Easy air fryer stuffed peppers takes a long bake time and cuts it down thanks to the use of this kitchen gadget. A quick hearty dinner your family will love.
We love stuffed peppers in this house, but don’t love going through all the steps of making them.
I mean you have to clean the peppers, make the sauce, and bake them.
It’s a lot for one dinner.
My version of stuffed peppers skips the homemade sauce and the long bake time in favor of some game changing shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor.
They are just like my Grandma’s stuffed peppers because this is basically her tried and true recipe just adapted for the air fryer.
Ingredients
To make these you’ll need:
- Bell peppers– Small or medium sized. Avoid the big ones.
- Ground beef– I highly recommend using lean ground beef so your peppers won’t be greasy.
- Tomato soup– 1 can of your favorite kind of condensed tomato soup to add extra flavor and richness.
- White onion– Diced
- Rice– Cooked white rice.
- Spices– Salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Marinara sauce– Use your favorite brand.
- Shredded cheese– While this is optional, there’s nothing better than the cheesy topping!
How to Make
To make these, start by washing the peppers and cutting the tops off.
Then remove the seeds and ribs. Discard the tops, seeds, and any pulp.
Next, add the prepared peppers to a large pot, and just barely cover them in water.
Bring the pot to a high simmer, and let the peppers cook for 2-3 minutes- just until slightly softened.
Remove the pot from the heat and use a pair of tongs to CAREFULLY transfer the hot peppers to a strainer in your sink. Run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then, drain the peppers and set them aside.
Now that you’ve prepared your peppers you can make the filling.
Start by browning the meat and onions in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once it is cooked, strain the meat to remove grease and then return the meat mix to the skillet.
Then stir in all the remaining ingredients except marinara sauce and cheese to the skillet.
Fill the peppers by spooning the mixture evenly into the hollow cavities.
Top each stuffed pepper with with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce and spread it out slightly to cover the mixture.
Put 2-3 peppers to the basket of your air fryer,, being careful not to overcrowd.
Air fry them at 350° for 10 minutes.
Top each pepper with some of the shredded cheese, and cook another 3-5 minutes.
Remove the cooked peppers to a waiting platter or baking dish, and repeat until all the peppers are finished.
Enjoy!
Storing leftovers
These stuffed peppers store really well and are one dish that gets tastier as leftovers!
To store them, just place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great make ahead meal. You can make the filling ahead of time, stuff the peppers, and wait to cook the whole thing until you serve.
You could even freeze your stuffed peppers by wrapping each cooked pepper individually in parchment paper and then placing it in a freezer bag.
Reheat frozen stuffed peppers by baking in the oven with more marinara sauce and cheese until heated through.
Tips and tricks
- If you prefer your peppers on the crispier side, skip the parboiling step. It won’t hurt the end result. It’s totally up to preference.
- Don’t overcrowd your air fryer. The number of peppers you can cook at one time depends solely on the size of your peppers and air fryer.
- Prefer oven baked stuffed peppers? Add the prepared peppers to a 9×13″ baking dish, lightly spritzed with non stick cooking spray. Bake them at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes
These easy air fryer stuffed peppers are a favorite. Make them the next time you want to satisfy a stuffed pepper craving.
Looking for other easy air fryer recipes? Try these:
If you’ve tried these EASY AIR FRYER STUFFED PEPPERS, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Easy Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 8 small/medium bell peppers or 4-5 XL
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 1 5 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese optional
Instructions
- Wash your peppers, then cut the tops off of your peppers, and remove the seeds & excess pizz. Discard the tops, seeds, and any pulp.
- Add the prepared peppers to a large pot, and then add water just until it covers the vegetables. Bring the pot to a high simmer, and let the peppers cook for 2-3 minutes- just until slightly softened.
- Carefully remove the pot from heat. Using a pair of tongs CAREFULLY transfer the hot peppers to a strainer in your sink, and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cool to the touch, drain the peppers and set them aside.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat and add the beef & onions to it. Cook the beef, crumbling as it cooks, until cooked through with no pink remaining. Strain the meat to remove grease, and then return the meat mix to the skillet.
- Add the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT marinara sauce & cheese) to the skillet and stir everything together until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the peppers, dividing it evenly out between them all.
- Top each stuffed pepper with with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce, and using the back of a small spoon spread it out slightly to cover the mixture. Repeat until all the peppers are stuffed.
- Cooking in batches, at 2-3 peppers to the basket of your air fryer. Don't overcrowd- this will depend on the size of your machine. Cook them at 350° for 10 minutes.
- Top each pepper with some of the shredded cheese, and cook another 3-5 minutes. Remove the cooked peppers to a waiting platter or baking dish, and repeat until all the peppers are finished.
Nutrition
This is such a nice idea! I must try this! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!