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Home » Recipes » Beef

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers

Published: May 16, 2021 Last Updated: May 16, 2021 by Marye 1577 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

Just 30 minutes to cook!! These easy meatloaf stuffed bell peppers are quick to put together, can be made ahead, freezes like a dream, and tastes deliciously moist and meaty. Wrapping them in bacon keeps them moist and gives them even more flavor.
Total time 45 minutes
Jump to Recipe
Red bell peppers stuffed with meatloaf and wrapped with bacon on a platter. Text overlay for Pinterest

The flavors from the bacon and peppers saturate the meat during cooking to create a family friendly meal that looks (and tastes) like you slaved in the kitchen all afternoon. Think of it as stuffed peppers without rice!

Quick and easy for weeknight dinners! Best comfort food you'll ever eat.

red bell pepper stuffed with meat and wrapped in bacon with title text overlay.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
  • 🥗 Best sides for meatloaf
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

  • Quicker than regular meatloaf recipes
  • Absolutely delicious
  • Freeze well

A spicy, seasoned meatloaf mixture is packed into bell pepper halves and then the whole thing wrapped in bacon and baked. The peppers and bacon add their flavors to the meat as it cooks and keeps it nice and moist.

This family friendly meal looks (and tastes) like you slaved in the kitchen all afternoon! And, since you're making small meatloaves, rather than one big one, the cooking time is way shorter -- just about 30 minutes.

🧾 Ingredients

Here are the meatloaf stuffed pepper ingredients so you can make this simple (yet stunning!) recipe-

  • Bell peppers add so much flavor as the meatloaf cooks! If you have any kind of questions about peppers you'll want to read this post about bell peppers!
  • Ground beef used is 90/10 or lower fat. The meatloaf stays moist because of the Bell pepper and the bacon so there's no reason to use a fattier blend.
  • Panko bread crumbs add texture and help it all hold together.
  • Onion adds even more flavor. Use yellow or white - either is fine.
  • Spicy Catsup is my preference because I like the flavor. You can use regular catsup if you like.
  • Eggs act as a binder in this recipe. Large eggs were used.
  • Salt and pepper are the only seasoning you'll need.
  • Bacon adds a smoky flavor as well as helping the meat stay moist.

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Cut the peppers in half long-wise and remove seeds and membrane.
  3. Set aside.
  4. Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, ketchup, eggs, salt, and pepper together until it is well blended.
  5. Pack an equal amount of the mixture in each Bell pepper half.
  6. Wind bacon around the pepper and meatloaf, securing it with toothpicks.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155F and the bacon is crispy.
  8. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

See the recipe card for slow cooker instructions.

Three stuffed peppers on a serving platter.
Meatloaf stuffed peppers look fancy but they're so easy!

You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

  • 13x9 inch baking dish
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons

🥫 Storage

You can assemble the meatloaf stuffed peppers up to 2 days ahead of time and bake when ready. Once baked these easy meatloaf stuffed peppers will be fine in the refrigerator for about 3 or 4 days. Be sure to cover with plastic wrap.

You can also freeze these for up to 3 months in an airtight container, baked or unbaked. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed. If they're cooked then thaw and heat in the microwave or in the oven.

💭 Things to know

You'll want to cook any meatloaf until an instant read thermometer registers 150F in the center. After you take it out of the oven you'll let it stand for 5 minutes or so while allows all the juices to settle as well as bringing the final temperature up to 160F.

The nice thing about meatloaf is that it can be served at any temperature and it will still taste scrumptious!

  • Save time by assembling them up to 2 days ahead of time and baking when you are ready to eat.
  • I like to cut the peppers in half longwise and fill each half with meatloaf because it cooks more quickly. You can also just cut the tops of the peppers off, clean out the seeds, and stuff the whole pepper with the meat mixture.
  • You can make these on the grill - just place on top of an aluminum pan so the fat doesn't catch on fire. Add some wood chips to the grill for even more flavor from the smoke.

👩🏻‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

How long do you cook meatloaf?

A conventional meatloaf made in a loaf pan cooks for about an hour however this bacon wrapped meatloaf recipe takes just 30 minutes since they are a small size.

Can you make this recipe in a slow cooker?

Yes you can! You'll just cook on low for about 6 hours.

🥗 Best sides for meatloaf

  • Mashed potatoes
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Corn Pudding
  • Green Beans
  • Salad
  • Cloverleaf Rolls

These easy mini meatloaf stuffed peppers have plenty of variations - and because they freeze really well they're great to have on hand. Here are some of my favorites.

  • Use poblano peppers.
  • Use the small sweet peppers to use this recipe to make appetizers. Bake for just 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temp is 160.
  • Add a slice of cheese to the top before wrapping in the bacon.
  • Make cheese stuffed meatloaf by forming the ground beef around a cube or two of Pepper-Jack cheese.
  • Substitute crushed crackers for the Panko.
  • Hollow out Vidalia onions and use in place of the Bell peppers. So good!
  • Ground venison works really well in this recipe because this cooks in bell peppers and is wrapped in bacon. The fat helps it to stay moist.

