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If you’re looking for a low-carb substitute to crunchy nachos, try these Loaded Bell Pepper Nachos. The sweet and crisp bell pepper base is so colorful, nutritious and flavorful that you won’t really be missing the nachos. Top them with salsa, guacamole, sour cream or any other toppings and you’ll be making these on the regular!
This recipe is from Joy Bauer’s Superfood cookbook. She is the health and nutrition expert for NBC’s Today show and the author of 12 bestselling books. The book is full of 150 recipes with wholesome food containing one or more nutrients.
How do you make bell pepper nachos
Cook the ground beef until it’s cooked through. Stir in the tacos seasoning and water then mix in the black beans, corn and jalapeños, if you’re using.
Cut the bell peppers and place on a baking sheet. If found it easiest to core the stem first, then cut into 6 even strips.
Spoon the beef mixture over the bell pepper slices. It’s ok if they don’t fit in perfectly.
Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, and bake until the cheese has melted.
Tips for making bell pepper nachos
- Make them vegan by replacing the meat with more beans and skipping the cheese. This dish is incredibly versatile and easy to adjust based on any dietary restrictions.
- Try them with mini bell peppers. For even smaller bites, you can use mini bell peppers. Just slice them in half and remove the stem and seeds.
- Don’t cut the bell pepper slices too thinly. You want them to be able to hold a good amount of the taco beef and any extra toppings you want to add, like guacamole or salsa.
Frequently asked questions
These bell pepper nachos are best served when they are warm, but you can make the meat mixture up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. You can prep the nachos several hours ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
You can add all of your usual toppings to these nachos. Guacamole, sour cream, salsa and pickled jalapeños all work so well!
Ground beef works really well with these nachos, but you can also use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer.
For a low carb option, these loaded bell pepper nachos sure hit the spot and give you a nice crunch without the chips.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Chicken and Rice
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Healthy Chopped Mexican Salad
- Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers
- Walnut Tacos
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Bell Pepper Nachos recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Bell Pepper Nachos
Video
Ingredients
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ¾ cup can black beans rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup sweet yellow corn thawed
- 1 jalapeño sliced, optional
- ½ to 1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a large baking sheet (or 2 standard sheets) with nonstick oil or line with parchment paper.
- Use a small sharp knife to core the stem from the pepper. Then slice the pepper in half and then slice each half into 3 equal parts. Each pepper will create 6 “chips”. Lay the bell pepper chips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with the insides facing up.
- In a large heated skillet, stir the ground beef until its cooked through and crumbled. Add the taco seasoning, along with 2/3 cup water and stir. Add the black beans, corn and jalapeños, if using. Mix until well combined and heated through.
- Spoon the mixture over the bell pepper pieces. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
These were wonderful! Great way to use up the peppers from our garden and a healthy meal! We had extra meat so I filled some little tortilla cups too. My husband and I agreed we enjoyed the peppers more! Will be making more of these throughout our garden season and in the future!
Yum, I bet those garden peppers were so good!! Glad you and your husband loved the recipe. Thank you, Shannon!
Very tasty. I found cutting the peppers wider helped keep the toppings on. May cook the peppers for a few min in the oven next time before adding toppings just to help make them more tender.
Great tips!
These were absolutely delicious! Even my kids loved them. I loved how the peppers still had a bit of crunch. We used pepper jack cheese and served with guacamole & sour cream. Thanks for sharing!!
You’re so welcome!
Would love to see recipes allowable after bariatric surgery. I’m 16 years out, but still eating within restrictions. Also, would live to fund substitutions making regular healthy recipes accessable again.
Hi Shelley! Thank you for the feedback, I do not specialize in recipes around bariatric surgery. I do not know enough about it to feel comfortable making recipes or stating that a recipe is “good” for someone on a restrictive diet. I hope you understand!
Black pepper benefits:How much black pepper should you eat a day?
Delicious and so easy! Love you and all of your recipes.
How would this work on the grill? It’s over 100 here today so no ovens
Oh good questions! After you cook the meat mixture, I would just place it on a grill on aluminum foil and just let it cook for 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts. I’ve never tried it.
Good appetizer and it was fun to prepare. Will definitely make it more often.
Absolutely loved making these yesterday and they were delicious.
I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you!!