Test out the versatility of your barrel smoker with this delicious protein and veggie-packed recipe for smoky chorizo stuffed peppers! No smoker? No problem, this recipe is easily adapted for the grill or oven with an equally tasty result!

Using our barrel smoker for smoking meats is quickly becoming a weekend hobby for our family. We love the smoky taste it gives foods and that it actually causes us to slow down a bit on the weekend.

Smoking meats is not about efficiency! In fact, “low and slow” wins the race in the world of meat smoking.

But it also turns out, smoking foods doesn’t have to be an all-day or all-afternoon endeavor, if you’re willing to branch out from smoking large cuts of meat like traditional ribs or pork shoulder.

These tasty smoky chorizo stuffed bell peppers are ready in about an hour! They carry the smoked flavor we love, plus they can easily stand alone as a full meal.

Smoky chorizo stuffed bell peppers check all my boxes for a well-rounded lunch or supper, including a protein, healthy grains, and, of course, a generous serving of fresh veggies! For a nice touch, a couple slices of cool watermelon on the side balance the smokiness and spiciness of the peppers.

Watch Us Make Smoky Chorizo Stuffed Peppers Together

INGREDIENTS for Smoky Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

• 19 oz. package Smoked Chorizo Sausage Links
• 6 Large Bell Peppers
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil (avocado or olive)
• 2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 onion, diced (I prefer purple in this recipe)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked rice and quinoa blend (1/2 cup uncooked plus 1 cup water/broth) – I used a blend of jasmine rice and red quinoa I mixed myself.
• one large fresh tomato, diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeños, sliced 
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

INSTRUCTIONS For the Barrel Smoker Version

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and begin cooking rice-quinoa blend on stove.

2. Smoke chorizo links in barrel smoker (We use Pit Barrel Jr. Smoker) for 30 minutes or until done all the way through. We hung 4 of them in the brat hanging basket and the 5th one we cooked on the grill grate.

3. Meanwhile, slice peppers in half and place in a large baking dish.

4. Coat both sides of peppers with cooking oil and sprinkle with about 1 tsp of salt on both sides.

5. Roast peppers in oven for 15 minutes.

6. While peppers are roasting, saute diced onion until tender.

7. Add minced garlic to onions and stir about 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat.

8. Dice fresh tomato, chop cilantro, slice jalapeños, and shred cheese, set aside.

9. Once chorizo links are finished cooking, remove from smoker and allow to cool 5-10 minutes.

10. Chop chorizo into small, bite-sized pieces.

11. In pan with onions and garlic, combine chorizo, rice-quinoa blend, diced tomato, chopped cilantro, and 1 tsp salt.

12. Tightly pack roasted peppers with filling and top generously with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeños.

13. Place stuffed peppers on grate in smoker and smoke for 10 minutes to soak up smoke flavor and melt cheese. Remove from smoker and serve!

Grill and Oven Adaptation for Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is designed for a barrel smoker; however, you can easily adapt it for a grill or oven!

First, instead of smoking chorizo links, grill or pan fry chorizo until done all the way through.

Next, follow above steps for roasting the peppers and preparing the filling.

Finally, finish cooking peppers on the grill or in the oven, instead of the smoker.

In our family, we frequently enjoy fixing stuffed peppers with a variety of meats and veggies using the oven method!

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