📚 Related recipes

Here are some more of my favorite quick and easy recipes.

  • Chicken Alfredo Ravioli takes no more than 15 minutes if you start with a rotisserie chicken from the deli.
  • Meatballs with Honey Garlic Sauce are sweet and tangy - and best of all just take about 30 minutes.
  • Bourbon Chicken is another 30 minute meal that tastes just like the food court favorite!
  • Shrimp Po' Boy with Spicy Avocado Remoulade just needs some chips to round out the meal.
  • Stuffed Pepper Soup is so good and it takes just 30 minutes or less -- or you can make it in a slow cooker.
  • Grilled Shrimp Creole is quick and easy for summer!
Close up of a meatloaf stuffed bell pepper

📞 The last word

I love meatloaf.

I know it's totally not a cool thing to love but to me it is one of those iconic comfort foods from my childhood. It's inexpensive, easy to make, and if you are lucky enough to have leftovers (we never do) it's even better the next day.

The extra flavor that it gets when made into these meatloaf stuffed Bell peppers wrapped in bacon just takes it right over the top!

Today I was running late, as usual. I had the ingredients for meatloaf out when I spotted some red Bell peppers in the fridge that definitely needed to be used.

Please tell me that I am not the only one that goes to Costco, see's all this amazing fresh produce, then loses it in the auxiliary fridge until it's almost too late!

Being totally honest? Sometimes it's way, way, way too late and I just have to feel guilty and through the fuzzy, blue mass away, wondering what it was before it was fuzzy and blue.

One of the things I like to do is make a bunch of them when I have some free time then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer container.

Doing it that way means I can make as many as I need without thawing all of them. That's super important during those times everyone is going in different directions at different times!

📖 Recipe

closeup of meatloaf stuffed red bell peppers wrapped in crispy bacon - recipe card image.
4.84 from 6 votes

Meatloaf Stuffed Bell Peppers Wrapped in Bacon

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Just 30 minutes to cook!! These easy meatloaf stuffed bell peppers are quick to put together, can be made ahead, freezes like a dream, and tastes deliciously moist and meaty. Wrapping them in bacon keeps them moist and gives them even more flavor.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Standing Time (after cooking): 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings:6
Calories:662
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • toothpicks
  • insta-read thermometer
  • 13x9-inch pan

Ingredients

  • 3 bell peppers, large
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • ¾ cup bread crumbs, I used Panko
  • ½ cup onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup sriracha ketchup, use plain catsup if you don't like it spicy
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • 12 slices bacon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375F.
  • Cut the peppers in half long-wise and remove seeds and membrane.
  • Set aside.
  • Mix the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, ketchup, eggs, salt, and pepper together until it is well blended.
  • Pack an equal amount of the mixture in each Bell pepper half.
  • Wind bacon around the pepper and meatloaf, securing it with toothpicks.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155F and the bacon is crispy.
  • Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Don't wrap with bacon - place cooked, crumbled bacon on the top after cooking.
  • Prepare as above but without wrapping with bacon.
  • Add ¼ cup of water or tomato juice to the slow cooker.
  • Add the meatloaf stuffed peppers to the slow cooker.
  • Cook on low 6 hours.
  • Serve.

Notes

These easy mini meatloaf stuffed peppers have plenty of variations - and because they freeze really well they're great to have on hand. Here are some of my favorites.
  • Use poblano peppers.
  • Use the small sweet peppers to use this recipe to make appetizers. Bake for just 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temp is 160.
  • Add a slice of cheese to the top before wrapping in the bacon.
  • Make cheese stuffed meatloaf by forming the ground beef around a cube or two of Pepper-Jack cheese.
  • Substitute crushed crackers for the Panko.
  • Make on the grill - just place on top of an aluminum pan so the fat doesn't catch on fire. Add some wood chips for even more flavor.
  • Hollow out Vidalia onions and use in place of the Bell peppers. So good!
  • Ground venison works really well in this recipe because this cooks in Bell peppers and is wrapped in bacon. The fat helps it to stay moist.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 662kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1183mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1930IU | Vitamin C: 77.4mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4.1mg

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    First published October 5, 2015. Last updated May 16, 2021 to improve user experience and add more information.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy

      October 06, 2015 at 9:10 am

      5 stars
      My mom used to make meatloaf stuffed peppers growing up and I loved them.Your version has me so excited! I can't wait to try this "grown up" version, I say grown up because I wouldn't eat spicy food as a kid, but I love it now.

      Reply
    2. Kacey @ The Cookie Writer

      October 06, 2015 at 8:12 am

      Holy moly, girl, this has to be the best thing ever! I love making meatloaf and stuffed peppers, but combining them together and adding bacon?! I know my husband is going to thank me later!

      Reply
    3. Paula - bell'alimento

      October 06, 2015 at 7:46 am

      This might be my new favorite stuffed pepper recipe. Looks incredible.

      Reply
    4. Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom

      October 06, 2015 at 7:01 am

      Cool or not, I love meatloaf too and this meatloaf may just make it cool!

      Reply

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