Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
These ground turkey stuffed peppers are so comforting, cozy, and healthy. Made with a delicious tender rice and ground turkey mixture, and finished with melty cheese on top. This recipe is also make-ahead and freezer-friendly.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 318kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with its juices
- 1 ½ cups cooked long grain rice see note below
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley plus more for garnish
- 3 large bell peppers assorted colors
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
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, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon. 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 and cooked rice. Mix evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley and ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese and combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble and bake
- Cut each pepper in half, from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and stem. 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. Tip: Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each pepper half so it doesn’t tip over.
- Fill the peppers with the prepared filling evenly. Arrange them on a 9x13 inch baking dish (filling side up). Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan, about ⅓ cup. The water will allow the peppers to steam and tender as they cook. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
- Uncover, and top the peppers with the remaining 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
- 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).
- Bell peppers: There is no need to par-boil the peppers beforehand. Choose peppers that are about the same size.
- Cut a thin flat slice off the bottom of each pepper half so it doesn’t tip over.
- Make ahead: The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. You can also assemble the peppers with the filling and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bake for an extra 5 minutes or so.
- Freezing: Assemble the peppers with the filling (do not top with cheese yet) and store in freezer-friendly bags or containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed, adding an extra 5 minutes or so to the baking time.
- Reheat from frozen: Follow baking directions in the recipe card, but instead of 30-35 minutes in the oven, do 50 to 60 minutes or until completely warm in the center.
- Rice: Any type of rice, quinoa, couscous, orzo, farro, cauliflower rice, etc.
- Ground turkey: Ground chicken, beef, pork, Italian sausage, etc.
- Add-ins: Sauteed veggies of your choice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pepper | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2472IU | Vitamin C: 89mg | Calcium: 227mg | Iron: 2mg