Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey (Printable)
Colorful bell peppers brimming with seasoned turkey, rice, and cheese. A wholesome, easy weeknight dinner for the whole family.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and seeds removed
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
→ Proteins
05 - 1 lb ground turkey
→ Grains
06 - 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
→ Dairy
07 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, divided
→ Pantry
08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate peppers in an upright position.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch peppers for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Drain and arrange cut side up in prepared baking dish.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground turkey to skillet, breaking apart with a spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
05 - Stir in diced tomatoes, cooked rice, oregano, basil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to meld flavors. Remove from heat and incorporate half of the shredded cheese.
06 - Spoon turkey and rice mixture evenly into prepared bell peppers. Place peppers upright in baking dish.
07 - Top each stuffed pepper with remaining shredded cheese.
08 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These peppers are chameleons that adapt to whatever ingredients you have lurking in your fridge - that half cup of corn, those few mushrooms, even that lonely zucchini.
- The filling freezes beautifully, making this your secret weapon for those nights when cooking feels like climbing Everest.
02 -
- Never skip the blanching step - I once did out of impatience and ended up with peppers that remained too crunchy while the filling overcooked.
- If your peppers wobble or fall over in the baking dish, create little aluminum foil collars around their bases for support, a trick my grandmother showed me after watching my frustrated attempts at pepper wrangling.
03 -
- Reserve the pepper tops and chop the usable parts to add into the filling mixture - this reduces waste and intensifies the sweet pepper flavor throughout the dish.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes added to the filling mixture wakes up all the flavors without making the dish spicy - its the kitchen equivalent of turning all the lights on in a dim room.