I saw a recipe video on Facebook depicting cheesy bell pepper “pizzas” and knew immediately that I wanted to try a Mexican version of it. And I’m so glad I did – they turned out so good, I’ve now made this for both dinner and breakfast in the last week! The cilantro spread I used as a base sauce is by Sasya Foods, a company local to me that makes vegan and gluten free spreads that also happen to reduce food waste. If you check them out, be sure to use discount code ME15 for 15% off.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 bell peppers (any color)
• A few spoonfuls of salsa, or cilantro spread
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)
• 1/4 lb ground beef (skip for a vegetarian version)
• Preferred seasoning (I used salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro)
• A few spoonfuls of olive oil
• Tin foil

Estim. Prep & Cooking Time: 30 mins.

Steps:

• Defrost the ground beef (ideally overnight, but it’s okay to use your preferred last-minute defrost method, too)
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Chop each bell pepper in half, gutting each piece so they form makeshift bowls.
• Set all 4 pepper bowls on a baking sheet. Use tin foil to create a small nest for each bowl so they sit securely upright. This will stop them from tipping over and letting the egg slide out while baking.
• Add a little olive oil and your preferred seasoning to a medium-sized pan, and brown the ground beef. Be sure not to let the beef overcook, as you’ll be baking it, too. Feel free to skip this step for a vegetarian version.
• While the beef cooks (remembering to stir it occasionally), spoon a little of your favorite salsa or spread at the bottom of each pepper bowl (I used a cilantro spread by Sasya Foods).
• Sprinkle shredded cheese inside each pepper bowl. It tasted great with mozzarella but would be delicious with Mexican-seasoned cheese, as well.
• When you’ve finished browning the beef, scoop a little bit into each pepper bowl. Add a little more cheese and sauce if desired.
• Use a spoon to make sure there is an indent in each pepper bowl, and then crack an egg into each indentation. It’s okay if the egg whites overflow a little, but make sure the tin foil is keeping the peppers up so the weight of the eggs doesn’t cause them to spill over.
• Season to taste.
• Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the egg whites have mostly solidified but the yolks are still runny. Let cool for a few minutes.
• Take pictures of your colorful creation, and tag me!

This recipe drew inspiration from Sasya Foods‘ South Indian-inspired cilantro spread.