Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers

9/28/14

Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers are even more fun when you carve those peppers like pumpkins. With an easy and tasty beef and veggie mix topped with cheesy mashed Idaho® potatoes, you’ll have heads turning with Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions are my own.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

Jack O’Lantern Stuffed Peppers Shepherds Pie

Did your mom make a special Halloween dinner for you when you were a kid? Yeah, me either. I mean, I was of the generation that went trick-or-treating on our way home from school, stopped in to scramble to do any little bit of homework that any witchy teachers dared to assign on Halloween, then it was back out with my friends to keep filling our bags with treats. In fact, as I got a bit older, my friends and I would just stop in for a slice at the local pizzeria.

I think these mummy hot dogs, spaghetti brains with eyeballs, and meatloaf zombies are all a product of the Pinterest era. And while it sometimes seems that all of these websites and blogs (like, ahem, mine) have created a wee bit of craziness, fun food for Halloween is something I am totally down with. I mean, Halloween is all about silliness and fun, with maybe a sprinkling of creepy and eery, just for good measure. And if digging into monster guts or ghoulish graveyards or spiderwebs gets you in the spirit, I say “Go for it!”

In fact, I think these may become a Halloween tradition in my house…

I mean, how much fun are these Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers?

OK, so I know it looks and sounds like a bit of work, but I promise you, it’s super easy and can even be prepared in advance. All you need is a little paring knife to carve some cute or creepy little faces into your orange bell peppers. While you are boiling up some Idaho® potatoes, brown up a pound of ground beef and mix it with veggies (I used frozen to keep is super easy) and a simple gravy. Stuff that into the peppers, mash up the potatoes with come cheddar cheeses, and pop them into the oven. Just a short while later, you have these…

I mean, come on, how can you resist? And not only do they look awesome, they taste pretty awesome as well. Now I’ll be honest, The Bug isn’t the biggest pepper fan, but King Stuff took care of that. And both boys happily munched away on their meaty filling and of course the mashed Idaho® potatoes! Plus, they are healthy and loaded with protein and veggies, so they’ll fuel your little trick-or-treaters all over the neighborhood!

And if carving actual pumpkins has got you all jack o’lanterned out, then just skip the funny faces altogether to just make regular Shepherds Pie Stuffed Peppers.

They’ll still be delicious any time of the year, like maybe when you are tired of Thanksgiving turkey leftovers but still want a cute little reminder of the harvest season. See, pumpkins! Cuuuute!

Looking for more recipes with Idaho® potatoes for Halloween and all year? Follow the Idaho Potato Commission on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

For more Fun and Scary Halloween Recipes for your parties or even just your family, check out these recipes from the Idaho Potato Commission, our Fun and Creepy Halloween Recipes Pinterest Board, and all of the #SundaySupper recipes featuring Idaho® potatoes at the bottom of this post!

Do you make a special Halloween dinner for your family?

5 from 2 votes

Print

Jack O'Lantern Shepherd's Pie Stuffed Peppers

Turn heads for Halloween with an easy, tasty beef and veggie mix topped with cheesy mashed potatoes stuffed into ghoulish peppers.

Course: Main

Cuisine: Irish

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 4-6 orange peppers See Note*
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
• 1 garlic clove crushed or minced
• 3/4 cup tomato paste one 6-ounce can
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ cups beef broth
• 4 cups or about two 10 oz. packages frozen vegetable medley, thawed (carrots, peas, corn, and green beans)
• 1 pound Idaho® russet potatoes peeled and cut into about 1 inch chunks
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

1. Slice the top off of each of the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and, if desired, use a paring knife to carve a jack o'lantern face into each pepper.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until it is browned. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the tomato paste, Worscestershire sauce, and beef broth. Add vegetables, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. While the meat is cooking, place the Idaho® potatoes and a pinch of salt into a pot of cold water, cover, and bring to boil. Remove cover and boil for 10-12 minutes, until fork tender. Drain and return to the pot, add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream, milk, and salt. With potato masher or hand mixer, mash to desired consistency.
4. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
5. Divide the meat mixture between the peppers, then top with the mashed Idaho® potatoes and remaining cheese, and place in a glass baking dish.
6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through, peppers are tender and cheese and potatoes are slightly browned.

Recipe Notes

If you don't want to make stuffed peppers, you can divide the beef and potato mixtures into ramekins and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F.

Enjoy this Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers recipe!

I’ve got some more spud-spiration for you…

• Beef & Potato Skillet Supper
• Buffalo Chicken Potato Hash
• Butternut Squash & Cheddar Potatoes au Gratin

Here is the entire “Spookified” #SundaySupper menu…