Gluten-Free Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers are easy, nutritious, and delicious, plus they are perfect for the whole family. These peppers are loaded with flavorful meat and rice paired with delicious melted cheese on top, then air fried to perfection in minutes!
Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers are quick, simple, and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. They are also versatile and easy to customize with your favorite ingredients, making them perfect for picky eaters. These Stuffed Peppers are a staple in our household and pair well as is or with an air fried side dish.
If you need an Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet, be sure to check out the Air Fryer Cheat Sheet now!
If you prefer to make these in the oven, be sure to check out this post on How to Make Stuffed Peppers.
What ingredients do you need for Stuffed Peppers in the Air Fryer?
- Green Bell Peppers
- Lean Ground Beef
- Olive Oil
- Green Onion
- Fresh Parsley
- Ground Sage
- Garlic Salt
- Cooked Rice
- Marinara Sauce
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
If you prefer chicken-stuffed peppers, try these Air Fryer Chicken Stuffed Peppers.
How to Make Gluten-Free Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers:
Stuffed Peppers can be made in the Ninja Foodi Multi-Cooker using the Air Crisp Function or in a Traditional Air Fryer. They will be made the same way in either machine.
The first step will be to cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds, making sure they are fully cleaned out. Once the peppers are prepared, use a large skillet on the stove to fully brown and cook the ground beef on medium high heat. The remaining ingredients will be mixed in to form the meat mixture. This mixture will be stuffed inside each bell pepper.
It is possible to use an Italian Seasoning Blend as well instead of individual spices if you want a quick shortcut.
Once the peppers are prepared, they will be placed inside the air fryer basket. The basket can be lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper made for the air fryer if you want to make it a quicker clean-up. Be sure to leave some room around the sides of the peppers to allow air to flow evenly throughout the air fryer. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
Do you need to pre-cook the peppers?
These stuffed peppers are made in the air fryer from start to finish, so no pre-cooking is necessary. We have always found these to come out perfectly tender, easy to cut, and mix right in with the meat mixture.
Tips for Making Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers:
- Variations of Ingredients – This can be made with ground chicken or ground turkey instead of ground beef. The rice can be substituted with cauliflower rice, quinoa, or brown rice. This recipe is made with cooked rice, so it’s a great way to use leftover rice too.
- Do Not Overstuff – Add enough stuffing mixture to the peppers, but keep room allowed on top for spillage.
- Stabilize the Peppers – When adding the peppers to the basket, use the peppers to stabilize each other or use the sides of the basket. It’s best to use similar sizes.
- Meal Prep Friendly – The peppers can be fully prepared the day before and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to add to the air fryer. This makes them very meal prep friendly.
- Check for Doneness – The peppers should be tender but not mushy. Keep an eye on them the first time you use your machine, as all air fryers heat differently.
What goes with this Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers Recipe?
How do you store leftovers?
Store leftover peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes to restore the taste and crispness.
Gluten-Free Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers are a simple, go-to meal for a busy weeknight, naturally gluten-free and easy to customize for all the picky eaters too! Be sure to check out the FULL Gluten-Free Air Fryer Recipe Index for more great recipes!
Gluten-Free Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 Green Bell Peppers
- 1 Lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Green Onion Diced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Sage
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 Cup Cooked Rice
- 1 Cup Marinara Sauce More to Taste
- 1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Warm up a medium sized skillet with the ground beef and cook until well done.
- Drain the beef and return to the pan.
- Add in the olive oil, green onion, parsley, sage, and salt. Mix this well.
- Add in the cooked rice and marinara, mix well.
- Cut the top off of each pepper and clean the seeds out.
- Scoop the mixture into each of the peppers and place in the basket of the air fryer. (I did 4 the first round, 2 the second to make them fit.)
- Cook for 10 minutes at 360°F, carefully open and add cheese.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until peppers are slightly soft and cheese is melted.
- Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Kim Lippy says
I can see that there are 39 reviews on this message, but I cannot access the reviews. Can you help me please?
Kristy says
Hi! Unfortunately, most of those that review don’t leave a comment just a ‘star’. Any that do, you will see below in the comment section.
Stephanie says
My air fryer typically cooks things in less than stated time. I have cooked the stuffed peppers, only 3, for more than 30 minutes. A pepper will not get tender in 15 minutes at 355 degrees
Kristy says
I make these at least 1x a week with our garden peppers for the times stated in the recipe it works out wonderfully for us.
Deb says
I actually cook mine @ 360° for 10 minutes. Then add cheese and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Perfect every time!
JessDAmess says
thanks for this lovely recipe my Family loved it Kristy!! DEB mines came out great with your suggestion @ 360 for 10 mins, using my Cuisinart air fryer.
thank you both!!
MaryBeth says
Fun! I have been cooking these in both the crockpot and the oven for years. We love these. Most of the time I use cooked frozen diced cauliflower to avoid the extra starch, you can’t tell and it is still delicious! Thanks for another great air fryer recipe.
Ramona says
I tried both stuffed peppers in the oven and air fryer. I believe it depends on the air fryer you have; which causes different times and temperature. I have a nuwave air fryer that cooks perfectly, but some recipes, I have to preheat the air oven like I would with the oven.
Kristy says
I completely agree with you there, the temperatures can vary widely due to the type of air fryer.
Lauren says
I can’t speak to the taste just yet, but I’ve had my peppers in at 355* for 21 mins at this point and the pepper isn’t nearly done/tender. I might end up transferring these to my regular oven. Bummer.
Kristy says
If you do them again try increasing the heat. This time and temp works perfectly for ours…but these air fryers all heat differently. We are using a Ninja Air Fryer.
Mary says
I have always done mine in the oven never cooked my meat first im new to air frying but i use to parboil my peppers sometimes im wondering if that would work with the air fryer
Kristy says
I haven’t tried that yet in the air fryer, but it may work and be worth testing out.
Chris says
These were great! I did 15/5 as called for, but mine were just a bit less cooked the bottom 1/4 of the peppers….prob could have used a few more minutes. No way a knock though as they were fantastic – I have a Instant Pot Vortex Plus air fryer — so mileage varies with different machines so-to-speak. I will try 20 and 5 next time…and this ones a keeper so there will be a next time! 🙂
Taylor Harrison says
Yum, these look delicious. I definitely need to use my air fryer more often! Thanks for sharing.
Cherie says
I softened my peppers in the microwave first then stuffed them and cooked in the air fryer. They were delicious.
Kate says
I always microwave the peppers for 3-5 mins before stuffing them. Works like a charm since the meat is completely cooked before stuffing.
Vinny says
Great recipe! I also cooked the peppers by themselves for 5 minutes first, the consistency ended up being perfect. Will definitely use again! Instant Vortex fryer for reference.
Beth says
Do I have to cook my rice first if I’m using minute rice?
Kristy says
I always do.
Suzy Smith says
I cooked my peppers at 400 for minutes then stuffed them
Shaleni says
Made these tonight and they were a big hit. Will make again.
Nancy says
Just cooked these in my Gourmia AF. DELICIOUS!! Time was just right. Peppers are crisper than oven, but I prefer this way. Oven is too soggy. I used ground turkey and made yesterday, then stuffed today. I like flavors to marry overnight.
Definitely, AF only way I will make in future.
Thanks, Christy
Margaret says
Definitely need to preheat in a conventual oven or air fryer. My husband made these all the time. He would add hot water to the pan to help cook the peppers without over cooking the filing. The added steam helped to cook the pepper and the rice to perfection. He was Greek and added lemon a little lemon to the water. He also made stuffed grape leaves in the same manner.