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Easy Ground Beef Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

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Pasilla peppers are a perfect pepper to stuff and bake. These stuffed pasilla peppers are mild, and add a great flavor that bakes into the filling.

Bake pasilla peppers into a casserole for a delicious dinner that is perfect for potlucks too.

Stuffed Pasilla Pepper on a plate. The pepper is stuffed with corn, tomato and ground beef. Topped with cheese and cilantro.

This summer has been a really busy summer for our family. We have been entertaining friends, and also going to some fun parties. Many of the parties we have gone to have been potluck this year.

Potlucks can be tricky when your family is gluten free, so we always like to bring a main dish so I know our family has something hearty that we can eat safely.

Summer is also fresh pepper season and pasilla peppers are one of my favorite types of pepper to cook with. You definitely can’t go wrong with this Mexican stuffed pepper recipe.

This easy ground beef stuffed pasilla pepper recipe is perfect for an easy dinner.

Here are two other family favorites to take to a potluck: Super Cheesy Zucchini Ribbon Lasagna Alfredo and Easy Butternut Squash Chili.

Close up of a Stuffed Pasilla Pepper on a plate

What are pasilla peppers?

Pasilla peppers are a mild to medium spicy pepper that is on the large side, making them perfect to stuff and bake. I love spicy foods, and I have yet to find a really spicy pasilla pepper. Pasilla peppers are in stores year round, thanks to moderate Mexican weather.

Pasilla Peppers aka Poblano Peppers

The fresh produce section is huge and when I first and saw these big fresh pasilla peppers, I knew they would make a great stuffed pepper dish. Pasilla peppers are also known as poblano peppers. A lot of people wonder if Chile Pasilla are hot.

These peppers have mild to moderate heat…but if you clean out the seeds before you make this recipe, they won’t be too spicy.

Pasilla peppers are mild and widely liked. I also picked up a bunch of spring onions and fresh cilantro to cook into the meat.

You can roast pasilla peppers, but I found they hold up better when they are stuffed with the ground beef when they are raw. This way the flavors all bake together.

More fun ingredients to stuff in pasilla peppers:

  • Roasted chicken and cheddar cheese.
  • Make it vegetarian and stuff your pasilla peppers with Mexican rice and black beans.
  • Go vegan and stuff your peppers with quinoa, kidney beans, tomato, and a vegan cheese.
  • Stuff and bake your pasilla peppers with chili and top with cheddar cheese.

If you love peppers, this Mini Sausage Stuffed Pepper appetizer recipe is fun to serve on game day!

How to make ground beef stuffed peppers:

Browning ground beef and spring onion in a pan

This casserole is really easy to make. Brown lean ground beef with spring onions. Add seasonings. This meat mixture will cook for 10 minutes.

TIP: Drain the fat out of the pan into a paper cup. (Don’t dump grease down the sink, it can adhere to pipes causing blockages later on!) Once the fat cools, toss it into the trash.

pasilla peppers in dish

Remove tops of pasilla peppers and also remove the seeds. In many peppers, a lot of the spice is in the seeds so make sure you remove all of the seeds.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. They make the perfect vessel to stuff with meat and cheese!

ground beef seasoned with diced tomatoes

Add tomatoes and continue to cook. Stuff each pepper with the meat mixture.

stuffed peppers ready to bake

Top with corn and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Click here to see my favorite Mexican recipes for Cinco De Mayo.

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers on a plate with the casserole dish in the background

Are you ready to make this easy ground beef stuffed pepper recipe?

