Elevate your nacho game with these vibrant and nutritious Bell Pepper Nachos! They feature seasoned ground beef atop crisp bell pepper wedges, smothered in melted Cheddar cheese. This fun alternative to traditional nachos offers endless customization with your favorite toppings--get prepared to be hooked!
PEPPERS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with foil and set aside. Slice peppers in half down the middle. Cut each half into 3 even-sized wedges to get 6 wedges per pepper. Remove the membranes and seeds; discard.
PEPPERS CONT.: Add cut peppers to sheet pan. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season to taste (I add ¾ tsp salt & ¼ tsp pepper). Toss until peppers are evenly coated and then assemble cut-side up, positioned next to each other. Bake for 5 minutes then remove.
BEEF: Meanwhile, in a large skillet over high heat, add remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Push the onion to the edges and add the ground beef to the center of the pan. Let the beef sear (brown) before crumbling with a wooden spoon and browning most of the way through, about 3-5 minutes. Drain or remove any grease if needed.
FINISH BEEF: Reduce the heat to medium and add the taco seasoning. Stir until the beef is fully cooked through and the seasoning is fragrant, about 1-3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer until nicely thickened. Turn off the heat. Add the drained and rinsed black beans and corn; mix through. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
ASSEMBLE: Spoon the beef mixture across the bell peppers in an even layer. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: While they're baking, prep the toppings. Whisk together sour cream and lime juice until smooth; transfer to a small zip-top bag. Seal without air and snip off the tip to pipe across the nachos. Add some guac to a small zip-top bag, seal without air, and snip off the tip.
ENJOY: Right out of the oven, add the toppings. We like to pipe on the sour cream and guac and dig in!
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Notes
Note 1: Homemade taco seasoning: Combine the following and use in place of the packaged mix, if desired: 1 tablespoon ground chili powder, 1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, fine sea salt, pepper.