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Easy Black Bean Stuffed Peppers: Best Jack-O-Lantern Dinner

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These Easy Black Bean Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are a fun, vegetarian dinner that brings Halloween magic to your table. Made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients like black beans, rice, and spices, they’re perfect for Meatless Mondays and totally customizable.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 large bell peppers (any color works, but orange or yellow look the most like pumpkins!)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a little kick)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cooked rice (white, brown, or quinoa)
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen, canned, or fresh)
  • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, divided
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with a little olive oil or cooking spray.
  2. Prepare the bell peppers. Wash and dry your peppers. Using a sharp knife, slice the top off each pepper (about 1/2 inch from the top) and set the ‘lids’ aside. Scoop out all the seeds and white membranes from inside. Now for the fun part—using your paring knife, carefully carve a classic jack-o’-lantern face into one side of each pepper. Think simple triangles for eyes and a jagged smile. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; that’s part of the charm! If you want slightly softer peppers, blanch them …
  3. Make the filling. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it’s soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne (if using). Cook for another 30 seconds until it smells incredible.
  4. Combine everything. Add the rinsed black beans, cooked rice, corn, and the can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (undrained) to the skillet. Stir everything together and let it cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste it—it should be savory and a little smoky. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese until it’s melted into the filling.
  5. Stuff the peppers. Place the hollowed-out peppers upright in your prepared baking dish. If they wobble, you can slice a tiny bit off the bottom to make them flat, but be careful not to cut through. Spoon the black bean and rice mixture into each pepper, pressing down gently to pack it in. You want them nice and full.
  6. Bake. Top each stuffed pepper with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Place the pepper ‘lids’ on top (if you want, you can carve a little stem shape on them first). Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
  7. Finish and serve. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbly and golden. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime juice.

Notes

Look for squat, round peppers that resemble pumpkins for easier carving. Don’t overfill the peppers to prevent splitting. For best texture, use day-old rice. Don’t skip the lime juice at the end—it brightens the dish. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: stuffed peppers, black bean stuffed peppers, jack-o-lantern peppers, vegetarian dinner, Halloween dinner, easy weeknight dinner, meatless monday

Find it online: https://rowanrecipes.com/easy-black-bean-stuffed-peppers-best-jack-o-lantern-dinner/