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Healthy Bell Pepper Nachos Lunch

by Laura Fuentes

June 26, 2018
updated Sep 26, 2023
5 from 6 votes
These Bell Pepper Nachos are loaded with all the toppings and flavors we love in regular nachos and much healthier!
Jump to Recipe

All the articles & recipes on this website have been created through real-life testing and experience (no ai) since 2010. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These Bell Pepper Nachos are loaded with all the toppings and flavors we love in regular nachos but much healthier!

This is one EPIC, low-carb lunch that tastes like you are indulging but is totally good for you since sliced bell peppers replace the usual chips! It’s also a great way for the kids to eat more veggies in a way that will make them want to clean their plate- or lunchbox in this case.

Watch how quickly these come together in this quick recipe video.

This healthy nacho lunch comes together super fast with leftover ground taco meat and taco fixings. It’s also a low-carb and nutritious twist on the traditional homemade nachos.

After a quick first bake in the oven, you get to load the nacho with all your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.  

You could say these nachos are my new favorite thing.

The recipe is such a hit with the kids it made it into the Family KickStart Program, a clean eating plan for families with real-food recipes that everyone in the family will enjoy.

 I’ve found that to get my kids on board with eating healthier, it’s essential that I find ways to make their favorite meals with a fresh twist!

How to Make Bell Pepper Nachos

This recipe is just like making regular nachos, but with an extra 2 steps to slice and pre-bake the bell peppers so they are tender when you bite in. In total, the entire recipe takes less than 30 minutes and is worth every minute.

a lunch container filled with 3 bell pepper nachos, guacamole, and baby carrots.
  1. Prepare
    Preheat the oven and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cook the Taco Meat
    In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with taco seasoning until no longer pink.
  3. Bake the Peppers
    Slice the bell peppers into nacho-size pieces and place them onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake the peppers for 5 minutes.
  4. Load Up
    Remove the baking sheet from the oven and top the bell peppers with the taco meat, cheese, salsa, and black olives.
  5. Back to the Oven
    Place the nachos in the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  6. Add More Toppings 
    Top the baked nachos with sour cream and guacamole if using, and enjoy.

Looking for more lunch ideas that are easy to make ahead and healthy in a delicious way? I’ve got 101 of them in my Packed Lunches eBook. Everything from bento boxes, handheld meals, salads, and of course, epic sandwiches, you won’t get bored with lunch anytime soon.

101 Packed Lunches eBook

All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!

Grab the Book!

How to Pack Bell Pepper Nachos for Lunch

If you plan to pack these for a fun lunch, don’t add the sour cream and guacamole right away. Instead, pack the nachos into a lunch container and the guacamole and sour cream into lidded sauce containers. This way everything will stay fresh and the condiments can be added right before eating.

Heads up, these don’t stay hot in a simple lunch container, but that’s okay, they are still delicious at room temperature. The peppers won’t be soggy and they are easy to pick up and eat.

Of course, if you want to pack a “hot” meal, you can always layer these inside a thermos, close the lid, and enjoy.

Healthy Bell Pepper Nachos Lunch

Laura Fuentes
5 from 6 votes
These Bell Pepper Nachos are loaded with all the toppings and flavors we love in regular nachos and much healthier!
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 3 large bell peppers, sliced into nacho size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon of oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
  • ½ cup salsa, divided
  • 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounce can black olives
  • ½ cup guacamole
  • ¼ cup sour cream

Instructions
 

  • Place one oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the sliced bell peppers onto the baking sheet.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Brown the ground beef with the taco seasoning, using a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Place the bell pepper slices in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with meat, salsa, cheese, black olives, and any other toppings you want to be heated.
  • Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the nachos from the oven and allow them to cool before serving.
  • If packing into lunch containers, allow the nachos to cool down to room temperature before packing into lunch containers. Pack the guacamole and sour cream into separate sauce containers. 

Notes

Nutrition information is calculated without guacamole and sour cream.

Equipment

101 Packed Lunches
Kids Lunch Box

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 40gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 1157mgPotassium: 714mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3267IUVitamin C: 115mgCalcium: 276mgIron: 4mg
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    Recipe Rating




  1. street view

    October 28, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    5 stars
    That looks delicious and easy to make! I have to try this one! Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

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