Crockpot Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

This crockpot jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers recipe is an easy way to add some Halloween fun to your dinner table. This healthy slow cooker version uses cauliflower rice to make this low-carb. Omit the cheese and it’s also paleo and Whole30 compatible. Using the slow cooker to cook stuffed peppers means you get a tasty, stress-free meal…that won’t break your diet.

Halloween is right around the corner! It is not my original idea to make stuffed bell peppers look like jack-0-lanterns. I’m not that creative. This is a a common idea that went viral on Pinterest a years ago.

Ingredients For Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Pepper

• Orange Bell Peppers
• Ground Meat
• Cauliflower Rice (or cooked white or brown rice)
• Diced Tomatoes
• Onion
• Shredded Cheese
• Seasonings: basil, (or another dried herb), salt, pepper, garlic powder

How To Make Jack-O-Lantern Peppers In The Crockpot

Prepare Stuffed Peppers:

1. Slice the top off of each bell pepper. Hollow out the bell pepper by removing all the seeds and membranes. Using a sharp knife, cut jack-o’-lantern faces on one side of each pepper. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the stuffing ingredients. Spoon the filling equally into each bell pepper until they’re all full. Pack all the filling in there tightly. It’s okay if it’s overflowing at the top.

Slow Cooker

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker (you’ll need a 6-quart) with nonstick spray.
2. Add the prepared bell peppers into the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
4. The last 5 minutes of cooking time, add shredded cheese evenly across the top of each bell pepper. Cover and cook until cheese is melted.

Instant Pot

1. 1. Pour the water into the Instant Pot. Add the trivet.
   2. Add the prepared stuffed peppers.
   3. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 13 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. Open lid & turn off the pressure cooker.
   4. Add shredded cheese evenly across the top of each bell pepper. Place the lid back on and let the pepper sit for approximately 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

FAQs & Tips

What are stuffed peppers?

Stuffed peppers are bell peppers that are usually stuffed with rice, ground meat, tomatoes and seasonings. 

How many bell peppers should you use?

The serving size for this recipe will vary depending on the size of the bell peppers you use. I can usually fit 5 to 6 medium-size bell peppers in a 6-quart slow cooker. 

What type of bell peppers should you use?

Since these are Halloween Jack-O-Lantern inspired, it is best to use orange bell peppers since the color resembles pumpkin. Select orange bell peppers that are firm, symmetrical and have a flat bottom to stand upright in the slow cooker. Cut off the tops of the bell peppers, remove the seeds, and any white membranes before stuffing.

What type of meat should you use?

What you see in the pictures is ground beef. Other suggestions include ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground sausage. Use your preferred ground meat without changing the cooking time. If you have leftover cooked meat like shredded chicken or pulled pork, you can use that too! 

What type of rice should you use?

I used cauliflower rice. If you use cauliflower rice, you can add it uncooked. Other suggestions include cooked white rice or brown rice.   

How do you store leftovers?

Allow the leftover jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Store the leftover peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can freeze the leftovers. Wrap each stuffed pepper individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will help prevent freezer burn. Place the leftover crockpot stuffed bell peppers in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible to help prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’ve frozen the stuffed peppers, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before reheating.

What should you do with leftover stuffing?

If you find yourself with leftover stuffing but maybe not enough for an additional bell pepper…cook and eat it! Personally, I find the stuffing by itself to be pretty tasty. 

What size slow cooker did you use?

My 4 bell peppers fit into a 3.5 quart slow cooker. I had some extra stuffing leftover but not enough to fill an additional bell pepper. 

Stuffed Peppers Recipes

• Slow Cooker

• Keto Philly Cheesesteak

• Quinoa Southwestern

• Vegan

• BBQ Cheesesteak

Crockpot Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

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This crockpot jack-o-lantern stuffed peppers recipe is an easy way to add some Halloween fun to your dinner table. This healthy slow cooker version uses cauliflower rice to make this low-carb. Omit the cheese and it’s also paleo and Whole30 compatible. Using the slow cooker to cook stuffed peppers means you get a tasty, stress-free meal…that won’t break your diet.

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 4-5 orange bell peppers (depending on size)
• 1 cup shredded cheese

STUFFING

• 1 pound ground meat
• 15 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 cup uncooked cauliflower rice OR cooked white or brown rice
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon basil (or another dried herb)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper

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Instructions

Prepare Stuffed Peppers:

1. Slice the top off of each bell pepper. Hollow out the bell pepper by removing all the seeds and membranes. Using a sharp knife, cut jack-o’-lantern faces on one side of each pepper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the stuffing ingredients. Spoon the filling equally into each bell pepper until they’re all full. Pack all the filling in there tightly. It’s okay if it’s overflowing at the top.

Slow Cooker

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker (you’ll need a 6-quart) with nonstick spray.
2. Add the prepared bell peppers into the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 6-8.
4. The last 5 minutes of cooking time, add shredded cheese evenly across the top of each bell pepper. Cover and cook until cheese is melted.

Instant Pot

1. Pour the water into the Instant Pot. Add the trivet.
2. Add the prepared stuffed peppers.
3. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 13 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. Open lid & turn off the pressure cooker.
4. Add shredded cheese evenly across the top of each bell pepper. Place the lid back on and let the pepper sit for approximately 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Nutrition

• Calories: 200

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