Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

These Breakfast Stuffed Peppers are a delicious and nutritious way to start your day. This healthy breakfast packs in protein from eggs, vitamins and minerals from plenty of veggies, and a boost of heart-healthy fiber from black beans. This breakfast is versatile too, allowing you to swap in your favorite ingredients and spices. Keep it plant-based, or add more protein with additions like cooked crumbled sausage or chorizo.

In a rush? No problem! You can prepare the peppers up to two days ahead so all you have to do is pop them in the oven when you’re just about ready to eat. Check out our expert tips and tricks below to make these breakfast stuffed peppers a recipe you’ll turn to again and again.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!

• To make sure the peppers cook evenly, buy peppers that are the same size. Four large peppers are the perfect size to hold all the filling. If you use smaller peppers, you may need more than four. Smaller peppers may need less time in the oven. You’ll know they are done when the eggs are set all the way through.
• You need to keep the peppers upright to hold in all that delicious filling! If the pepper isn’t laying flat when you are about to fill it, shave off a small, flat piece from the back side to prevent the pepper from tipping sideways when you fill it. Just make sure you don’t cut all the way through so the filling leaks out. You can also use a rolled ball of foil placed under the peppers to keep them stable. 
• Feel free to switch things up, but don’t add ingredients that are too wet or could overfill the peppers. Be sure to cook the ingredients like we do in Step 2 before adding them to the mixture. Consider swapping out the kale for spinach or chard, using pinto beans in place of the black beans, trying a different color of bell peppers or using shredded pepper Jack for a spicy kick.

Nutrition Notes

• Red bell peppers offer about 40% more vitamin C than green ones. Bell peppers are packed with phytochemicals and nutrients that have natural anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is linked to long-term health issues such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes,
• Kale is an excellent source of vitamin K, which helps keep your bones strong and protects your heart. Kale also contains cancer-fighting phytonutrients that may reduce the risk of chronic illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular disease.
• Eggs are more than just a protein powerhouse. The yolks are a source of nutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin D and choline, which help our bodies process food into energy. Plus, the blend of protein and healthy fat in eggs provides lasting satiety that helps get you through the morning to your next meal.
• Legumes like black beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. They also pack a healthy dose of fiber, which can help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.