There’s something ridiculously satisfying about carving little faces into bell peppers and watching them bake into tender, grinning jack-o’-lanterns filled with savory beef. I started making these years ago when my kids were small, and honestly, I still get excited about it every October. The whole wheat bread soaked in that chili-mustard mixture creates this almost meatloaf-like texture inside each pepper, while the roasted orange shells turn sweet and slightly charred around those carved features. It’s one of those recipes that makes Halloween dinner feel special without requiring any culinary acrobatics.
Beyond their adorable Halloween appeal, bell peppers are nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. Orange bell peppers deliver that gorgeous pumpkin color while providing vitamins A and C, making this a dinner that’s as nourishing as it is festive.
Key Takeaways
- Stuffed jack-o’-lantern bell peppers are a fun Halloween tradition that kids love, but they’re great for any day.
- The recipe requires ingredients like orange bell peppers, ground beef, and whole wheat bread for texture.
- Follow clear steps: prepare the filling, carve faces, stuff, and bake for 60 minutes at 350°F.
- You can customize with variations like vegetarian options or adding cheese, rice, or spices for extra flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for 3 months; they taste even better the next day.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Table of contents
Stuffed Jack-O'-Lantern Bell Peppers
Fun Halloween dinner featuring orange bell peppers carved into jack-o'-lantern faces and stuffed with seasoned ground beef, whole wheat bread, and a tangy chili-mustard mixture.
Ingredients
- 6 orange bell peppers
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- 4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 11x17-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, cubed bread, onion, tomato, garlic, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined.
- Wash bell peppers and pat dry. Using a sharp paring knife, carve jack-o'-lantern faces on the front of each pepper - triangle eyes, small nose, and jagged smile.
- Slice off the tops of the peppers and remove seeds and membranes.
- Fill each carved pepper with the beef mixture, packing it firmly. Place peppers upright in the prepared baking dish, leaning them together for support if needed.
- Bake for 60 minutes, until peppers are tender and filling is cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F).
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Swap ground beef for ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter version.
- Make the filling up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; stuff and bake when ready.
- For extra stability, slice a thin piece off the bottom of each pepper to create a flat base.
- Leftover stuffed peppers reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 772mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 18gProtein: 27g
Nutrition info is meant as a rough guide. Brand choices, portion size, and swaps can shift the numbers, so double-check if exact values matter to you. See our full disclaimer at victoriarecipes.com/disclaimer for more details.
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to bring these spooky peppers to life:
- 6 orange bell peppers (the brighter, the better for that pumpkin look)
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15 works beautifully here)
- 1 egg
- 4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed (this is the secret to that moist, tender filling)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 11×17-inch baking dish
- Sharp paring knife (for carving those faces)
Detailed Cooking Instructions
Time needed: 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Carve orange bell peppers into jack-o’-lantern faces, fill with seasoned beef mixture, and bake until tender.
- Prepare oven and dish
First, preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 11×17-inch baking dish. The aroma as everything heats up sets the stage nicely.
- Mix the filling
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, cubed bread, chopped onion, diced tomato, minced garlic, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Get your hands in there for the best mixing – you want everything evenly distributed, but don’t overwork it or the filling will get tough.
- Carve the peppers
Wash those vibrant orange peppers and pat them dry. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully carve jack-o’-lantern faces on the front of each pepper – think triangle eyes, a small triangular nose, and a jagged, toothy smile. Take your time here; this is where the fun happens.
- Prepare peppers for stuffing
Slice off the tops of each pepper and use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds and white membranes. If your peppers won’t stand upright easily, slice a very thin piece off the bottom to create a flat base (just don’t cut through to the inside).
- Stuff and arrange
Pack each carved pepper with the beef mixture, filling them generously all the way to the top. Place them upright in your prepared baking dish. They can lean against each other for support – actually, I find they bake more evenly when they’re snuggled together.
- Bake until tender
Pop the dish in the oven and bake for about 60 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the peppers are tender (a knife slides in easily) and the filling reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. The juices will bubble around the edges and smell incredible.
