Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers

Name: Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds (680g) ground beef; 1 ½ cups (160g) cauliflower rice; ½ small red onion (finely diced); 1 cup (149g) baby tomatoes (halved); 1 ½ cups (195g) chopped kale; salt and pepper (to taste); 1 tablespoon taco seasoning; 4 bell peppers (deseeded and hollowed out); ½ cup (169g) shredded cheese; chopped parsley or chives (for garnish)

Jump to Recipe

Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers is a flavorful and satisfying meal that’s ready to serve in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners and a great meal prep solution too!

Suitable for gluten free diets.

three cooked air fryer stuffed peppers on a white serving platter

Making Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers is so incredibly easy, it’s almost unbelievable. You can sit down to eat this easy recipe in less than 30 minutes.

You only need a few ingredients to make a delicious family favorite main dish that’s bursting with flavor. Taco seasoning, lean ground beef, and cheese together in a tasty and quick delicious recipe that’s ideally suited for dinner tonight for the whole family.

Great for Taco Tuesdays, Mexican feasts, Cinco de Mayo and more.

Table of Contents

Perfectly Cooked Stuffed Peppers

Cooking Stuffed Bell Peppers in the Air Fryer makes them a little extra crispy on the outside, which adds sooooo much to them.

Like this Air Fryer delicious Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken, best juicy Air Fryer Burgers, and this Air Fryer Taco Lasagna, this simple recipe is easy to double, so you can feed your whole family a meal they will love in less time than it takes to order for takeout. #airfryerforthewin

top down view of the cooked air fryer stuffed peppers served on a white plate

Why Make This Recipe

Simple – Just a handful of ingredients are all that’s needed.
Fast – This meal is ready to serve in less than 30 minutes.
Dietary – Suitable for gluten free diets.

Ready to make air fryer stuffed peppers, then grab all your ingredients and let’s get cooking.

Ingredient Notes

Bell Peppers – use which ever color bell pepper you prefer. Start with whole pepper and make sure they are deseeded and hollowed out.
Ground beef – a great source of protein, use lean ground beef to cut the calories.
Cauliflower rice – or swap for regular cooked rice instead.
Veggies – red onion, chopped tomatoes, and chopped kale add color, taste and flavor.
Seasoning – this recipe calls for taco seasoning, salt and pepper.
Cheese – this recipe calls for shredded cheese. Freshly shredded is better than pre-bought for easier melting. you can use mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, colby jack cheese, or pepper jack.
Garnish – dried parsley, green onions or chives for garnish

How To Cook Stuffed Peppers In Air Fryer

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

Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F or 180 degrees C.
Brown beef in a skillet stirring occasionally, drain any grease and then add in seasoning.
Add red onion, diced tomatoes, and kale and stir fry for 4-6 minutes until veggies are soft.
Stuff the peppers with the ground beef mixture.
Place peppers in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes.
Top with shredded cheese and cook for a couple of minutes until you have melted cheese.
Serve warm, garnished with dried or chopped parsley or chives.

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.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer stuffed peppers

Recipe Tips

Choose peppers with a flattish bottom so that they stand up during air frying. If you find your peppers are not standing nice, you can make tin foil nests for them.
Choose similar sized peppers so they air fry at the same rate.
Don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer so that air circulates and the food crisps up and 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.

Delicious Variations

Swap the seasoning – use Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, or any of your favorite seasoning blends.
Add heat – red pepper flakes, chipotle, cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce for a nice kick.
Vary the carbs – swap cauliflower rice for cooked brown rice or white rice. You can also add protein by using cooked quinoa. This recipe is great for using up leftover rice.
Add tomato sauce – feel free to add in a little tomato sauce or tomato paste.
Vary the meat – swap the beef for Italian sausage, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey.
Add more veggies and pulses – include black beans, corn, celery, mushrooms, etc.

the cooked stuffed peppers in air fryer basket

FAQs

What Color Peppers To Use?

Use whichever you like. Green, orange, red and yellow. I prefer the red ones as these are the sweetest. Green bell peppers have a mildly bitter taste.

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.

the completed stuffed peppers air fryer recipe

Storage

Leftover stuffed peppers are great for meal prep.

Store – store cooled peppers in an airtight container in the fridge overnight or 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.

For More Air Fryer Recipes

Serving Suggestions

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