Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

By: Diana Posted: 9/9/24

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers are an easy, crowd-pleasing dish that makes a perfect dinner for a busy weeknight.

They are so easy to make, and the result is the tastiest, most tender, meat and rice filled Tex-Mex peppers that you’ve ever had.

stuffed peppers in a slow cooker topped with melted cheese.

I love stuffed peppers, and I make them all the time! Many of my stuffed pepper recipes, like Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Poblano Peppers are made in the oven, but this recipe is even easier because it’s made in the crock pot!

Let your kitchen gadgets work for you! Once you assemble these tasty peppers, the slow cooker will take it from there. You can tend to other things while dinner cooks away on the counter.

A long, slow cooking time will ensure that your peppers are perfectly tender and that the ground meat filling is juicy and flavorful.

a slow cooker pepper stuffed with meat and rice, cut in half.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers Recipe Highlights

An Easy Crockpot Meal – Most crockpot recipes are simple, but I love that the slow cooking process means that I don’t have to pre-cook the meat filling. That’s right – the filling for this recipe is added raw, with the exception of the rice, which should be cooked ahead of time.
Family Friendly Tex Mex Flavors – Stuffed peppers tend to come in two general varieties: Tex-Mex or Italian. I love a good Italian stuffed peppers recipe, but for this recipe, I’m using warm spices, diced tomatoes, and cheddar cheese to give these peppers a Mexican spin. They’re perfect for Taco Night!
Versatile Recipe – You can customize this recipe with other ground meat, added veggies, or healthier carb options to make it perfect for your family. I’ll give you some suggestions for substitutions below.

Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this easy slow cooker peppers recipe:

A pound of ground beef, a pile of bell peppers, and the ingredients needed to make slow cooker stuffed peppers.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Bell Peppers: I like to use multiple colors of bell peppers whenever I’m making stuffed peppers. It’s just prettier that way!
Ground Meat: I’m using ground beef in this recipe, but any type of protein will work. Try it with ground turkey, ground chicken, or swap the meat with black beans to keep the recipe vegetarian.
Rice: I always use pre-cooked rice in my slow cooker stuffed peppers recipe. Raw rice never comes out cooked fully. White rice, brown rice, or any type of grain can be used. For a low-carb option, try this with cauliflower rice.
Onion and Garlic: These aromatic veggies build a wonderful savory base flavor for the filling.
Seasonings: A simple combination of salt, pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika give the filling a warm, delicious flavor. You can also try this recipe with 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
Tomatoes and Beef Broth: Canned diced tomatoes and a bit of broth or stock give the filling the right amount of moisture. If you have fire-roasted tomatoes, they’ll be delicious in this recipe too.
Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese adds the perfect melty finish to these stuffed peppers. You can also use Colby, Pepper Jack, or your favorite melty cheese.

How To Make Stuffed Peppers in a Slow Cooker

Multicolored bell peppers with their tops and seeds removed. — 1. Prep the Peppers: Cut the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove the seeds and ribs.

stuffed pepper ingredients, meat, seasonings, onions, cheese, tomato sauce, in a white bowl. — 2. **Mix Filling Ingredients:** In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, half of the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, half of the cheese, and seasonings.

Rice and meat mixed with seasonings to make stuffed peppers filling. — 3. **Combine:** Mix well, but avoid overmixing the meat mixture. I like to use my hands for this part.

Meat and rice filling stuffed inside of bell peppers. — 4. **Stuff Peppers:** Fill each pepper with the meat mixture, all the way to the top.

Stuffed bell peppers in a large slow cooker. Tomato juice is being poured in. — 5. **Add to the Crockpot:** Arrange the stuffed peppers in the crockpot. Mix the rest of the tomatoes with beef broth, and pour the liquid all over the peppers.

Stuffed peppers in a slow cooker. The tops have been placed back on the peppers. — 6. **Cover with the Tops:** Add the tops back to the peppers. This helps to keep the meat mixture moist.

A covered slow cooker holding 6 large stuffed bell peppers in various colors. — 7. **Cook:** Cover with a lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours in the crockpot.

Slow cooked stuffed peppers topped with shredded cheese. — 8. **Melt Cheese:** Before serving, add shredded cheese to each pepper. Replace the lid and cook for a few more minutes to melt the cheese.

Tip!

Use freshly grated cheese if at all possible! Pre-shredded packaged cheese contains starches which keep it from melting smoothly.

a hand adding shredded cheese to stuffed peppers in a crock pot.

Recipe Tips

Hollowing out the peppers: Remove the top of each bell pepper using a small paring knife. Then, you can use the knife to gently separate the membranes and seeds from the peppers. Remove that part, and your peppers will be ready to fill up with delicious fillings!
Avoid overstuffing: You should stuff the peppers full, but not so full that the filling is spilling out of the top. You should have enough filling for 6 medium bell peppers.
Slow cooker time: You can cook this recipe on high for 3 hours or on low for up to 6 hours. You’ll know when the stuffed peppers are done when the peppers are tender and the meat is fully cooked.
Serve with toppings: These are delicious topped with a dollop of sour cream and a bit of salsa!

Storing Tips

Once cooked, store slow cooker stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. A leftover pepper makes a wonderful lunch the next day!

You can also freeze stuffed peppers for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

cheesy stuffed peppers in a slow cooker, garnished with basil for serving.

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers Variations

Vegetarian: This recipe will work with vegan meat such as Beyond Beef or Impossible Burger. You can also replace the meat with beans like black beans or pinto beans.
Low Carb: Use your favorite low-carb rice substitute! Cauliflower rice will work wonderfully.
Spicy: The spices in this recipe are fairly mild. To give the stuffed peppers filling more of a kick, add some cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the mixture.
Italian: Swap out the seasonings here for some Italian seasoning, and use a blend of parmesan and mozzarella cheese in place of the cheddar.

one yellow and one red stuffed pepper in a white bowl. A fork is eating the filling from the red one.

Recipe FAQs

How do I reheat stuffed peppers?

You can heat individual servings in the microwave, or use your oven to reheat the entire batch! Bake, covered at 350°F/180°C for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Do I need to boil peppers before stuffing them?

No, you do not! The peppers will cook fully along with the filling, all in the slow cooker.

What color peppers to use for stuffed peppers?

Any bell peppers will work in this recipe, but you should know that each color has a slightly different flavor. Red peppers are the sweetest. Yellow and Orange peppers are mild and sweet as well, while green peppers are a bit bitter.

I like to use a variety of peppers in this recipe to add color and interest to the meal!