect for busy weeknights!
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These air fryer stuffed peppers are an easy recipe perfect for Taco Tuesday! If you have extra taco filling, use it to make these Cheesy Taco Pockets in the air fryer and top them off with Chipotle Corn Salsa!
Want more stuffed pepper recipes? Try Smoked Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Bell Peppers with Rice and Cheese.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This super easy recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- This family favorite is perfect for a weeknight meal.
- The stuffed peppers reheat well, making them great for meal prep.
- They are hearty, full of delicous taco flavor, and are quite filling.
- The peppers hold their shape well without having to be pre-cooked.
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following simple ingredients to make these taco-stuffed peppers:
Ingredient Notes:
- Bell peppers. Choose firm peppers with smooth skin. Yellow and orange peppers tend to be a bit sweeter than red bell peppers, while green bell peppers are more bitter.
- Ground beef. I used extra lean ground beef so the meat wouldn't be as greasy. Drain the fat well before adding seasoning if you use regular or lean ground beef.
- Salsa adds a bright, fresh flavor. I used a jar of my Homemade Salsa For Canning made with my own tomatoes, but feel free to use store-bought. Choose between mild, medium, or hot salsa depending on your heat preference.
- Shredded cheese finishes off these Mexican-stuffed peppers perfectly. I used white cheddar cheese, but feel free to use mozzarella cheese, Pepper Jack cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend.
- Taco seasoning. Use your favorite brand for convenience, or make a homemade blend like I did using chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Cilantro. This is optional, but it adds a pop of color and extra flavor.
See the printable recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use mini peppers for appetizer-sized servings.
- Use ground venison, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Make Chunky Salsa with Fresh Tomatoes for a fresher salsa.
- Use Smoked Queso Dip instead of salsa.
- Add diced jalapeno peppers, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to make the filling spicier.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic to the meat mixture.
How To Make Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Peppers
Step 1: Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat.
Step 2: Add salsa and taco seasoning to the meat. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Spoon the meat mixture into pepper halves, packing it tightly with the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Place peppers in the air fryer basket. Air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 360 degrees F until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork.
Step 5: Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each pepper and air fry for an additional minute until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 6: Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream and your favorite taco toppings.
Expert Tips
- Drain the grease from the cooked meat well before adding salsa.
- Adjust the spices if making homemade taco seasoning. For a milder flavor, reduce the chili powder; for more heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Place peppers in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook in batches if you need to.
- Air fryer temperature and cooking time can vary by model. Start checking your peppers a few minutes before the recipe's suggested time to prevent overcooking.
- Add black beans, canned corn, or leftover rice to make the meat mixture go farther.
Common Questions
Serve stuffed peppers with Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, cauliflower rice, Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower, Miracle Whip Coleslaw, Smoked Corn on the Cob, Low Carb Tomato Soup, and a side of Authentic Pico de Gallo.
I prefer to freeze stuffed peppers after they are cooked as they can be quickly reheated for a quick meal.
Reheat the stuffed peppers in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes on the 'Reheat' setting.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the air-fried peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer
Freeze the peppers individually first by flash-freezing them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag or container and freeze for 2-3 months.
Craving More Delicious Recipes?
... check out these:
- Walking Taco Casserole With Doritos
- Air Fryer Sausage and Peppers
- Air Fryer Chicken Skewers
- Crispy Air Fryer Gnocchi
- Crispy Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura
- Air Fryer Chicken Quarters
- Air Fryer Spare Ribs
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Recipe
Air Fryer Taco Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 large bell peppers cut in half, seeds and membranes removed
- 1 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- fresh cilantro for garnish optional
- sour cream and avocado slices for serving optional
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning below
Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat. Add salsa, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Spoon the taco mixture into each bell pepper half, packing it tightly. Spray the air fryer tray with avocado spray, and place the stuffed peppers in the air fryer basket.
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
- Air fry the peppers for 10-12 minutes, until the peppers are fork tender.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of each pepper and air fry for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream and avocado slices or your favorite taco toppings.
Recipe Notes:
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the peppers in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Store leftover stuffed peppers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Add cooked rice, black beans, or corn to make them even more filling.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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