- Cool and serve
Let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving – they hold heat intensely and you want to avoid burning anyone’s mouth. Serve each pepper on its own plate so those carved faces really shine.
Tips & Tricks
- Make ahead: Mix the filling up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Carve and stuff the peppers the day of baking for the freshest result.
- Stabilize wobbly peppers: If your peppers tip over in the dish, nestle crumpled foil around their bases or slice a thin piece off the bottom to create a flat surface.
- Ground turkey swap: Use 93% lean ground turkey instead of beef to cut calories and fat. Add an extra tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to boost the savory flavor.
- Reheat leftovers properly: Cover stuffed peppers with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Microwaving works too, but the peppers get slightly mushier.
- Get creative with faces: Simple triangle features work best since intricate carvings can blur as the peppers cook and soften. Save the fancy designs for actual pumpkins.
- Planning a Halloween feast? These stuffed peppers pair wonderfully with Halloween Cheeseburger Hand Pies for a double main dish spread, or serve alongside Creamy Potato Leek Soup for a cozy fall dinner. Start with Mexican Cheese Dip while the peppers bake.
- Check for doneness: The USDA recommends cooking ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F to destroy harmful bacteria. Insert a food thermometer into the center of the filling through the top of a pepper to make sure it’s fully cooked.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No need to boil these peppers first. Since they bake for a full hour, they become perfectly tender without pre-cooking. Boiling can actually make them too soft and prone to collapsing when you carve the faces.
The biggest mistake is overpacking the filling, which prevents even cooking. Also, skipping the step of removing all the seeds and membranes leaves a bitter taste. Finally, carving faces that are too intricate or delicate will blur as the peppers soften during baking.
This recipe uses ground beef, cubed whole wheat bread, egg, onion, tomato, garlic, and a tangy mixture of chili sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. The bread soaks up all those flavors and creates a moist, almost meatloaf-like texture inside each pepper.
Make sure to thoroughly drain any excess liquid from the diced tomatoes before mixing the filling. Also, avoid covering the peppers while baking – the open oven air helps moisture evaporate and keeps everything from getting waterlogged.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Add rice for texture: Mix 1 cup cooked white or brown rice into the filling for a heartier, more traditional stuffed pepper. This also stretches the recipe to feed more people.
- Vegan version: Swap the ground beef for plant-based crumbles and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water). The tangy sauce still delivers tons of flavor.
- Spicy kick: Add 1 diced jalapeño to the filling or mix in 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the seasonings for a Halloween dinner with some heat.
- Cheesy topping: During the last 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle shredded cheddar or mozzarella on top of each pepper. It melts beautifully and adds richness.
- Italian twist: Replace the chili sauce with marinara, use Italian seasoning instead of Worcestershire, and add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the filling for an Italian-style stuffed pepper.
Dietary Notes
| Diet | Friendly? | Adjustments |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-Free | No | Use gluten-free bread cubes instead of whole wheat bread |
| Dairy-Free | Yes | Already dairy-free as written |
| Vegan | No | Swap beef for plant-based crumbles and use a flax egg |
| Keto | No | Omit the bread cubes entirely and add 1/2 cup riced cauliflower |
| Nut-Free | Yes | Already nut-free as written |
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Fridge: Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They actually taste even better the next day after the flavors have melded.
- Freezer: Wrap each cooked pepper individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. The carved faces may soften slightly upon thawing, but the flavor stays solid.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture and even reheating.
- Reheat: Cover peppers with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Alternatively, microwave individual peppers for 90 seconds to 2 minutes.
- Make-ahead tip: Prepare and stuff the peppers up to 1 day in advance, then refrigerate unbaked. Add 10 extra minutes to the baking time if cooking straight from the fridge.
Save This Recipe for Later
Love these jack-o’-lantern peppers? Save this recipe to your Pinterest board or share it with friends who need a fun Halloween dinner idea that actually tastes amazing.
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