Southwestern Pepper Cups

Name: Southwestern Pepper Cups
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5 medium green, red, or yellow bell peppers, halved and seeded; 1/3 cup onion, chopped; 1 1/2 garlic cloves, chopped; 3 cups cooked brown rice; 1 can (10.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained; 1/2 can (7.6 ounces) low-sodium whole kernel corn, drained; Vegetable cooking spray; 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Recipe GLPR737cbe7edbce11

American

Main Course

45 min

124 cal

Servings: 10

Oven

Stovetop

Colorful bell pepper halves filled with seasoned brown rice, corn, and diced tomatoes with chilies, topped with melted cheddar cheese. A vibrant, hearty side dish that brings southwestern flavors to your table with a satisfying mix of vegetables and whole grains.

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Ingredients

5 medium green, red, or yellow bell peppers, halved and seeded

1/3 cup onion, chopped

1 1/2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cups cooked brown rice

1 can (10.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained

1/2 can (7.6 ounces) low-sodium whole kernel corn, drained

Vegetable cooking spray

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before beginning food preparation.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Carefully place the bell pepper halves into the boiling water and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes to soften them slightly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well.
While the peppers blanch, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a light drizzle of oil to the pan.
Add the chopped onion and garlic to the heated skillet. Sauté for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked brown rice, the can of diced tomatoes with chilies (including the liquid), the drained corn, and the cooked onion-garlic mixture. Stir everything together until well combined.
Coat a large baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Divide the rice mixture evenly among the pepper halves, spooning it generously into each one. Arrange the filled pepper cups on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes until the filling is heated through.
Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each pepper cup.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are tender. Serve hot.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

All ingredients are standard stock at every major Charlotte chain, with no special stops required—bell peppers, onions, garlic, brown rice, canned tomatoes with chilies, frozen corn, and cheddar are everywhere. At roughly $1.20 per serving, this is genuinely affordable for a stuffed-pepper dish, driven by the reliance on pantry staples and bulk brown rice rather than meat. The 45-minute timer is honest if the peppers are halved and roasted while the filling cooks, though a reader who bakes them whole and waits for tender peppers will hit 60 minutes; accuracy matters for weeknight planning. This reheats beautifully in the microwave or oven, making it solid for leftovers and batch cooking, and it's straightforward enough for a weeknight but still feels like a proper meal for a family of four or five (10 servings suggests half-pepper portions).