These pumpkin peppers are a fun Halloween twist on a classic dinner! They are the perfect blend of festive fun and healthy eating. With their vibrant orange hue and spooky Jack O’Lantern faces, they’re sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
Packed with savory rice and a medley of colorful veggies, these stuffed peppers are a gluten free and dairy free meal that’s both hearty and nutritious. This dinner is made with simple and wholesome ingredients. These pumpkin peppers are easily adaptable and can be filled with many different kinds of stuffings! Make them for a fun weeknight dinner, plan a fun activity with your children or serve them at your Halloween party! These pumpkin peppers are spooky, fun and surprisingly easy to whip up! If you know me, you know I am obsessed with Halloween. If you love Halloween too then you will also love these fun Halloween burgers, caramel apple bark and vegan pumpkin brownies!
Why You’ll Love This Meal Idea
These pumpkin peppers are a Halloween twist on a classic dish.
This dinner idea is easily made gluten free and dairy free.
It is kid-friendly and super fun!
They are surprisingly easy to make!
This meal idea is packed with protein and colorful vegetables.
It is a fun way to eat a nutritious meal!
These pumpkin peppers are perfect for dinner, a fun activity or for your next Halloween party!
How to Choose The Best Peppers
When choosing a pepper for this recipe, you want to pick bright orange peppers so that they look like pumpkins. It is also best if the peppers are flat on the bottom because they will stand up straight and be more sturdy. It is helpful if the peppers are flat on one side so you are able to carve a face on them!
Tips For Carving Peppers
Plan Your Design: Sketch out your desired pumpkin face on paper before you start carving. This will help you visualize the placement of the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Use Sharp Tools: A small, sharp paring knife is ideal for carving intricate details.
Start with Simple Shapes: Begin with basic shapes like triangles for the eyes and a curved line for the mouth. You can add more details like eyebrows or a spooky grin as you get more comfortable.
Practice Makes Perfect: Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun! The more you practice, the better your carving skills will become.
Equipment Needed
All you need to make these pumpkin peppers is a cutting board, pan, spatula, baking sheet or dish and a small knife.
Ingredients Needed
Orange Peppers: Orange peppers make this dish look like pumpkins!
Chicken: I used ground chicken in this recipe for the protein, but feel free to use any kind of meat you prefer.
Garlic Salt: My favorite is Redmond’s Real Salt garlic salt because it is high-quality and made with zero fillers. If you use my discount code LESSWITHLAUR you can get 15% off Redmond’s website.
Vegetables: I used frozen mirepoix to make this super easy!
Rice: I used frozen rice to make this recipe super easy! You can also cook your rice from scratch if you prefer.
Marinara: I used marinara to give these pumpkin peppers lots of flavor!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Gather your ingredients.
Step 2: Add your ground chicken and garlic salt to an oiled pan and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in frozen vegetables and rice and cook until soft.
Step 4: Add in marinara sauce and cook for 5 more minutes.
Step 5: While mixture is cooking, preheat oven to 400°F and cut the tops off of the peppers.
Step 6: Clean out the insides of the peppers and remove all seeds.
Step 7: Carve faces into the peppers.
Step 8: Scoop chicken and rice mixture into each pepper and put on a baking sheet.
Step 9: Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
Store these pumpkin peppers for 4-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Variations
Peppers: I used orange peppers in this recipe to make them look like pumpkins. If you are unable to find orange peppers or you have different colored peppers on hand, those will work too!
Meat: I used ground chicken for this recipe but feel free to use any meat or make these vegetarian. Try out ground turkey, ground beef or shredded buffalo chicken!
Filling: I used rice for the base of these stuffed peppers. You can also try out quinoa, macaroni or cauliflower rice!
Sauce: I use marinara in these pumpkin peppers but you can use any sauce you love. Try out alfredo, pesto or buffalo sauce!
How to Serve
These pumpkin peppers are the perfect weeknight dinner, fun activity and great for serving at your next Halloween party. I love having friends over for dinner and carving pumpkins!
Recipe FAQ
What are the sweetest peppers to eat?
Red bell peppers are the sweetest peppers. If you prefer a sweeter pepper you can swap them out for orange peppers!
What are pumpkin peppers stuffed with?
I stuffed these pumpkin peppers with ground chicken, vegetables, rice and marinara sauce.
What else could I use for stuffing?
Try out using different types of meats or vegetables! You can also use quinoa, macaroni or cauliflower rice!
Are these peppers gluten free?
Yes, these peppers are gluten free as long as you use a gluten free filling!
Are these pumpkin peppers dairy free?
Yes, these peppers are dairy free as long as you use a dairy free sauce!
Can I make these pumpkin peppers vegan?
Yes, these peppers can be made vegan but taking away the meat will remove the majority of the protein from this recipe. Beans, chickpeas or lentils can be added to the filling to add protein!
Related Recipes
Be sure to try these dinner ideas next:
Gluten Free French Onion Soup with Chicken
If you make these pumpkin peppers and love them, I would really appreciate a 5 star review! I also love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram or TikTok.
Pumpkin Peppers
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 spatula
- 1 baking sheet or dish
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 orange peppers
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 1/2 cups frozen rice
- 1 bag frozen mirepoix
- 1 jar marinara
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Add your ground chicken and garlic salt to an oiled pan and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in frozen vegetables and rice and cook until soft.
- Add in marinara sauce and cook for 5 more minutes.
- While mixture is cooking, preheat oven to 400°F and cut the tops off of the peppers.
- Clean out the insides of the peppers and remove all seeds.
- Carve faces into the peppers.
- Scoop chicken and rice mixture into each pepper and put on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
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