Bison Stuffed Peppers (High Protein,Gluten Free)
These Bison Stuffed Peppers are the kind of meal that checks all the boxes and comes together with simple wholesome ingredients. Tender and colorful whole bell peppers are filled with seasoned ground bison, homemade Spanish rice, black beans, zucchini and melted cheddar. This is a high protein and gluten free comfort food the whole family will enjoy. Whether you are meal prepping for the week or making a nourishing weeknight dinner, these stuffed peppers deliver.
If you love my Mediterranean Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers, you are going to love this bison version just as much. I use my Homemade Enchilada Spice Blend to season the bison filling and my Spanish Rice with Tomato Sauce as the base — both absolutely worth making from scratch.
Amazon Associate Affiliate Links Disclosure: This post contains links to products I love on Amazon. If you click through the links provided, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Why this recipe works
- High protein and fiber: Similar to my Bison Enchiladas, Bison Chili, and Ground Chicken Chili this uses lean ground bison plus the legumes.
- Gluten free and uses minimal dairy: This Bison Stuffed Peppers recipe is naturally gluten free and uses minimal cheese.
- Kid and family approved: Everyone loves the flavors and spices from the Enchilada Spice Blend. Plus it’s great for meal prep!.
- If you love these stuffed peppers with bison, be sure to check out these other delicious bison recipes such as Bison Meatloaf, Bison Burgers and Bison Meatballs.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Bell peppers. Large and wide is best, mix of red, yellow and orange for color and flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Ground bison. Find ground bison at most major grocery stores or Costco for the best price. Costco’s packaging is a bit bigger 1.25 pound per pack, so adjust recipe accordingly.
- Onion and garlic.
- Low sodium black beans.
- Zucchini. I always try to sneak in some kind of vegetables like in my Shrimp and Zucchini Risotto , Ground Chicken Lasagna and my Gluten Free Zucchini Banana Bread. Pro tip- use a food processor to chop or shred it but be sure to drain the excess water with a paper towel.
- Spanish Rice with Tomato Sauce. Use your favorite Spanish rice recipe or try mine. While any white or brown rice works, Spanish rice compliments the overall flavor and spices.
- Tomato sauce.
- Cheddar cheese. While this recipe only uses a 1/2 cup, feel free to make it more cheesy if you like.
- Enchilada Spice Blend. This is my special homemade blend with cumin, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, coriander, cayenne and salt. I like to use it on recipes such as Cod Tacos, Bison Tacos, and Beef Enchilada Soup just to name a few.
- Cilantro. Optional for garnish.
How to make Bison Stuffed Peppers
Step One: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice the tops off each pepper and remove seeds. Add the peppers and boil for 2 minutes to slightly soften. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
Step Two: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground bison and cook through breaking apart as it cooks.
Step Three: Add enchilada spice blend and stir to coat the bison evenly. Add zucchini and black beans — stir to combine.
Step Four: Add Spanish rice and tomato sauce — stir everything together until well combined. Add ¼ cup shredded cheddar and stir into the filling until melted and incorporated.
Step Five: Generously fill each pepper with the bison mixture. Place stuffed peppers in a pie dish or baking dish. Top each pepper with remaining shredded cheddar.
Step Six: Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cover loosely with foil if you prefer a softer cheese topping. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
Storing and reheating Bison Stuffed Bell Peppers
Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes until warmed through. These freeze beautifully. Cut in half and store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Helpful tips
- Use large wide peppers. They hold more filling and sit more stably in the baking dish.
- A mix of red, yellow and orange peppers makes the dish more colorful and visually stunning and each color has a slightly different sweetness.
- Run the zucchini through a food processor to chop and drain with paper towels before adding. This removes excess moisture and prevents a watery filling.
- If using my Spanish Rice recipe omit the extra onion and reduce garlic to 1-2 cloves since the rice already has those flavors built in.
- A pie dish works perfectly for 7 peppers — they hold each other upright during baking.
- Boiling the peppers for just 2 minutes softens them slightly without making them mushy — don’t skip this step. Be sure to drain any water from the boiled peppers.
Serving suggestions
Ground Bison Stuffed Peppers are like a meal on their own but definitely try it with side dishes such as:
- A simple green salad or roasted vegetables like Rosemary Carrots or Cumin Sweet Potatoes.
- Top with sliced avocado or 4 Ingredient Guacamole or try with fresh pico de gallo.
- Add a dollop of Greek yogurt.
- For variations: swap bison for ground turkey or ground chicken, change the rice to brown or white- or even use quinoa, swap cheddar cheese for pepper jack, and add corn sweetness.
For weekly new recipes, join my email list and get delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox.
Did you make this recipe and love it? Please leave a comment and give it a 5 Star Rating! THANK YOU!
Bison Stuffed Peppers (High Protein, Gluten Free)
Save This Recipe
Want to get this recipe in your email? Just enter your email below and get it now along with new recipe updates!
Ingredients
- 7 whole bell peppers large and wide is best, mix of red yellow and orange for color
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground bison
- ½ medium onion diced — omit if using my Spanish Rice recipe
- 3 cloves garlic cloves minced, reduce to 1-2 if using my Spanish Rice recipe
- 15 oz black beans low sodium, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium zucchini chopped in food processed or shredded and drained
- 2 cups spanish rice
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup shredded cheddar — divided ¼ cup stirred into filling and remaining on top
- cilantro for garnish
Enchilada Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice the tops off each pepper and remove seeds. Place pepper in water and boil for 2 minutes to slightly soften. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground bison and cook through breaking apart as it cooks.
- Add enchilada spice blend and stir to coat the bison evenly. Add zucchini and black beans then stir to combine.
- Add Spanish rice and tomato sauce and stir everything together until well combined. Add ¼ cup shredded cheddar and stir into the filling until melted.
- Generously fill each pepper with the bison mixture. Place stuffed peppers in a pie dish or baking dish. Top each pepper with remaining shredded cheddar.
- Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cover loosely with foil if you prefer a softer cheese topping. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes until warmed through. These freeze beautifully — store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Helpful Tips:
- Use large wide peppers. They hold more filling and sit more stably in the baking dish.
- A mix of red, yellow and orange peppers makes the dish more colorful and visually stunning and each color has a slightly different sweetness.
- Run the zucchini through a food processor to chop and drain with paper towels before adding. This removes excess moisture and prevents a watery filling.
- If using my Spanish Rice recipe omit the extra onion and reduce garlic to 1-2 cloves since the rice already has those flavors built in.
- A pie dish works perfectly for 7 peppers — they hold each other upright during baking.
- Boiling the peppers for just 2 minutes softens them slightly without making them mushy — don’t skip this step. Be sure to drain any water from the boiled peppers.
Nutrition
Making this recipe? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @whensaltyandsweetunite or use hashtag #whensaltyandsweetunite .
