Spooky Spirit: Halloween Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers to Charm Your Feast

Every October, my kitchen turns into a playground of orange and green, where peppers become pumpkins and every dish feels like a mini celebration. This year, I decided to blend the fun of carving with the cozy charm of a stuffed pepper, creating a Halloween-inspired meal that’s as playful as it is flavorful.

What makes these Jack-o’-Lantern stuffed peppers truly special isn’t just their adorable appearance—it’s the way the cheesy, spiced filling melts into a harmonious blend of textures. Plus, the process of carving the peppers is almost as entertaining as eating them, making it a perfect activity for a festive family night.

These peppers are a sneaky way to get kids excited about eating vegetables—they won’t even notice the healthy crunch hidden inside. As October’s chill sets in, this dish brings warmth, whimsy, and a bit of spooky flair to your table, turning dinner into a joyous celebration of all things Halloween.

Halloween Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers

This dish features colorful bell peppers carved into Jack-o’-Lantern faces and filled with a cheesy, spiced mixture of cooked ground meat, rice, and vegetables. The peppers are baked until tender and the filling is bubbly and golden, creating a playful and festive main course that is both visually appealing and flavorful.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Western

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 pieces bell peppers preferably orange or yellow for a festive look
• 1 lb ground turkey or beef or cooked vegetarian protein
• 1 cup cooked rice white or brown rice
• 1 cup shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella
• 1 cup diced vegetables bell peppers, onions, or zucchini
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• to taste salt and pepper

Equipment

• Knives
• Baking sheet
• Mixing bowls
• Cooking pot
• Spoon or Spatula

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Wash the peppers carefully and cut off the tops to create lids. Scoop out the seeds and membranes, creating hollowed-out pumpkin shapes.
3. Use a sharp knife to carve spooky faces into the peppers, designing smiley, jagged, or spooky eyes and mouths to resemble Jack-o’-Lanterns.
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   4 pieces bell peppers
5. Add ground meat to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon; cook until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.
   4 pieces bell peppers
6. Stir in diced vegetables and cook until slightly tender, about 3–4 minutes.
   4 pieces bell peppers
7. Season the mixture with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
   4 pieces bell peppers
8. Mix the cooked rice and shredded cheese into the meat and vegetable mixture until well combined.
   4 pieces bell peppers
9. Spoon the filling evenly into each carved pepper, pressing gently to pack the mixture inside.
10. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet and bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is bubbling and golden on top.
11. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then serve warm, displaying the carved faces for a festive presentation.
12. Enjoy the playful, cheesy stuffed peppers as a fun Halloween main course that’s both delicious and visually delightful.

Notes

Feel free to experiment with different carved face designs or fill with other fillings like vegetarian beans or quinoa for variation.

Gathering around a table decorated with flickering candles and pumpkin accents, these stuffed peppers will surely spark conversations and smiles. Their satisfying combination of spicy, cheesy goodness paired with the festive look makes them a memorable dish for the holiday.

As the season winds down, I love how something as simple as a stuffed pepper can become a cherished part of our Halloween traditions. It’s all about creating moments of joy, fun, and delicious bites that linger long after the last candle flickers out.