Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Posted by Admin on February 10, 2023

Delicious, savory, and comforting flavors steal the show with this Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe. This meal is sure to fill you up and please your taste buds!

When I crave warm comfort food, I usually lean towards a savory, salty flavor profile that leaves me full of all the right ingredients. Sometimes, I lean towards event-friendly meals for a crowd, like my Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili, but on a less eventful night, I like to bust out these Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers. They are the perfect solution for a meal that is cozy, delicious, and great as leftovers! I especially love to make these at the start of the week and have them for weekday lunches.

Why You Will LOVE This Recipe //

They say that healthy food is colorful food. Bell peppers add a fun pop of color and also provide a tasty and healthy boost of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
I like to meet my macronutrient goals whenever I can, and to do that, I need protein. This recipe provides that. On average, ground turkey packs 22 grams per 4 ounces, and embraces any seasoning and flavor easily.
The filling fiber from the rice brings this dish together and rounds it out nicely. If you have a rice cooker, the preparation is short and simple, which is great for a busy midweek meal!
I love the flavors of this dish. They can be adapted to your taste, whether you like it spicier, more savory, or with a bit more cheese. It’s a choose-your-own adventure in flavor form!

Ingredients //

6 large bell peppers, a variety of colors
2 cups of white rice, cooked
1 lb ground turkey
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes 28 oz
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup parmesan
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2: Cook rice and set aside

Step 3: Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds. Sautee the ground turkey until cooked, draining any fat

Step 4: Add oil and onion to turkey. When onion is translucent add garlic, rosemary, and crushed red pepper.

Step 5: Add crushed tomatoes to the meat mixture and sauce on low for 5-8 min until the liquid is reduced.

Step 6: Turn off heat and add rice and olives.

Step 7: Fill peppers with mixture and set in cast iron skillet or dutch oven.

Step 8: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until peppers are soft.

Step 9: Add cheese on top and bake for 2 more minutes or until cheese in melted.

Do You Have To Use Ground Turkey For This Recipe? //

You can adapt any protein of your liking to replace the ground turkey in this recipe. I find that ground beef and ground chicken work very well and don’t alter the consistency very much. You could also use chunks of steak, or even fish if you wanted to! I would recommend altering the other ingredients to suit your new protein. For example, if you choose to use fish, you might add in a splash of lemon juice to brighten and complement the flavors!

Is There A Vegetarian Alternative? //

Definitely! This dish pairs very well with legumes and beans of all kinds. That could be black beans, lentils, kidney beans… you name it! You can also use tofu or vegetarian meat-substitutes. I have had success with Beyond Beef before, as it mimics the texture of regular meat decently. While these may alter the texture a bit, the flavors still tend to work well together! You can also incorporate additional veggies in place of meat. I like to add mushrooms, other peppers, zucchini, or yellow squash for a vegetarian-friendly dish that is just as hearty in its own way.

What If I Don’t Like White Rice? //

If you are steering clear of carbs or want to boost the health factor of this dish, you can substitute brown rice for white rice. This is a higher-fiber option, and also will make you feel fuller longer. A low-carb alternative is to use cauliflower rice. If you don’t like either of those, you can always skip the rice altogether and just stuff the peppers with the turkey.

FAQs //

Kalamata olives are too strong for me. What can I use instead?

No problem! Kalamata olives do have a distinct flavor. For a milder option, you can switch out black for green olives. Or, if you don’t like olives at all, leave them out completely! It’s totally up to you.

My peppers overflowed while cooking! How can I make them look nicer?

This is a common result of overfilling the peppers! To make sure you have a clean and presentable final product, only fill your peppers two-thirds of the way, to allow room for expansion while they cook. Another tip is to trim the bottoms of the peppers so they sit up straight and don’t tip over.

How can I make this spicier?

An easy way to boost flavor is to add more spices. You can add more red pepper flakes or even a pinch of ground cayenne pepper. Additionally, feel free to experiment with other peppers that pack more heat. Habaneros, jalapenos, and serranos are all fun to incorporate until you attain your preferred level of heat!

How To Store Stuffed Peppers //

The Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers keep best in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you are worried about them smashing into one another, you can wrap each pepper base in foil, which will help to give it a “stand” for support. I do not recommend freezing this recipe. The ingredients tend to separate upon reheating if they have been frozen. To reheat, take the pepper you want and microwave it for 1-2 minutes, until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the oven. I recommend putting them in an oven-safe container at 350 F until they are warm inside and out. To have a nice presentation as leftovers, you might even add some extra cheese to the top near the end of cooking. Put the cheese-covered peppers under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden-brown.

Other Savory Recipes //

Easy Ravioli Lasagna

Easy and Hearty Hamburger Soup

For a dessert that pairs well, try these Spiced Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars