Air Fryer Magic: Stuffed Peppers Made Easy

Air fryer stuffed peppers are a quick, easy, and delicious meal. They are a great option for a weeknight dinner as they are healthy, filling, and can be made in large batches. The peppers are filled with a range of ingredients, such as ground beef, rice, and cheese, and then cooked in the air fryer, resulting in a tender and juicy dish. This recipe is a fun and efficient way to enjoy a classic comfort food with a variety of possible ingredient combinations.

Choosing the right peppers

• Look for peppers with a flat bottom: Choose peppers that have a relatively flat bottom so they can stand upright in the air fryer. This ensures even cooking and prevents them from tipping over.
• Size and shape: Try to select peppers that are similar in size and shape. This helps ensure even cooking, as smaller peppers may cook faster than larger ones.
• Colour: Any colour pepper will work, including green, red, yellow, or orange. However, keep in mind that green bell peppers have a mildly bitter flavour, while yellow, orange, and red peppers are sweeter, with red being the sweetest. Choose the colour that best suits your taste preference.
• Freshness: Opt for fresh, firm peppers with smooth, wrinkle-free skin. Older, softer, or wrinkled peppers may not hold up well during cooking.
• Number of peppers: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the number of peppers you use. Make sure they fit comfortably in the air fryer basket with a little space between each pepper to allow for proper air circulation.
• Pre-cooking: If you prefer softer peppers, you can pre-cook them before stuffing. Cut off the tops, remove the seeds, and membranes, and place them in the air fryer for a few minutes to soften before stuffing and cooking further.

Preparing the filling

The filling for your air fryer stuffed peppers should be cooked before stuffing the peppers. This is a simple process and can be done while the peppers are air frying for the first time.

First, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Next, add your diced onion and cook until it's soft and translucent. If you want to add diced peppers to your filling, add them now and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add your garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Now it's time to add your ground meat. Most recipes call for ground beef, but you can also use ground chicken, turkey, pork, or Italian sausage. Cook your meat of choice until it's browned, and be sure to crumble it as it cooks.

Once your meat is cooked, add your rice, spices, and tomatoes. If you're using uncooked rice, add water and cover with a lid to simmer for 10-12 minutes, or according to the package instructions. If you're using cooked rice, simply stir it into the mixture and let it simmer.

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

Stuffing the peppers

Now it's time to stuff the peppers!

First, you'll want to cut off the tops of the peppers and remove any seeds and veins from the inside. If you want, you can save the tops and dice them up to add to your filling later. Try to find peppers with a flat bottom so they can stand up in the air fryer, but if you're having trouble getting them to stand, you can use small balls of foil to prop them up.

Next, make your filling. For a simple filling, you can sauté onions and garlic in a skillet until soft and fragrant, then add in your ground beef and cook until browned. After that, stir in your rice, spices, and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer. If you want to get a little more complex, you can also add in diced peppers, beans, and other vegetables to your filling.

Once your filling is ready, use a spoon to scoop it into your peppers, filling them to the top. Be careful not to overfill, as the filling may spill out during cooking.

Finally, place your stuffed peppers in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each pepper to allow for even cooking. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Air frying

First, cut the tops off your peppers and scoop out any seeds. You can dice the tops of the peppers and set them aside to use in the filling. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F or 400°F for 3-5 minutes. Place the peppers upright in the air fryer tray and cook for 6-10 minutes.

While the peppers are cooking, make your filling. Saute onions and garlic in a large skillet with olive oil until soft and fragrant. You can also add in diced peppers at this stage. Next, add your ground beef and cook until browned. You can also add in Italian sausage or other types of ground meat. Stir in rice, spices, and tomatoes and let the mixture simmer.

Once your filling is ready, scoop it into the peppers, filling them to the top. Place the stuffed peppers in the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes at 360°F or 375°F. Finally, top each pepper with shredded cheese and continue cooking for another 2-4 minutes until the cheese is melted.

And that's it! Your air-fried stuffed peppers are now ready to be served and enjoyed.

Serving suggestions

Air fryer stuffed peppers are a great meal in themselves, but you can also serve them with sides. Here are some ideas for what to serve with your air fryer stuffed peppers.

Salads

A simple green salad is a great side dish for stuffed peppers. You could also try a kale and goat cheese salad, or a Mexican street corn salad.

Breads

Garlic bread is a tasty side for air fryer stuffed peppers.

Vegetables

Roasted vegetables, steamed vegetables, roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, air fryer smashed potatoes, or roasted butternut squash are all good vegetable sides for air fryer stuffed peppers.

Desserts

For dessert, you could serve chocolate chip pudding cookies, or cookie bars.

Drinks

If you're serving drinks with your air fryer stuffed peppers, you could make a batch of frozen margaritas.

Frequently asked questions