These Leftover Chili Stuffed Peppers are a delicious way to use up leftover chili. This will be the easiest 30 minute dinner recipe or meal prep you’ll ever make. The bell peppers are loaded with a hearty, savory chili and spices. It’s a meal everyone will enjoy.
Don't know what to do with leftover chili? Love stuffed peppers? Why not combine the two and make this Leftover Chili Stuffed Peppers recipe.
It’s a simple and healthy meal that you can make as a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe and it’s a great way to use up leftover chili. You simply stuff the bell peppers with your favorite chili recipe and bake until they’re tender and soft. It’s that simple! Serve them along with a side of cornbread. You'll never make stuffed peppers any other way!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Reduce waste. Sometimes you have to get creative with leftovers. Making these chili stuffed peppers can help use up food you already have without throwing it in the trash.
- It’s so easy to make. Especially if you have leftover chili to use. Just fill the peppers, top with cheese (if you like), and bake. That’s it.
- It’s healthy. They’re made with healthy and wholesome ingredients that’ll keep you full. Make the peppers as a meal prep or as a dinner for your family.
- Easy clean up. The stuffed peppers are baked in a foil lined baking dish, which means no dishes to clean!
- They’re simply delicious. Treat them just as you would a big bowl of chili. Top them with your favorite chili toppings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For these chili bean-stuffed peppers you only need 3 main ingredients. This will be the easiest dinner recipe or meal prep you’ll ever make.
- Leftover Chili - this is a great recipe to use up any leftover chili in the fridge. If not you'll want to start by making the chili, like this Easy Stovetop Chili Recipe, or you can use your favorite chili recipe.
- Bell peppers - Large and round bell peppers work best for this recipe since they’ll be easier to stuff. This recipe uses green bell peppers but you can use any color that you want.
- Cooking Oil - to brush the outside of the peppers with before baking them.
- Seasonings - I like to sprinkle a little salt and ground black pepper in the peppers before filling them with the chili.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese - this is optional. You can use dairy free shredded cheese or regular cheddar, mozzarella or any cheese you prefer.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers
Making these chili bean stuffed peppers doesn’t get any easier, especially if you have leftover chili that you need to use up. Here’s how to make it:
- Chili. If you have leftover chili, this is the perfect recipe to use it for! If not, you’ll want to start by making your favorite chili recipe.
- Bell peppers. Cut the bell peppers in half (long ways) and remove the seeds and insides. Brush the outside of the peppers with cooking oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the inside and place cut side up in a 9x13-inch casserole pan or large baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Stuff the peppers. Fill the peppers with the chili, being careful not to overfill the peppers.
- Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and place them into your oven on 375 F to roast for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the chili is hot and the peppers are tender and soft.
- Add cheese. If you're using cheese, remove the chili stuffed peppers from the oven the last 5 minutes and sprinkle the cheese on top. Place them back into the oven and bake them uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Serve. Remove the peppers from the oven and let them rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.
Toppings for the peppers
You can top these chili stuffed bell peppers with your favorite chili toppings. Some topping ideas could be:
- Dairy-free cheese: Use your favorite vegan cheese. Miyoko’s offers great dairy-free cheese. If you prefer regular cheddar cheese or any other dairy cheese that would work great as well.
- Dairy-Free Sour Cream: Topping the peppers with sour cream is optional. My favorite is Kite Hill’s Sour Cream Alternative, which is made with almond and coconut milk
- Avocado: either sliced, mashed or served as guacamole.
- Jalapeño: if you like your food a little bit spicy, jalapeños make a great topping for this bell pepper chili recipe.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- How to store - Let the peppers cool to room temperature before storing them. Place the leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days.
- How to reheat: Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish and warm in a 375 degrees preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.You can also use the microwave by reheating them for 1 – 2 minutes, checking after every 30 seconds until warmed through.
Recipe FAQ
Leftover chili straight from the fridge will work just fine. You can also reheat chili before stuffing and baking the peppers, if desired.
There’s no need to precook the peppers before stuffing them. Simply cut the peppers open and fill them with the chill and place them in the oven to bake until they’re soft.
The amount of calories for a half stuffed pepper will vary however based on this recipe with these specific ingredients, the amount of calories are 185. The calculation of the calories does not include any toppings.
The leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days.
Place the stuffed peppers in a baking dish and warm in a 375 degrees preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.You can also use the microwave by reheating them for 1 – 2 minutes, checking after every 30 seconds until warmed through.
I have never frozen the stuffed peppers however just like any recipe, they will never taste as good as fresh. If you wish to attempt to freeze them I suggest making sure to place them in a freezer-friendly container and also place some plastic-wrap over the container before closing it with the lid. It will probably be best to reheat them in the oven for best results.
More Recipes You’ll May Like
Vegetable Pot Pie with Biscuits
Leftover Chili Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers large
- 1 1/2 cups leftover chili
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- If you have leftover chili, this is the perfect recipe to use it for! If not, you’ll want to start by making your favorite chili recipe.
- Cut the bell peppers in half (long ways) and remove the seeds and insides.
- Brush the outside of the peppers with cooking oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the inside and place cut side up in a 9x13-inch casserole pan or large baking pan with aluminum foil.
- Fill the peppers with the chili, being careful not to overfill the peppers.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place them into your oven on 375 F to roast for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the chili is hot and the peppers are tender and soft.
- If you're using cheese, remove the chili stuffed peppers from the oven the last 5 minutes and sprinkle the cheese on top. Place them back into the oven and bake them uncovered for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and let them rest for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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