Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

My Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe has been a reader favorite on my site for years, with so many rave reviews! It’s a cozy, family-friendly meal that comes together easily, even on busy weeknights.

We’re talking tender sweet bell peppers stuffed generously with a delicious ground turkey and rice filling, then baked with melty mozzarella cheese on top. Try not to eat the entire filling before it makes it to the peppers because it’s THAT delicious!

Flavor-Packed Weeknight Dinner

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are one of my family’s go-to comfort food dinners. Because we use ground turkey, they’re light, yet still hearty and satisfying!

Nothing complicated here. The filling comes together fast, and assembling is simple and straightforward because you don’t need to par-boil the peppers.

Like my Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef recipe, these turkey stuffed peppers are packed with flavor. The filling is what makes them so good: ground turkey and tender rice cooked with aromatics, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and plenty of mozzarella. A few tips before you start:

• Turkey is lean, so the key to flavor is using lots of fresh herbs like Italian parsley, fresh garlic (lots!), and also fire-roasted canned tomatoes, which pack deeper flavors.
• Use cooked rice for this recipe so everything cooks properly.

Make a big batch! This ground turkey stuffed peppers are great for meal prep and freeze beautifully, making busy weeknights a whole lot easier.

Do I Have to Par-Boil the Peppers?

I get this question a lot! For this recipe, there’s no need to par-boiI the bell peppers in advance. Instead, I use the “steam-in- the-pan” method for simplicity.

Here’s how I soften the bell peppers: Add hot water into the pan and cover tightly. This steam trapped inside will gently soften the peppers as they bake. You only need a thin layer water so they don’t get soggy. They will get perfectly crisp tender, not too mushy and not crunchy either.

I find this to be the easiest, but another option is to roast the bell peppers. Simply cut them in half and roast at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes before stuffing. This helps remove excess moisture, but I personally find that this dries up the peppers at the end.

And of course, you can par-boil them too! If you like them extra soft, simmer the peppers (halved and seeds removed) for about 5 minutes. Then, pat dry thoroughly before using.

Ingredient Notes

• Bell peppers: I like to use a combination of green, orange, and red. Orange, red, and yellow bell peppers have a slightly sweeter taste than green ones. To make 6 servings of these ground turkey stuffed peppers, I use 3 medium-large peppers split in half. Make sure they are all about the same size.
• Ground turkey: Turkey is a lean protein, but you can choose from different kinds. For example, 85/15 ground turkey contains more fat since it’s made from dark meat (legs and thighs), so it’s juicier. Another popular option is 93% lean. Both work.
• Cooked rice: I usually use whatever rice I have on hand, leftover or freshly cooked. Do NOT start with uncooked rice for this recipe.
• Canned diced tomatoes: I always go for fire-roasted tomatoes for a boost in flavor, especially for a leaner protein! It also adds the right amount of moisture to the filling.
• Fresh minced garlic, onions, Italian seasoning: These are the main aromatics! Fresh is better here!
• Fresh Italian parsley: My secret ingredient! We mix it into the filling for that herby touch. Don’t use dried parsley – it just won’t be the same.
• Mozzarella and parmesan cheese: We add some of the mozzarella into the filling, and also top the peppers to melt.

You also need olive oil, salt and pepper. Quantities listed in the recipe card down below.

Substitutions and Variations

• Protein: Ground chicken is another lean option. Italian sausage works too. You can also make my Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef recipe! You can also add beans.
• Cooked rice: Any type of rice works, as long as it’s cooked. Long grain rice, brown rice, basmati.
• Shortcut rice: Boxed rice, such as Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice.
• Grains: Quinoa, couscous, farro or barley work great here. For a carb-free option, use cauliflower rice.
• Add extra veggies: Sauted zucchini, carrots, peas…any veggies will work!
• Cheese: I’ve made these with gruyere, white cheddar, and fontina. They all work.

If you have leftovers from my other recipes, such as Mexican Rice or Garlic Butter Rice, this is a great way to repurpose leftovers.

Step 1 | Prep the peppers

Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom, then remove any seeds and membranes. Season the inside with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 2 | Make the stuffed peppers filling

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, heat some olive oil and cook the ground turkey, until fully cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula.

Push the cooked turkey to one side of the skillet. Add a few more drizzles of oil, and then the diced onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze if needed.

Then add the rice and mix to combine. Stir in the fresh parsley and ½ cup of the shredded mozzarella (reserve the rest for the topping). Season with salt and pepper.

Pro Tip: Feel free to add your favorite spices here! Smoked paprika adds a nice smoky flavor.

Step 3 | Assemble and bake

Stuff the bell peppers with the filling evenly and generously, and arrange on a medium baking dish.

Fill the pan with some hot water, about ¼-inch layer (usually this is like ½ cup). Seal tightly with aluminum foil to prevent heat from escaping. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the peppers are tender.

Step 4 | Top with cheese and finish baking

Uncover and top with the shredded cheeses. Return to the oven and finish baking, uncovered, for about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Finally, broil another 2 minutes until slightly golden on top. Garnish with parsley. And there you have it, the easiest and BEST ground turkey stuffed peppers!

Make Ahead, Freezing, Reheating

Make ahead filling: Make the filling up to 2 days in advance. Assemble your ground turkey stuffed peppers when ready to cook.

Assemble ahead, bake later: Assemble the filling into the peppers up to 2 days in advance and bake as directed when ready. Don’t top with the cheese yet – this should be done towards the end of the baking process.

Freezing and reheating: These ground turkey stuffed peppers are completely freezer-friendly. Assemble (without the cheese topping) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed, adding an extra 5-10 minutes. Or bake from frozen for about 1 hour.

Reheating leftovers: Reheat in the microwave oven, or in the air fryer at 360°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

What To Serve with Stuffed Peppers

I serve my turkey stuffed peppers as is since it’s more like a complete meal, but you can definitely pair with amazing sides!

Salad: Make my family’s house side salad or a simple arugula salad.

Brussels Sprouts (my favorite veggie!): Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, Sauteed Brussels Sprouts.

Bread and soup: Try my Italian Cheese Bread! In the fall, I love serving stuffed peppers with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!

More Stuffed Dinners

If you have leftover ground turkey or chicken, try my Feta Turkey Burgers or Chicken Lettuce Wraps!