Mexican Stuffed Peppers with Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
This modern take on an old favorite comes together quickly, and, since everything is cooked on a single sheet pan, cleaning up takes nearly no time at all. It isn’t necessary to cook either the filling or the peppers in advance, as 40 minutes in the oven will get the job done, keeping hands-on time to a minimum.
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers, preferably 3 different colors
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb. (750 g) lean ground beef
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) tomato sauce
- 4 Tbs. (1/4 oz/7 g) packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) slices
- 1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sour cream (optional)
Directions
Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise (through the stem end) and remove the seeds and membranes. Brush the pepper halves inside and out with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Place, cut side up, on one end of the prepared baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, garlic, tomato sauce, 2 Tbs. of the cilantro, the chili powder, cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Stir gently to mix. Fill the pepper cavities with the beef mixture.
In a bowl, toss together the sweet potatoes, chipotle chiles and the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Place in a single layer on the other end of the baking sheet. Roast, stirring the sweet potatoes halfway through cooking, until they are caramelized and fork-tender and the meat is cooked through, about 40 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the cheese over the peppers.
To serve, garnish the peppers with the remaining 2 Tbs. cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately with the sweet potatoes alongside. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Sheet Pan Suppers (Weldon Owen, 2016)