Instead of processed taco shells, use traditional vegetables like bell peppers, just as humans would have eaten during the Paleolithic Era. These stuffed pepper recipes will be high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and still packed full of flavor.
Continue making your taco filling with lean meats and vegetables, just refrain from using the taco shell.
In this guide, we will look at how to make simple paleo Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers.
To ensure that your bell peppers do not suffer from sogginess, pre-cook them to leach out the excess water they contain. This should help keep the filling in place and still prevent the meat from drying out too much.
Simply slice the bell peppers in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and ribs, then place them on a baking sheet in a hot oven at 400°F for around 20 minutes. There may still be some water left on the surface of the bell peppers so use a paper towel to blot it up.
Use the time that the bell peppers are pre-cooking to prepare your taco meat filling. Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and brown your lean meat (ground chicken and turkey work well too).
Add the chopped white onion with the minced garlic and chili powder and make sure that you mix it up well and then add the seasonings of paprika, ground cumin, oregano, and salt.
Finally, stir in a can of chopped or crushed tomatoes then cook to a simmer until the sauce is wonderfully thick.
Quickly create a salsa from more crushed tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic, chopped cilantro leaves, chopped jalapeño pepper, and salt. Mix it all up and spread it over the bottom of a baking dish then place the pre-cooked peppers on top.
Fill each pepper half with the taco meat filling and you can sprinkle on some cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sides of the bell peppers are starting to show signs of charring.
This recipe may taste a little more moreish and that’s only from the addition of a couple of ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and then brown the ground beef while you sprinkle over a packet of taco seasoning.
Add the cilantro and chopped onion to sauté for another five minutes with the beef. As the meat browns, half and de-seed the bell peppers though set one aside to be finely diced for part of the filling.
That filling is simply a can of tomato paste, a can of chopped or crushed tomatoes, the diced bell peppers, and sliced black olives.
You can pre-cook the bell pepper halves but ensure that you grease your baking dish and place them side up. Fill the bell pepper halves with the meat filling and bake for around half an hour.
Feel free to add a topping of guacamole if you want, which is simply mashed up avocados with a teaspoon of garlic powder, though you can throw in a diced chili pepper and place on top of the bell peppers with some fresh salsa too.
With the addition of a few diced green chili peppers from a can, this recipe should be spicy enough so you may want to look into some cooling toppings. These can include a dairy-free and paleo-friendly dollop of sour cream or some avocado slices.
The rest of the recipe is rather straightforward; brown your ground beef and sauté diced onion and minced garlic with a packet of taco seasoning. Add a pinch of sea salt and ensure that you break up any lumps in the beef so it cooks consistently.
Add the cans of crushed tomatoes and diced green chili peppers then bring it all to a simmer. You may want to leave it to cook to thicken up the sauce or add a bit of seasoning with more sea salt and some ground black pepper.
Spoon the taco meat filling into the pre-cooked bell pepper halves and you can sprinkle on some vegan cheddar cheese shreds.
If you prefer the bell peppers to be a bit crunchy then remove them from the oven sooner as they will soften up the longer they remain in the oven.
Final Thoughts
You should not feel left out when it comes to Taco Tuesday as there are several paleo-friendly recipes to try from. They still come with some delicious and spicy fillings including ground meat, turkey, or chicken.
The only difference is what you choose to encase your filling in which is simply bell peppers rather than processed taco shells. You can still select a few paleo-friendly toppings too like a salsa or a few avocado slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Precook Bell Peppers Before Stuffing Them?
The question of if you should precook your bell peppers before stuffing them simply comes down to your preference.
To remove some excess moisture, remove the seeds and ribs and bake your bell pepper halves in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil then blot that excess moisture with some paper towels.
You can overcook your bell peppers and they turn out to be too soft as the heat from the oven breaks them down.
Look out for your taco meat filling too as it may be too moist and dampen the surrounding bell peppers too.
Which Herbs And Spices Go Well With Bell Peppers?
If you want to stuff your bell peppers and serve them in the Mexican fashion then go for some spices. These should include cumin, chili pepper, and smoked paprika. In terms of herbs, add some oregano, parsley, thyme, and cilantro.
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