Venison taco stuffed peppers — a hearty, colorful weeknight dinner ready in 30 minutes.Quick answer Halve 4 bell peppers, pre-bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then fill with a skillet mixture of ground venison, sautéed onion, garlic, salsa, taco seasoning, and Instant rice. Top with Monterey Jack cheese and bake 20 more minutes. Total time: 30 minutes. Serves 8.
There's something satisfying about taking a classic like taco night and turning it into a hearty, knife-and-fork meal — and that's exactly what Alfred Eggermont of MasterChef Junior delivers with these Venison Taco Stuffed Peppers. Sweet bell peppers become the perfect vessel for a rich, savory filling made with ground venison, sautéed onion, garlic, salsa, and taco seasoning, all brought together with Instant rice and finished with melted Monterey Jack cheese. As the peppers roast and soften in the oven, they soak up all that great flavor.
This recipe is a great option for a weeknight dinner or a casual gathering with friends and family. It's a practical, approachable way to showcase ground venison, turning a handful of everyday ingredients into a meal that's filling, colorful, and guaranteed to have everyone reaching for seconds.
If you're working through venison in the freezer, also check out Alfred's Wild Game Wednesday teammates: Jeff Benda's Grilled Venison Butter Burgers and Lance Lewis's Smoked Salmon with Fresh Herbs.
Recipe at a glance
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
|---|---|
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
| Yield | Serves 8 (8 pepper halves) |
| Oven temperature | 350°F |
| Equipment | Rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, large (12-inch) skillet, sharp knife |
Why ground venison works so well in stuffed peppers
Ground venison is naturally lean — typically under 3% fat — which means it absorbs surrounding flavors exceptionally well. In this recipe, the venison soaks up the salsa, taco seasoning, and aromatic base of onion and garlic as it cooks, giving you a filling that's bold and savory without being greasy. That leanness also makes the dish lighter than a comparable ground beef version, while still delivering plenty of protein per serving.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
- 1 cup Instant rice
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
A sharp chef's knife makes halving and seeding the peppers clean and fast — the Outdoor Edge ErgoMax Chef Knife handles the prep with ease.Step 1: How to pre-bake bell peppers for stuffed peppers
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Use a sharp knife to cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Set the pepper halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes to soften them before filling.
Halved and seeded — pre-baking the peppers for 10 minutes ensures they come out tender after the final bake.Step 2: How to build the venison taco filling
While the peppers pre-bake, heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the ground venison and cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.
Onion and garlic build the aromatic base — sauté them first before adding the venison.Step 3: How to add rice and simmer the venison filling
Stir in the salsa, taco seasoning, Instant rice, and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid, about 3 minutes. The filling should be thick and scoopable — not watery.
Step 4: How to fill and finish venison stuffed peppers in the oven
Remove the pre-baked peppers from the oven and spoon the venison filling evenly into each pepper half. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top of each. Return the filled peppers to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the filling is hot and the cheese is fully melted.
Fill generously — each pepper half gets a full tablespoon of cheese on top before the final 20-minute bake.Bell pepper color guide for stuffed peppers
| Pepper color | Flavor profile | Best use in this recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Sweet, mild | Best overall — sweetness complements the taco seasoning |
| Yellow | Fruity, mild | Great contrast to the savory venison filling |
| Orange | Sweet-tangy | Works well, similar to red |
| Green | Slightly bitter, earthy | Works but can compete with the salsa — use if that's what you have |
Customization ideas
The base recipe is intentionally simple and pantry-friendly. A few tested variations worth trying:
- Cheese swap: Pepper jack adds heat; sharp cheddar adds depth. Either works in place of Monterey Jack.
- Salsa heat level: The recipe calls for 1 cup of salsa — use mild, medium, or hot based on your preference. The taco seasoning already carries some spice.
- Protein swap: Ground elk, antelope, or a venison/pork blend all work in place of straight ground venison.
- Add toppings: Sour cream, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, or diced avocado all make great finishes after the peppers come out of the oven.
Out of the oven and ready to serve — the cheese should be fully melted and the filling steaming hot.Frequently asked questions
What is the best ground venison recipe for stuffed peppers?
This recipe from Alfred Eggermont uses 1 pound of ground venison with salsa, taco seasoning, onion, garlic, Instant rice, and Monterey Jack cheese stuffed into 4 halved bell peppers. The combination of pre-baking the peppers and simmering the filling separately gives you tender peppers and a well-seasoned, fully cooked filling every time.
Can I use ground elk or other wild game instead of venison?
Yes. Ground elk, antelope, moose, or a venison/pork blend all work in place of ground venison. Lean wild game will behave similarly since the filling gets most of its moisture from the salsa and water. If your ground meat already contains added fat, the filling may be slightly richer.
Do you have to pre-bake the peppers before stuffing them?
Yes, and it makes a meaningful difference. Pre-baking the halved peppers for 10 minutes before stuffing ensures they come out fully tender after the final 20-minute bake. Skipping this step risks undercooked, crunchy peppers — especially with larger bell peppers.
Can I make venison stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the filling and pre-bake the peppers up to 24 hours ahead, store them separately in the fridge, then fill and do the final 20-minute bake when ready to serve. Fully assembled stuffed peppers can also be refrigerated and reheated in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.
What can I substitute for Instant rice in this recipe?
Instant rice is called for because it absorbs liquid quickly in the skillet, keeping the filling thick. If you substitute regular long-grain rice, you'll need to pre-cook it separately and skip the water addition in step 3. Pre-cooked cauliflower rice also works for a lower-carb option.
How many servings does this recipe make?
The recipe yields 8 servings — one stuffed pepper half per person. With a salad or side dish, two halves per person makes a more filling entrée serving for 4.
What internal temperature should the venison stuffed peppers reach?
The USDA recommends cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of 160°F. Because the venison is cooked in the skillet before going into the oven, the filling is already fully cooked by the time it's stuffed. The final 20-minute bake heats the filling through and melts the cheese.
What knife is best for cutting bell peppers?
A sharp chef's knife makes the cleanest cut through bell peppers. The Outdoor Edge ErgoMax Chef Knife is designed for exactly this kind of prep work — a single clean cut straight through the pepper without crushing it.
More wild game and wild-caught recipes drop every other Wednesday. Browse the full Wild Game Wednesday series, including Grilled Venison Butter Burgers and Smoked Salmon with Fresh Herbs.
