• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli) logo

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Cooking Contest Experiences
  • Tina’s Recipes
  • QVC Demo Recipes
  • Tasty Travels
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Cornbread and Taco Stuffed Peppers

March 17, 2015 by Tina Verrelli 3 Comments
Modified August 16, 2020 at 9:31 pm

Thanks for Sharing!

132 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Piñata Peppers!

I was speeding my way through the grocery store with a pound of ground beef and bargain 6-pack of red peppers, trying to figure out what I was going to make for dinner, when the idea came to me – stuffed peppers!  Truth be told, not everyone (I won’t mention any names) in our house is a huge fan of traditional stuffed peppers, so I rarely make them.  Time to think up a new idea…they like pretty much anything with taco seasoned ground beef and they love cornbread – maybe I could combine those into a stuffed pepper – I’d give it a shot.  Peppers filled with taco seasoned ground beef, cheese and topped with cornbread!

It took several tries to work out all the details (like the cheese layer in the center of the pepper that helps to keep the cornbread from absorbing all the juicy taco filling) but eventually they turned out great! It’s fun to cut into the pepper and see the hidden taco surprise (I know I’m easily amused!)  I actually got a little cheer the last time I announced that we were having Cornbread & Taco Stuffed Peppers for dinner!  Score 1 for Mom!

Cornbread & Taco Stuffed Peppers Step-by-Step:

Prepare Peppers:

Trim a sliver off the bottom of the pepper so it will stand upright. Try not to cut through the pepper wall. Cut off the top of the pepper and trim out the seeds and ribs. Remove the stems then chop the tops of the peppers to use in the taco filling


Taco Beef Filling:

Cook the chopped pepper with some onions. Brown ground beef with the pepper and onions (drain of excess fat) then add taco seasoning and water. Cover and simmer while you prepare the rest of the dish


Steam the Peppers:

Pour salsa in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish and arrange peppers in dish. Cover and microwave peppers for about 6-7 minutes to soften. Fill peppers about 2/3 full with taco beef mixture. Spoon any remaining mixture around the peppers.


Mix the Cornbread Topping:

Stir together the dry ingredients for the cornbread. (If I’m short on time, I’ll mix up one of the Jiffy Corn Muffin mixes.) Add the wet ingredients and mix together. Top the beef mixture with most of the cheese.


Assemble the Piñata Peppers!

Spoon the cornbread batter over the cheese. Bake until almost done. Top with remaining cheese. Finish baking – YUM!


Perfect for Pinning to Pinterest: ⬇

Thank you for spending some time in the cloud with me!

I hope you enjoy the recipe!  Tina ( :

Cornbread and Taco Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers (Piñata Peppers) filled with taco seasoned ground beef and a cornbread topping is baked right on the top! These are a family favorite at our house! They're fun to cut into and see the filling spill out like a piñata! We serve with yellow rice, sliced avocado and some toppings!
Tina Verrelli - epicuricloud.com
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Keyword: Beef, Muffin
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 Stuffed Pepper

Ingredients

Peppers & Beef Filling:

  • 6 large red bell peppers
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons oil divided
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • water (follow amount on taco seasoning package)
  • 1 1/2 cups prepared (jarred) salsa
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cornbread Topping: (or use box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix) - follow directions on box

  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 large egg

Condiment Options:

  • sour cream
  • lime wedges
  • chopped cilantro
  • shredded lettuce
  • tortilla chips

Instructions 

Peppers & Taco Beef

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Slice a small sliver off the bottom of each pepper, (trying not to cut through the pepper wall) so the peppers will stand upright.
  • Cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Chop the pepper tops, discarding the stem.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.
  • Add ground beef to the peppers and onions and brown, breaking up while cooking.
  • Drain off any excess fat.  Mix in taco seasoning and water, reduce heat to low and put lid on pan.
  • Pour salsa in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish and arrange the peppers in the dish. Cover dish with plastic wrap or lid and microwave for 6-7 minutes or until the peppers are softened.
  • Spoon the beef mixture into the peppers until about 2/3 full. Spoon any additional beef mixture around the bottom of the dish.
  • Using 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, evenly sprinkle a layer of cheese onto the beef mixture in each pepper.

Cornbread Mixture* & Baking

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
  • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just moistened. Spoon an equal amount of the cornbread batter into each of the peppers.
  • Place in oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees F.  Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Top each pepper evenly with the remaining cheese. Continue to bake for 10 more minutes or until the cornbread is cooked through. You can insert a toothpick and see if it comes out clean.

Notes

NOTES: They reheat beautifully - you can make these a day or two ahead and reheat them. *If short on time, you can use a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.  
Tried this recipe?Share it! Tag @epicuricloud - Please Leave A Comment & Rating Below! TY!

