Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are a healthy, satisfying, and easy dinner that the whole family can agree on!
Servings 4 - 8 people
Calories 269kcal
Ingredients
- 4 sweet bell peppers, any color
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut side up, in a microwave-safe 13x9-inch baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish. Lightly cover with parchment paper. Microwave until peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.*
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onion; cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off fat. Stir in cooked rice, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of Monterey Jack.
- Season the inside of each pepper with salt and pepper. Stuff peppers with turkey mixture and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with foil.
- Bake until tender and heated through, about 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheddar and remaining ½ cup of Monterey Jack. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
*Alternatively, you can pre-bake the peppers in the oven instead of in the microwave. To do so, fill a baking dish large enough to fit peppers with about ½ -inch of water. Place peppers upside down in water, cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Swap out the ground turkey and use ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork or ground sausage.
- Choose red, yellow or orange peppers for a sweeter taste; grab green bell peppers for a less-sweet, more zesty taste.
- Any variety of rice will work. I like to use cooked long-grain white rice, but cooked wild rice or cooked brown rice will both be delicious, too. For a shortcut, try microwaveable packets of rice like Uncle Ben's Ready Rice. You can even try this recipe with cauliflower rice for more veggies!
- Instead of rice, use cooked quinoa or cooked couscous.
- For a shortcut, use leftover rice from the night before or a packet of microwaveable rice (like Uncle Ben's Ready Rice).
- Garnish the finished dish with fresh herbs just before serving. They add a nice colorful, fresh touch!
- Use red, orange or yellow peppers if you prefer a sweeter taste. Try green bell peppers for a zestier bite.
- For the Slow Cooker: To make these stuffed peppers in a Crock Pot, skip the step of pre-cooking the peppers in the microwave. Stuff the peppers with the rice and ground turkey filling, cover, and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Top with the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese melts (about 10-15 more minutes).
Nutrition
Serving: 1stuffed pepper half | Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2362IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 2mg