Description
Sizzling bell pepper nachos bring Mexican-inspired comfort straight to your dinner table, offering a low-carb twist on classic game-day fare. Crisp pepper boats loaded with melted cheese, spicy ground meat, and zesty toppings ensure you’ll savor every delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Meat:
- 1/4 pound (113g) lean ground turkey
Vegetables:
- 9–11 mini bell peppers (8 ounces / 227g)
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
Seasonings and Other Ingredients:
- 4 ounces (113g) light Mexican shredded cheese
- 1/2 can fat-free refried beans (7 1/2 ounces / 213g)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- Cooking oil spray
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Chopped tomato
- Chopped avocado
- Sliced olives
Instructions
- Carefully slice mini bell peppers lengthwise, removing tops and seeds to create perfect nacho vessels.
- Dice onions and jalapeños into uniform, fine pieces for balanced flavor distribution.
- Crumble ground turkey into small, even fragments to ensure consistent cooking.
- Combine turkey, onions, and jalapeños in air fryer basket, applying a light mist of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook the turkey mixture at 375°F for 5 minutes, breaking up meat further during cooking. Add an extra minute if meat appears undercooked.
- Create a robust filling by blending cooked turkey, sautéed vegetables, refried beans, salsa, chili powder, and salt into a cohesive mixture.
- Arrange pepper halves in a single layer within air fryer basket, positioning cut side upward.
- Generously pack each pepper half with the prepared turkey and bean mixture, ensuring tight, even filling.
- Sprinkle a generous layer of shredded cheese over stuffed peppers, covering completely.
- Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until cheese melts and develops a golden, bubbly surface.
- Allow peppers to rest briefly, then garnish with preferred nacho toppings like sour cream, cilantro, or guacamole.
- Serve piping hot and savor immediately for optimal taste and texture.
Notes
- Customize heat levels by adjusting jalapeño quantity or using milder/spicier pepper varieties for different taste preferences.
- Ensure ground turkey is thoroughly cooked and crumbled into small, uniform pieces for consistent texture and even cooking.
- Prevent soggy nachos by patting bell pepper halves dry before stuffing and avoiding excess liquid ingredients.
- Use low-fat cheese or dairy-free alternatives to make this recipe suitable for health-conscious or lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 50mg