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

Stuffed Pasilla Peppers

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Delicious stuffed pasilla peppers make a great dinner. Easy to make ahead and freeze.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 3-4 in pasilla peppers, tops and seeds removed, cut in half lengthwise
  • 3 spring onions, sliced thinly
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Spray non stick oil in a casserole dish.
  3. In a large pan, cook ground beef and spring onions.
  4. Cook until meat is cooked thoroughly.
  5. Season with salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper.
  6. Add diced tomatoes and simmer.
  7. Place pasilla peppers in casserole dish.
  8. Fill each pepper with meat mixture.
  9. Top with corn and Mexican cheese.
  10. Bake for 30 minutes.
  11. Top with fresh cilantro.
  12. *optional sour cream
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 711mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 39g
Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
© Sandi Gaertner
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Gluten Free Dinner Recipes

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa

    The peppers you used in this recipe are not pasilla, they are poblanos. I know, I know – I saw the previous posts about the confusion! Often the grocery stores in the US misname the chilies. It has lots of information about chiles, both dried (like pasilla chiles) and fresh chiles (like poblano chiles).

    Your recipe was fabulous! I loved the ease of it and how the flavors melded together. I’m giving the recipe to my sister, who loves Mexican food. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  2. Barbara J. Rowan

    Recipe sounds very good however the photo you show of the peppers are poblano not pasilla. Pasilla peppers are long and skinnier than a poblano. That’s why the peppers you used stuff so nicely because they are a wider pepper – a poblano.

    Reply

  5. Shashi at SavorySpin

    I hadn’t heard of Pasilla peppers prior to reading your post so thanks for that and thanks for this recipe – this looks so delicious and comforting!

    Reply

  8. Allyn Ritz

    Hi, at our local farm stand they had beautiful pasilla peppers and although we had never eaten them before, I bought a couple for us to try. They look similar to Anaheims and Poblanos, so why not? I found your recipe and tied it out, although I made it without meat. I used pinto beans instead. This was delicious. A new favorite recipe for us. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      Hi Allyn, I am so glad this recipe worked well for you. I need to try it your way with pinto beans next 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to write.

      Reply

  10. Healing Tomato

    This is so awesome. I love stuffing peppers. Your recipe is perfect for any meal. I am going hunting for Pasilla peppers

    Reply

  12. Diane

    Sandi I am so excited about this dish! Our Tiburon peppers are ripe! they look like pasillas and have a similar flavor. So good! Stuffing them like this is on my “to do ” list. i especially like the corn and cheese topping. Can’t wait to make this!

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      I love Tiburon peppers but I haven’t seen them in the market yet. Thanks for letting me know these are around 🙂

      Reply

  13. Michelle @ The Complete Savorist

    Are these true pasilla peppers or poblanos? Either way, this looks like something I would enjoy start to finish.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      According to the store they are pasilla peppers. Your question intrigued me so I double checked via google. Definitely pasilla peppers 🙂

      Reply

  14. Christine

    I’m not familiar w these peopers but now I will keep my eyes open for them. The casserole sounds fantastic. I generally bring something like lasagna or stuffed shells to a gathering.

    Reply

  16. Jeanne Horak-Druiff

    Oh I love the look of those! Stuffed bell peppers are household favourites here at Cooksister HQ. But I am envious of the ready availability of pasilla peppers – they are a speciality item over here 🙁 Smart & Final looks like a great service.

    Reply

  18. Peter @ Feed Your Soul Too

    I love peppers. This is a great way to use the peppers. I am so into this recipe. Get the idea.

    Reply

  19. Ana Fernandez

    oh my gosh! I’m not much of a fan of peppers, but this ones are like soooo droolworthy that I want to have them for breakfast lunch and dinner

    Reply

  21. Carolyn West

    I love any type of stuffed peppers. You reminded me that I haven’t made them in a long time and I probably should since my family loves them too. #client

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      I hope your family enjoys them Carolyn. Mine like it because the peppers are really mild, yet different from bell peppers.

      Reply

  22. lizzy

    I have a recipe similar to this that is so great – stuffed peppers are the best!!!!!!!!!! I love this recipe – I am all about one pot meals and roasting peppers are one of my favorite things – LOVE THIS!!!

    Reply

  23. Christine from Cook the Story

    I don’t think I’ve ever had pasilla peppers, but they look a lot like poblanos, and your casserole looks and sounds delicious.

    Reply

    • Sandi Gaertner

      They do look a lot like a poblano pepper, but they are more mild. Thank you for stopping by Christine 🙂

      Reply

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