Tex-Mex Breakfast Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Stuffed peppers for breakfast may seem like a bit of a stretch, but once you try them, you'll understand, and you'll realize how they slot so perfectly into the pantheon of savory, hearty breakfast foods. As recipe developer Patterson Watkins says of this dish, "If you're a fan of Tex-Mex breakfast foods in the style of migas or rancheros or chilaquiles or, frankly, if you just love potatoes and chorizo, these stuffed peppers are a delight. The hash browns are heartily seasoned with garlic and cumin, as well as any and all tasty drippings that result from the browned ground chorizo. The black beans and layers of cheddar cheese add a rich and creamy contrast to the zesty sausage." The bell pepper baskets act as the perfect vessel, containing everything in a neat, colorful package, while a baked egg makes the perfect topper.

"If I needed to make a big batch of breakfast for a group, this would be my go-to recipe," says Watkins, since it's really quite easy to prepare and can be fairly wallet-friendly, too. In fact, Watkins says that if you're making these breakfast stuffed peppers as part of a meal to feed a whole lot of people or one that also includes other dishes, you can easily cut the peppers in half to make 12 "boats." There's no need to double up on any ingredients other than eggs, as Watkins assures us, "There's plenty of filling to go around."

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

This breakfast recipe starts with bell peppers, while you'll also need olive oil, garlic, salt, paprika, and cumin for cooking, along with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, and a jalapeño for topping. As for the filling, it's made from chorizo, canned black beans, cheddar, eggs, and frozen hash browns.

The reason Watkins uses frozen hash browns (which we've ranked for your shopping convenience) is that doing so saves on prep and cooking time. If you prefer to use fresh-grated potatoes, that's okay too, but you'll need to squeeze all of the moisture out and saute them for five or six minutes longer.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once hot, add the chorizo, and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the potatoes to the skillet and season with salt, paprika, and cumin. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the black beans, stir to combine.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Spoon ⅓ of the sausage-potato mixture into a 13x9-inch casserole dish.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Nestle the bell peppers into the mixture (this will help keep the peppers upright while baking).

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Fill the peppers ¾ full with the remaining mixture, gently pressing to compact.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Divide the grated cheese between the peppers and gently press to compact.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Crack an egg into each pepper and place the casserole dish in the oven.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Bake for 30 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through and set.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove from the oven and divide the stuffed peppers between plates. Serve with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro, and jalapeño on the side for customization.

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Because bell peppers are the base of this recipe, it's important to pick good ones. The ingredients list calls for three different colors, but this is primarily for visual appeal. Yellow and orange peppers are usually sweeter, while green ones have a more vegetal, earthy taste and can be slightly grassy and bitter. Any kind of bell pepper would work here, though; you can use whichever kind you prefer.

When choosing your produce, you can ignore the bell pepper myth that tells you to count the lobes. According to this urban legend, four-lobed peppers are sweeter and three-lobed ones more bitter, but there's no truth to this assertion. Watkins tells us, "I know this is gonna sound weird, but give your peppers a test at the grocery store before buying them. What you're looking for is relatively  sturdy bell peppers that can stand on their own, upright." The base of extra filling provides some support, but if the peppers are too thin or weak, you could still run into issues. "You don't want a flimsy pepper falling over during the baking step and spilling out the egg. You also want to pick peppers that are similar in size — this will ensure an even bake."

When prepping your peppers, first slice the tops off, then reach in to gently pry out the membranes and seeds. For extra pepper flavor, you can cut up the tops (apart from the stems) and save them to throw in the frying pan along with the sausage and potatoes.

It might seem like a recipe calling for meat, eggs, and cheese would be impossible to veganize, but Watkins assures us this isn't the case. Plant-based sausage crumbles can take the place of the chorizo, while plant-based dairy products can take the place of the cheddar and sour cream. Even the eggs, too, can be replaced with a scrambled vegan egg substitute. If you're not vegan but just don't care for baked eggs, you can also substitute the scrambled kind, but add them at the end or par-cook them to shy of your desired scrambled-egg-doneness so that they don't get too rubbery in the oven.

The toppings for this recipe are also not set in stone. Salsa verde could take the place of pico de gallo, while you could use plain yogurt in place of sour cream. Skip the cilantro if you hate this herb, or replace the guacamole with diced avocado. Instead of a fresh jalapeño, you could use a few slices of the pickled kind or add extra heat with serranos. For a less-spicy breakfast, the jalapeño could also be replaced with canned diced green chiles, as these are often made from milder Anaheim peppers.