Filed Under: Beef, Dinner / Lunch, Mexican, Southwestern Tagged With: cornbread and taco stuffed peppers, dinner, ground beef recipe, kid friendly dinner, Mexican stuffed peppers, pound of ground beef, stuffed peppers, taco tuesday

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Vince

    January 28, 2018 at 12:41 am

    Thank you for the recipe, Tina. Another trick for any kind of stuffed peppers is to cut them in half length-wise instead of cutting off the tops. Usually shortens the cooking time as well!

    Reply
  2. Heather

    May 17, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    We made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit! An absolutely great family meal. Tacos and cornbread are two of My toddler daughter’s favorites, and she went bonkers for the “piñata” aspect of seeing the filling fall out when we cut into her pepper. Our one-year-old loved it too – super baby-friendly recipe since the veggies get nice and soft and the meat is ground beef 👍 Husband and I both also love stuffed peppers, and this is one of the simpler/quicker versions we’ve ever seen. Basically, you’re just awesome. I would recommend using medium salsa rather than mild – we tried to keep things tame for the kids, but the sweet cornbread and extra stuffing created by adding the peppers and onions to the meat meant we needed a little more spice to keep things balanced.

    Reply
    • Christina Verrelli

      May 18, 2020 at 8:56 am

      Thank you Heather!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to epicuricloud!

Hi I'm Tina, Mom-Teacher-Foodie-Recipe Creator

On-Air Guest for KitchenAid on QVC

EPICURI: Foodie, passion for food and drink.
CLOUD: A sharing place.
Love to share my recipes here! Join me!

Read More…

Search

KitchenAid on QVC Calendar:

There are no upcoming events.

View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Dinner & Lunch Recipes:

Shiitake, Ginger & Pork Pot Sticker Soup

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef Hash and Eggs

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef: 2 meals in 1

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons & Prosciutto Crisps Recipe (+ Vegan Version)

Empanada Party: 4 Fillings + 3 Sauces = YUM!

PB & Fluff Push Pops (Just a Quick Idea)

Warm Farro Salad w/ Grilled Flank Steak

All-Time Favorite Recipes:

cherry squares dessert on blue polish pottery plate

Cherry Squares & Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Spring Pea and Spinach Pasta Dough

Pumpkin and Salmon Kitty Bits (Cat Treats)

Cream Cheese Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes

North Pole Pie {Peppermint Bark Mousse Pie}

Herb and Garlic Roasted Olives

Mushroom, Bacon and Shallot Nachos

Pet Treat Recipes:

Homemade Dog Waffles – “Woofles”

Purr-fect Kitty Salmon Treats

Ruff, Ruff Truffles: Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Doggie Biscuits

Meow-ums Kitty Crackers

“gnaw, gnaw” Biscuits: Teeth Tamers for Guinea Pigs and Rabbits

Cockatiel Seed “Tweets”

Peanut Butter and Banana “Barkies” (Dog Cookies)

Recipe & Post Archives

  • July 2022 (1)
  • June 2022 (4)
  • May 2022 (1)
  • April 2022 (4)
  • March 2022 (1)
  • February 2022 (1)
  • January 2022 (3)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • October 2021 (3)
  • September 2021 (1)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • July 2021 (3)
  • June 2021 (4)
  • May 2021 (5)
  • April 2021 (3)
  • March 2021 (3)
  • February 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (2)
  • November 2020 (3)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (4)
  • July 2020 (2)
  • June 2020 (6)
  • May 2020 (3)
  • April 2020 (4)
  • March 2020 (6)
  • February 2020 (6)
  • January 2020 (6)
  • December 2019 (4)
  • November 2019 (4)
  • October 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • June 2019 (5)
  • May 2019 (5)
  • April 2019 (6)
  • March 2019 (4)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • September 2014 (1)
  • August 2014 (1)
  • August 2013 (1)

Tina’s Recipe Categories

Appetizer BBQ sides Beef Blender Recipe bread Breakfast Breakfast & Brunch Brunch cake chicken Chopper Recipes Christmas Cocktails / Beverages Condiment Cookies Cooking for A Crowd Dessert Desserts for a Crowd Dinner / Lunch Dressing Easter food adventure Fourth of July Halloween Holiday Recipes Lunch Box Ideas Pasta Pet Treats QVC Demo Links by Date QVC Recipe salad Salads / Sides / Vegetables Sauce Sauces & Condiments School Treats Side Dish Snacks Soup Spring Foods summer foods Thanksgiving Uncategorized Vegetables Vegetarian yeast dough

Footer

 

Subscribe via Email!




Copyright © 2022 epicuricloud (Tina Verrelli)

132 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Yummly
  • Email