Air-Fried Stuffed Peppers: A Quick, Easy Treat

Yes, you can make stuffed peppers in an air fryer! This method of cooking stuffed peppers is quicker than baking them in the oven and prevents the peppers from getting soggy. You can fill your peppers with ground beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage, and a variety of vegetables, grains, and sauces.

Choosing the right peppers

Size and Shape:

Look for peppers that are roughly the same size and have a flat, even bottom so they stand upright in the air fryer. This ensures even cooking and prevents them from tipping over. If you struggle to find peppers with flat bottoms, you can trim the bottoms slightly to create a flatter surface.

Colour:

Any colour of bell pepper will work for this recipe – green, red, yellow, or orange. Red peppers are the sweetest, followed by yellow and orange, while green peppers have a mildly bitter flavour that sweetens during cooking. Choose your colour based on your preferred taste.

Freshness:

Always opt for fresh, firm bell peppers with smooth, shiny skin. Avoid older, softer, or wrinkled peppers as they may not hold up well during cooking.

Stability:

To prevent your peppers from wobbling or leaning on each other, you can trim the bottoms slightly to create a flatter surface. If you need to, use small balls of foil to help them stand upright in the air fryer.

Variety:

Feel free to use a variety of peppers to add colour and flavour to your dish. You can mix and match different colours, such as green, red, yellow, or orange, to make your dish more vibrant and interesting.

Pre-cooking:

There is no need to pre-cook the peppers before stuffing and air-frying them. The raw peppers will cook perfectly in the air fryer and develop a nice crunchy texture on the outside while staying juicy on the inside.

Preparing the filling

First, you'll want to brown your meat of choice. Most recipes call for ground beef, but you can also use ground chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage. For a vegetarian option, you can skip this step and double up on the beans. You'll want to cook your meat with aromatics like onion, garlic, and pepper.

Next, add your cooked rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings. For a Mexican twist, try New Mexico chili powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. For Italian-style peppers, Italian seasoning is a good option. Let this mixture simmer until it thickens.

Finally, you can add cheese to your filling mixture, or save it to sprinkle on top of your peppers before serving.

Cooking the filling

Now that you've chosen your peppers, it's time to make the filling! This is a simple process that involves cooking the ingredients in a skillet or saucepan before stuffing the peppers.

Firstly, heat some olive oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add your diced onion and cook until soft and translucent. If you're adding garlic, add it now and cook until fragrant.

Next, add your ground meat of choice (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or sausage) and cook until browned, crumbling the meat as it cooks. You can also add your rice to the pan at this stage if you're using uncooked rice.

Once the meat is cooked, stir in your diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, and seasonings. If using cooked rice, add this now and stir everything together. Let the mixture simmer until it thickens.

Your filling is now ready to be spooned into your peppers!

Filling the peppers

Step 1: Prepare the Peppers

First, you'll want to cut off the tops of the peppers and remove any seeds and membranes from the inside. You can chop the tops from around the stem if you like, as these can be added to the filling for some extra texture and flavour. If your peppers are wobbly and have trouble standing upright, you can slice a thin layer off the bottom to create a flat surface. This will help them stand up straight in the air fryer.

Step 2: Make the Filling

For the filling, you'll need to sauté onions and garlic in a skillet with some olive oil until they become soft and fragrant. You can also add in the chopped pepper tops at this stage if you want. Next, add your choice of ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage) and cook until it is browned. You can then stir in your rice, spices, and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer. Some recipes also include beans, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and other vegetables in the filling for extra nutrition and flavour.

Step 3: Stuff the Peppers

Once your filling is ready, it's time to stuff your peppers! Spoon the filling into each pepper, filling them close to the top. Be careful not to overfill, as you want to leave some room for the cheese.

Step 4: Air Fry

Place the stuffed peppers into your air fryer basket, ensuring they are stable and not tipping over. If you're having trouble getting them to stand upright, you can use small balls of foil to help prop them up. Air fry at around 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes, or until the peppers are as tender as you like them.

Step 5: Add Cheese and Garnish

Once the peppers are cooked to your liking, sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheese and return them to the air fryer for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden. You can use mozzarella, Cheddar, Colby Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend, depending on your preference. Finally, garnish with some chopped parsley or green onions, and your air fryer stuffed peppers are ready to serve!

Cooking the peppers

To cook the peppers, first, cut off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. If you want to add extra pepper flavour to the filling, you can dice the tops of the peppers and add them in later. You can also slice a thin piece off the bottom of the peppers to create a flat surface so they stand up straight. If your peppers are still wobbly, you can trim the bottoms further, but be careful not to puncture the pepper.

Next, you'll need to pre-cook the filling. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until almost tender. You can also add garlic at this stage. Then, add your choice of ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage) and cook until browned. You can also add your choice of spices at this stage, such as Italian seasoning, cumin, paprika, or dried herbs.

Once the meat is cooked, add in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir the mixture and let it simmer. You can also add cheese to the mixture, or sprinkle it on top of the peppers before serving.

Now it's time to stuff the peppers. Spoon the filling into the peppers and place them in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave space between each pepper so the hot air can circulate. If you're having trouble getting the peppers to stand up straight, you can use small balls of foil to support them.

Air fry the peppers for 12-15 minutes at 360°F. If you want to add cheese, sprinkle it on top of the peppers and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

And that's it! Your air fryer stuffed peppers are ready to serve. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions