These Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are perfect for dinner! Imagine tender baked bell peppers stuffed with a delicious ground turkey and rice filling, and then topped with melty mozzarella and parmesan cheese. So good! This is also a great make-ahead dinner for those busy or lazy nights.
You will absolutely love this ground turkey and rice stuffed peppers for an easy weeknight dinner!
I love cooking comfort food at home, especially during cold winter nights. There’s just something so cozy about serving homemade meals straight from the oven. The other day, I made these cheesy ground turkey stuffed peppers and it was a huge hit! Cheesy, filling, and comforting.
I’m a huge fan of bell peppers, especially stuffed bell peppers. They are so fun to make and eat. These ground turkey stuffed peppers are also made with tender rice, which adds body and texture to the filling. I love using rice, but you can totally use your favorite grains, such as quinoa, barley, couscous…anything you like, really!
Plus, this is a great make-ahead recipe for those busy weeknights. I love prepping the filling a few days in advance, and baking these ground turkey stuffed peppers later. It’s so easy and delicious. You’ll love it!
Let me show you how to make it!
The Ground Turkey and Rice Filling
This ground turkey and rice filling for the bell peppers has so much flavor! Here’s what’s in it: ground turkey, rice, onions and garlic, canned diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, cheese, and fresh parsley. It’s a quick and simple filling!
I love ground turkey, but just ground turkey in a bell pepper would be kinda…too much maybe? That’s why I LOVE using rice along with the turkey. It adds so much texture and body.
The bell peppers are stuffed with the filling, and then topped with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese…baked until melty and golden brown. It’s a dream come true!
If you’re not a big fan of rice or just want to switch it up, try the following:
- Quinoa
- Farro
- Cauliflower “rice”
- Couscous
- Small pasta, such as orzo or acini de pepe
- Lentils
- Veggie mix
You can also adjust the filling however you want! Add corn, beans, peas, and so much more.
And hey, if you don’t want to use turkey, just use ground chicken, Italian sausage, or beef. The possibilities are pretty much endless!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I use very basic ingredients for these ground turkey stuffed peppers! I love cooking with simple ingredients, especially ingredients that I keep in my pantry regularly.
Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need. The specific quantities can be found in the recipe card below, as always.
- Bell peppers: Use multi color peppers.
- Ground turkey: If you’re not a fan of turkey, use any other ground meat you like.
- Yellow onion and garlic: To build flavor.
- Italian seasoning: For flavor.
- Cooked rice: The rice will add texture and body to the filling. You can also use quinoa, farro, veggies, small pasta (such as orzo or acini de pepe).
- Canned diced tomatoes: For flavor and moisture.
- Fresh Italian parsley: For flavor! I love parsley.
- Shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese: For the topping.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
So Easy to Make
This is a really easy recipe, and it’s great for a comforting weeknight dinner. It’s also a make-ahead and freezer-friendly option.
Here’s an overview of how these ground turkey stuffed peppers are made:
- Make the filling: Cook the ground turkey, onion and garlic. Then, stir in the canned diced tomatoes, cooked rice, cheese, seasoning, and parsley. That’s it, so easy!
- Prepare the bell peppers: Cut them in half, from top to bottom. Remove the seeds. You can also remove the stems too, if desired.
- Fill the bell peppers: Evenly distribute the filling. Arrange in a 9×13 inch baking dish and add about ¼ cup of water to the pan. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake: At 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes, covered. This will allow the peppers to steam and become tender.
- Top with cheese and return to oven: Bake for another 10-13 minutes, uncovered, until melty. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on top.
It’s really that easy! You can find detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Sure the Bell Peppers Are Tender
Arrange the stuffed peppers (without the cheese) in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Add about ¼ cup of water to the baking dish. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
The water trapped inside will steam the bell peppers while they bake. This, in turn, will allow the bell peppers to cook and soften.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Option 1: Make the filling up to 2 days in advance, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Then continue on with steps 3 through 7.
- Option 2: Stuff the peppers with the filling and refrigerate for up to 1 day (if you leave it for longer, it might get too soggy). When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and follow instructions 4 through 7.
- Option 3 (freezer): Allow the ground turkey and rice mixture to cool completely. Then stuff it into the peppers. Place in freezer-friendly containers or bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and follow steps 4 through 7.
I absolutely love these ground turkey stuffed peppers! The filling is so delicious and customizable, and the bell peppers come out so tender. Plus, it’s topped with melty cheese…always a plus!
These stuffed bell peppers are also a great make-ahead dinner option if you’re on a busy schedule. And it’s also freezer-friendly! I included make-ahead and freezer instructions under Recipe Notes below.
I hope you like this ground turkey stuffed peppers recipe as much as I do. It’s the perfect comfort dish that everything will love.
More comfort food dinner recipes here:
Tips for Success
- Use multi-color bell peppers to make it look prettier!
- Make sure to add some water to the pan (about ¼ cups water for a 9×13 baking dish) and then tightly cover with aluminum foil. This will allow the peppers to steam and cook until tender. Try not to uncover the pan until 30 minutes have passed so that the steam doesn’t escape.
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 large bell peppers
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice (see note below)
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley (plus more for garnish)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Make the filling: Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook the ground turkey until fully cooked. Push it to one side of the skillet. Add a few more drizzles of olive oil and stir in the diced onions and minced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, and mix it back with the ground turkey. Add the Italian seasoning, canned diced tomatoes (drained), and cooked rice. Mix evenly. If you want to add moisture, add some water or chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese.
- Cut each pepper in half, from top to bottom. Remove the seeds. You can also remove the stems, if desired. Drizzle the inside of the peppers with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and pepper. It doesn’t have to be precise.
- Fill the peppers with the prepared filling evenly. Arrange them on a 9×13 baking dish (filling side up). Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan, about ¼ cup. The water will allow the peppers to steam and become tender as they cook. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Uncover, and top the peppers with the remaining cheese mozzarella and the parmesan cheese. Return to the oven (uncovered) and bake for another 10-12 minutes until melted. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Special equipment: large deep skillet, 9×13 baking dish, aluminum foil.
- Cooked rice: Cook the rice according to package directions. To make 1 ½ cups of cooked rice, use 3/4 cup uncooked rice (rice expands).
- You can also use cooked quinoa, couscous, farro, orzo, lentils, cauliflower “rice,” mixed veggies, or anything you’d like.
- Make ahead: The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, and when ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F and follow steps 3 through 7. Alternatively, fill the peppers and refrigerate for up to 1 day, and when ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F and follow steps 4 through 7.
- Freezing instructions: Fill the peppers (do not bake and do not add the cheese at this point). Place the peppers in freezer-friendly containers or bags. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and then follow steps 4 through 7.
Barbara Poolt says
This dish was tasty and easy. My only critique was instead of adding 1/4 cup of water I opted to add an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. Bon Appetit!
Rachel says
Save your drained juices from the canned tomatoes to use instead of water in the baking pan.
Victoria Spaniel says
This was soooo good!! Thanks!
Denise M Jones says
This was excellent