Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers

Name: Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 whole bell peppers; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 yellow onion (diced (about 1 cup/200g)); 1 pound ground beef ((454g)); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1 (15–ounce/445mL) can diced tomatoes; 1 (8-ounce/236ml) can tomato sauce; ¾ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 cups cooked rice; 1¼ cups shredded Colby jack cheese ((142g))

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If you’re a fan of simple ingredients, hearty meals, and the convenience of air fryer recipes, this easy air fryer recipe is perfect for your next dinner! These air fryer stuffed bell peppers are the ultimate marriage of comfort food and efficiency. With just a handful of simple, inexpensive ingredients and only 30 minutes, you’ll be sitting down to a deliciously satisfying meal.

Aside from boasting a delectable, Italian-inspired flavor, this easy recipe for meat and rice-stuffed peppers is perfect for meal prep. Whip up the filling and assemble your peppers over a lazy weekend, then all you have to do is pop them in the air fryer when you’re ready! For more easy dinner recipes, check out my stuffed acorn squash, air fryer chicken parmesan, or honey garlic chicken next.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make air fryer stuffed peppers.

Whole bell peppers – you’re welcome to use any color you like. Green bell peppers taste slightly earthier, whereas red, orange, and yellow are sweeter. Be sure you buy fresh bell peppers, as older, softer, wrinkled ones won’t hold up too well during cooking.

Yellow onion – want to save on prep time? Opt for frozen diced onions. If you don’t have yellow onions, white, sweet, or red onions will work great.

Ground beef – I personally prefer lean ground beef (around 90/10) for this recipe, but you’re welcome to use whatever percentage you prefer. You can also swap in ground turkey or ground chicken, but don’t opt for extra-lean which can end up tasting dry. Alternatively, you can use Italian sausage that has been removed from its casing — just adjust the added salt down as needed.

Garlic – fresh cloves are best, but jarred minced garlic or frozen garlic paste is a good substitute. You can also use approximately ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove.

Italian seasoning – fresh out? You can make your own by mixing 2 parts of dried basil with 1 part each of dried oregano, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

Cooked rice – feel free to use white or brown rice here. So long as it’s cooked, it’ll work beautifully! I love using leftover rice as a time saver.

Colby jack cheese – you’re welcome to swap in the melty cheese of your choice (e.g. fiery pepperjack, sharp cheddar, or mild mozzarella cheese).

How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers

Set of two photos showing bell peppers cut and their seeds removed before air frying them.

1. Slice a sliver off the bottom of each pepper to create a sturdy base so they can stand up. Slice about 1/2-inch off the tops of bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. Chop the tops from around the stem.

2. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes. Stand the pepper shells up in the air fryer basket. Cook until mostly tender, about 10 minutes. Pour out any accumulated liquid from inside the peppers.

Set of two photos showing filling ingredients added to a skillet and cooked.

3. While the peppers cook, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and chopped peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the beef, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until browned and crumbly, about 4 minutes.

4. Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Set of two photos showing rice stirred into the skillet and filling transferred into the peppers.

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice. Let cool slightly. Fold in 1 cup of the cheese.

6. Spoon approximately 1 cup of filling into each pepper. Top each with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Air fry at 380°F until the cheese is melted and browned, about 2 minutes.

A platter of three air fryer stuffed peppers.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Preheating is a good idea. Air fryers don’t technically have to be preheated, but I find that the timing is more consistent when I do preheat them.
Repurpose any extra filling! Depending on the size of the peppers, you may have some filling left over. You can save it to make stuffed peppers again later in the week, or you can use it to top chips for nachos! Stir in a little taco seasoning and black beans for extra flavor when reheating the filling.
Make ahead. Feel free to cook the beef and rice filling and assemble the peppers up to 3 days ahead of time, then air fry them when you’re ready for dinner!
Shred your own cheese. It both tastes better and melts better.

A fork lifting up a bite of rice from the air fryer stuffed peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color of bell pepper is best?

Any color will work, but it comes down to taste preference. Young green peppers are typically less sweet and taste a bit earthy. Yellow, orange, or red bell peppers are generally sweeter.

Are you supposed to eat the bell pepper shell?

Yes! Not only does it give you a nice dose of veggies, but it also adds sweetness and moisture to every bite.

How should I store leftovers?

Allow them to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. They should keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 weeks. To serve, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge, then air fry, bake, or microwave to heat through to an internal temperature of 165F.

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If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!