Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe For A Tasty Low Carb Meal

This one-pan meal is a healthy spin on taco night.

Image Credit: Yumna Jawad/LIVESTRONG.com Taco night is always a fun crowd-pleaser — and now you can add an extra boost of veggies to yours with a simple swap: Bell peppers instead of taco shells.

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 "Serving taco-seasoned beef in pepper halves in place of taco shells is a great way to incorporate vegetables into an otherwise meat- and grain-centered dish," Portland, Maine-based culinary dietitian Kristy Del Coro, RDN, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

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  Plus, "Cooking the peppers and pairing with the fat from olive oil and natural fat from the beef optimizes the body's absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K," Del Coro notes.

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 This colorful dish is super flavorful, and the best part is, the ingredients that make it so tasty are healthy, too. "Tomato paste is a concentrated source of the antioxidant lycopene," Del Coro says. "And I love the added spices, which are a great way to add flavor without excess salt. Chili powder is a source of capsaicin, which is linked to helping boost the metabolism and reduce inflammation."

While the ground beef adds a good dose of satiating protein, if you want to make this meal vegetarian, you can use extra-firm tofu or black beans instead.

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 We love this dish for a busy weeknight, too, because you don't really need any sides with it. "This is a satisfying one-dish meal with a good balance of vegetables, protein and fat," Del Coro says.

Love this taco recipe? Try this chicken dish next: This Mediterranean-Stuffed Chicken Is the Perfect High-Protein Weeknight Dinner Taco-Stuffed Peppers Recipe Serves: 3 Ingredients

3 bell peppers, halved and cored 1 pound ground beef 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons dried cumin ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup waterFor serving: ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese Finely shredded lettuce Salsa

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 Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pepper halves in an oven-safe baking dish and bake until the peppers soften, about 15 minutes.

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven.

Image Credit: Yumna Jawad/LIVESTRONG.com Tip Cooking the peppers before stuffing them with the taco meat makes them more tender and easier to eat.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any fat.

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Brown the ground beef before stuffing it into the peppers.