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These Turkey Stuffed Peppers are an easy, wholesome dinner that checks all the boxes: high in protein, packed with flavor, and ready in under an hour. Tender bell peppers are filled with a savory mixture of ground turkey, rice, tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese, then baked until perfectly tender. These are meal-prep friendly and awesome for a busy weeknight!
What Makes These Stuffed Peppers Different
- I decided to make this one with lean ground turkey. Typical stuffed peppers use ground beef, but turkey keeps this version lower in fat while still packing plenty of savory flavor!
- I love how this is one complete meal! With protein-rich turkey, rice, vegetables, and melty cheese, these stuffed peppers are simple, delicious, and everyone will eat them.
- You’re busy, and I’m busy, so I created this if you like to plan ahead. You can put this into your meal prep rotation. The peppers reheat beautifully, so super perfect for lunches or stretching out dinners.
Cheryl’s Tested Notes Tips
- Don’t skip the quick boil. Learn from my mistakes; softening the peppers before baking helps ensure they’re tender rather than crunchy and unappealing when it comes to eating time.
- To make things go faster, break up the turkey well while cooking. Smaller crumbles distribute more evenly throughout the filling, making the peppers easier to eat.
- Save yourself time by using cooked rice versus making it from scratch. I guarantee you probably have some sitting around in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
- Use any color of bell peppers. Red, orange, and yellow peppers are naturally sweeter, while green peppers have a slightly more savory flavor. Choose whichever variety looks best at the store.
- Stick with lean ground turkey for a lighter filling. It keeps these stuffed peppers high in protein without feeling heavy. Ground chicken or lean ground beef can be substituted if preferred.
- Use whatever cooked rice you have on hand. White rice, brown rice, and even cauliflower rice all work. Brown rice adds a slightly nuttier flavor, while cauliflower rice lowers that carb count (if that matters to you).
- Don’t be shy, top those peppers with mozzarella. I promise, it creates that classic cheesy finish without overpowering any of the other tastes. Monterey Jack, provolone, or an Italian cheese blend are all awesome alternatives.
Serving Suggestions
- Salads. A simple green salad and vinaigrette for an easy weeknight dinner is a great balance with this peppery, meaty main dish.
- Veggies. If you want to increase your nutrients (and your children’s), roasted broccoli, asparagus, or green beans are winners with this!
- Yogurt. A generous dollop of Greek yogurt takes these stuffed peppers to the next level, or you can drop in some sour cream instead. I love Greek yogurt myself!
- Herbs. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil just before serving for extra freshness (I’m a big herb fan myself).
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let the peppers cool completely, then wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Despite the extra work, it’s worth it so the peppers thaw out properly.
- To Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, or microwave individual portions as needed.
- Make Ahead: I’ve assembled the peppers up to 24 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bake when ready to serve; easy peasy!
Recipe FAQs
- Is this recipe healthy? This recipe is gluten-free, and consuming turkey can help lower cholesterol levels because it is low in fat. Not only is turkey a stellar source of protein, but it also contains a variety of nutrients.
- Do I need to cook the rice before making stuffed peppers? For sure, it makes them easier to stuff. And raw rice would not cook properly. Use any kind of cooked rice you have on hand. White, brown, or even cauliflower rice.
- Can I make stuffed peppers with ground beef instead of turkey? You can choose whatever protein, and ground beef is a nice substitute as it’s richer in taste (and with that melted cheese —to die for!)
- Why do you boil the peppers before baking? Boiling softens the peppers so they become tender during baking without overcooking the filling. It all balances out!
- What color bell peppers work best? Any color works! Red, orange, and yellow peppers tend to be sweeter, while green peppers have a more savory flavor.
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Turkey Stuffed Peppers
These Turkey Stuffed Peppers are an easy, wholesome dinner that checks all the boxes. Tender bell peppers are filled with a savory mixture of ground turkey, rice, tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese. Great for meal prep and a fast, healthy dinner!
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Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1 cup rice cooked
- salt
- pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. In a skillet and with medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in a neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed oil. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit (176 Celsius).
- Add the ground turkey to the skillet with a pinch of salt and some freshly cracked pepper. Make sure to really break down the turkey meat with your spatula as it likes to clump together under heat.While the turkey is cooking, grab a dutch oven or saucepan and bring water about 1/4 of the way to a low boil.
- With a knife, cut off 1/8 of the bell peppers at the very top to allow the centers and seeds to be removed and flatten the bottoms. Repeat until all bell peppers have flat tops, empty cavities, and can easily stand up on their own.
- Place prepared bell peppers in the shallow pan of water, and boil for roughly 5 minutes so the skins can soften up a bit. Remove from pan once finished.Once the turkey is evenly browned, turn down the heat and add the cooked rice and stir with a spoon or spatula until thoroughly combined.
- Add the tomato sauce and some more salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off. Grab an 8-inch square glass baking dish and stand the bell peppers upright inside dish. With a spoon, fill each bell pepper all the way up to the top with the cooked turkey and rice mixture.
- Once all peppers have been filled, top each stuffed bell pepper with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminium foil and place in the oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an addition 15 minutes until cheese has browned. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro if you would like!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 424kcal | Protein: 37g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Total Carbs: 51g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Net Carbs: 46g | Vitamin C: 160mg | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 1007mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 3mg
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
It was delicious. I swapped out regular rice for califlowr rice. Soooo good.
Ooh, yum! Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Turned our wonderful! Next time I would put the cheese on after I take the foil off because it all got stuck. My boyfriend doesn’t like tomato at all so I dumped half off my 15 oz can and filled the rest with chicken broth and he didn’t notice.
So glad you enjoyed them, Reese! Thanks for sharing!
Very good and ver easy to make
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary!
Was tasty and delicious . Everyone enjoyed . I used red peppers , which I prefer.
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for your review, Lorraine!
Delicious
Thanks, Karen!
All 3 of us loved it and felt good about eating something so healthy!
Thrilled to hear it!
I love stuffed peppers. This healthy version is great, guilt free and very filling. Plus it’s easy and takes hardly any time to prepare.
We made these for the first time today. They were amazing. I did make 2 changes though. The first was I used a cup of cooked brown rice ( I was told it was healthier) instead of white rice. The 2nd change was I omitted the tomato sauce. We added more spices such as cumin, black pepper and garlic powder plus about 1/2 cup water. Had everything simmer about 10 minutes and then baked according to the recipe. Calorie wise – did it reduce the calorie count? Plus is there a big difference between white rice and brown rice? – health wise and calories..
I’m new to all of this. Dr said we need to get my blood sugar and my A1c under control plus my weight increased sitting at home during Covid time. Any help would be so appreciated. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, brown rice is healthier/more nutritious than white rice.