Switch Up Your Go-To Stuffed Peppers With A Tuna Melt Filling

When you think of a stuffed pepper recipe, you probably think of the Mexican-style dish with ground beef, hot peppers, beans, and rice, among other ingredients. Traditional stuffed bell peppers are often topped with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and you might find some cheese in the filling, too. However, stuffed peppers are perhaps more versatile than you think; they provide a great low-carb alternative to a typical sandwich or melt. The bell pepper replaces the bread, and the interior can be filled however you want. For a low-carb, high-protein lunch, try replacing the traditional filling ingredients with items you'd use in a tuna melt.

Tuna melts are perhaps the ultimate comfort food. Creamy tuna salad meets gooey melted cheese, and the toasted bread (in this case, bell pepper) adds the perfect texture and crunch to every bite. Plus, in the stuffed pepper version, the whole dish is baked in the oven for an extended period, helping the flavors come together for maximum deliciousness.

The perfect tuna melt requires two main ingredients: tuna salad and cheese. Of course, most of the flavor comes from the tuna salad, which you can customize and season however you want. Mayonnaise is a classic ingredient for getting that creamy, rich flavor, but if you cut it with plain Greek yogurt, it will have the perfect hint of tang. Add celery for crunch, and always season the tuna with salt and pepper. If you like tuna salad with a touch of heat, swap the celery for fresh jalapeños — or use both ingredients. Then, pair it with the cheese of your choice. Cheddar is one popular option, but any cheese that melts easily will be perfect.

From there, you can stuff the peppers and bake them just as you would with your go-to recipe. However, to avoid the cheese overcooking, cover the pepper dish with tin foil while they bake.

If your tuna salad isn't prepared well, your whole dish might taste off. Fortunately, there's no need to spend a fortune on expensive ingredients; canned tuna will work fine for tuna melt stuffed peppers. Like chicken, tuna has a mild flavor that can be enhanced in numerous ways. For a spicy tuna salad, slice up a chipotle pepper in adobo and add it to your mayonnaise mixture with a bit of the adobo sauce. Toss the tuna in the mayo, then top your stuffed peppers with a slice of pepper Jack cheese for the ultimate hot and spicy tuna melt.

Texture is also important in tuna salad since tuna is pretty soft. In addition to stuffing the tuna into a bell pepper, dice up some bell peppers to add to the salad for crunch. Sweet onion is a great addition here, too, since onions and peppers already pair well together. The overall flavor of your tuna salad will help determine the best cheese to use. If you don't want to use cheddar, try topping the peppers with a mild cow's milk cheese, such as mozzarella or Monterey Jack.