Stuffed Poblano Peppers {Low-Carb}

These Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a healthy low-carb dinner idea made with ground beef, red peppers, cheese and plenty of flavour!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Full of flavor: These stuffed peppers are packed with different flavors, with the poblanos adding a spicy kick.
• Low-carb recipe: This is a great option if you’re trying to stick to a low-carb diet, as it doesn’t include rice like a lot of stuffed pepper recipes.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Olive oil – use any neutral oil such as avocado oil, sunflower oil or vegetable oil for this recipe.
• Poblano peppers – jalapeño peppers are a great alternative to poblano peppers if you’d like more heat! Any variety of bell peppers will also work for this recipe for a milder option.
• Ground beef – use another ground meat like ground chicken or turkey. Italian sausage removed from its casings would also work.
• Garlic – fresh or jarred minced garlic can be used in this recipe.
• Chili powder – taco seasoning or cayenne can be used instead.
• Cumin – curry powder, garam masala or taco seasoning can be used in place of cumin.
• Paprika – double up on the chili powder or use cayenne pepper or chili flakes instead.
• Red pepper – substitute red pepper with any other colour bell pepper of your choice.
• Red onion – yellow or white onion can be used in place of red onion.
• Cheddar cheese – use another shredded variety like Monterey Jack cheese.

Optional toppings

• Pico de gallo – homemade or jarred pico de gallo or even salsa can also be used.
• Avocado – use sliced avocado or fresh guacamole.
• Cilantro – if you’re not a fan of cilantro, parsley is also a great option.
• Sour cream – use Greek yogurt if you’re looking for a healthier choice.

How to make stuffed poblano peppers

Step 1: Slice and bake the poblano peppers.

Wash, de-seed and season the poblano peppers. Bake in a parchment-lined baking sheet in the oven.

Step 2: Cook the ground beef.

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat.

Step 3: Make the filling.

Add the garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, red pepper and red onion to the pan with the beef. Sauté until the veggies are tender.

Step 4: Stuff the peppers.

Spoon the beef and vegetable filling into the baked peppers.

Step 5: Top with cheese and bake.

Sprinkle the cheese over top, then bake until the cheese is melted.

Step 6: Add any toppings and serve.

Serve and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cut poblano peppers for stuffing?

When stuffing poblano peppers, I like to cut them in half lengthwise so you get two evenly-shaped halves. Unlike with bell peppers where you cut off the tops and stuff the inside, poblano peppers are a lot skinnier so you’ll be cutting them lengthwise. They’re a bit like zucchini boats, except you don’t have to scrape out the flesh!

Do you have to peel them first?

Nope! For this stuffed poblano peppers recipe, all you have to do is wash and de-seed the poblano peppers. There’s no peeling required. If you peel the peppers, they’ll just fall apart and you won’t be able to stuff them.

Are poblano peppers very hot?

Poblano peppers definitely have some heat, but they’re not super spicy. They’re similar to Anaheim peppers in terms of spice. If you don’t like any heat, I’d recommend making stuffed bell peppers instead.

Serving ideas

You can enjoy these poblano peppers on their own or with one of these yummy sides:

• Corn on the cob
• Cowboy caviar
• Steamed broccoli
• Cauliflower rice

Storing and reheating

These keto stuffed poblano peppers are a great meal prep recipe! Assemble the peppers the day before without any of the toppings and store them in the fridge before baking them the next day. When you’re ready to eat, all you have to do is pop them in the oven for 10 minutes. You can also store your cooked leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat them in the oven at 375° Fahrenheit or in the microwave until warmed through.

You can freeze your stuffed peppers, but the texture won’t be the same after defrosting. Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months, thaw them in the fridge overnight, then bake in the oven at 375° Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Meal prep tools

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these stuffed poblano peppers into your weekly lunches.
• I get all my free-range chicken and grass-fed beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.