If you are looking for an EASY weeknight meal that is affordable, tasty and relatively healthy then the Kirkland Signature stuffed bell peppers from Costco are an excellent choice.
These peppers come in a tray with six servings and currently costs $4.29 per pound. With an average tray weight of 3.5 lbs these peppers let you put dinner on the table for just around $15.
You can serve these by themselves or add a fresh salad and crusty bread for a larger meal.
I really appreciate the fact that Costco puts some effort into the presentation for this dish. The combination of yellow, orange and red bell peppers is pretty! I like that they do not use green bell peppers in the trays. I can’t explain why, and I know it makes no sense, but I really dislike green bell peppers!
I love to smoke stuffed peppers on my barbecue pit but on evenings like last night, when the rain was pouring down, I was more than delighted with how these peppers came out when I baked them in the oven.
How Long Do You Cook Stuffed Peppers from Costco?
The instructions on the package tell you to remove the lid, cover in aluminum foil and bake the stuffed peppers at 400F for 50-60 minutes until an internal temperature of 165F is reached.
The peppers are fully cooked and safe to eat once they hit an internal temperature of 165F.
When I cook the peppers I do it a little different. I follow the package directions but once the peppers hit 165F I remove the aluminum foil and let them bake at 400F for another 15-20 minutes until they hit an internal temperature of 180F.
I let the peppers cook longer than instructed because the more they cook the more tender and sweeter the peppers become. I like the peppers to be almost melt in your mouth creamy instead of having the crunch and bite you get when you cook them to 165F.
You can also individually freeze the stuffed peppers and cook from frozen if you just want to cook one or two at a time.
What Ingredients Are in Kirkland Brand Stuffed Peppers?
Costco starts with three bell peppers, cuts them in half and removes the stem and seeds.
Next, the peppers are stuffed with a filling that contains:
- Cooked Ground Beef
- Tomato Paste
- Water
- Cooked Rice
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Provolone Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
- Vinegar
- Onions
- Sugar
- Salt
- Parsley
There is no pork, turkey or chicken used in the filling for these peppers.
There is definitely more ground beef than rice in these peppers and I appreciate that they use three types of cheese.
While the beef and rice have already been fully cooked you do not want to eat these peppers raw. Always make sure you cook the peppers to an internal temperature of at least 165F.
Are Costco Stuffed Peppers Healthy?
These peppers fall into a middle ground of “okay but not great” when it comes to healthiness.
A single serving (1/2 pepper) has the following nutrition:
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
- Sodium: 810 mg
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Protein: 26 g
These peppers are much healthier than eating a pile of hamburgers but not as healthy as grilling up some fish or shrimp.
Reheating Leftovers
We had two of these peppers leftover from dinner and I ended up reheating one of them for lunch today.
Reheating was as simple as placing the pepper in a small bowl, covering with a paper towel and microwaving on High for two minutes.
This made a simple but filling lunch that was ready in a snap.
I suspect any leftover peppers would last 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Oven Baked Costco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 Tray Kirkland Signature Stuffed Peppers
- 3 tbls grated Parmesan cheese optional
- aluminum foil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Remove the plastic lid form the tray of stuffed peppers.
- If desired, add the extra Parmesan cheese to the top of the peppers.
- Cover the peppers with aluminum foil and place the try on a cookie sheet.
- Bake the peppers at 400F for 1 hour or until an internal temperature of 165F is reached.
- If you want the peppers to be softer and sweeter then remove the aluminum foil and let the peppers cook for another 15-20 minutes until an internal temperature of 185F is reached.