These ground turkey stuffed bell peppers are perfect for a healthy but easy dinner. I love using ground turkey instead of beef because there is less fat and I am trying to cut back on red meat. Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium.
Should You Pre Cook Bell Peppers Before?
You do not have to cook your bell peppers before stuffing them and cooking them in the oven. However, I like to boil them for about 5 minutes in a large pot because I prefer them to be extra soft. They will be fine if you do not boil them but it is all about your personal preference.
How to Make Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
1. Prepare the Peppers
Prepare the peppers by cutting out the top, taking out the core and the seeds. I like to wash out the inside of the pepper to make sure all of the seeds are out. If you want the peppers to be extra soft, boil in a large pot for about 5 minutes.
2. Make the Filling
Add one onion, ½ tbsp of olive oil, seasonings, and ground turkey to a pan over medium heat. Cook until the turkey is brown and add minced garlic. Add tomato sauce, cooked rice, beans, and cilantro. Mix everything.
3. Stuff the Peppers
Stuff each pepper with the filling and cover with foil.
4. Bake Peppers
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes covered with foil. Take peppers out, add cheese, and bake for 10 minutes without foil.
Low Carb Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
I like to add black beans and rice to my ground turkey stuffed bell peppers but if you are looking for a low carb option just leave them out. This way you have your protein and vegetables without the extra carbs. Or just add ground turkey and black beans for the extra fiber. If you want to stay full longer it is important to have lots of protein and fiber in your diet. Another option for low carb is to use cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
Tips for Making Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
Switch up the colors of bell peppers
Using different color bell peppers can up your game when it comes to the presentation of this dish. I like to use red, orange, green, and yellow bell peppers.
Add extras to filling
You can add anything to the filling to add more flavor. Cilantro, mushrooms, green onions, and extra cheese are all delicious options.
Try buying bell peppers that have flat bottoms
This tip is very helpful because it can be difficult to get the bell peppers to stand up if the bottoms are not flat. The good part is that just because they fall over they are still delicious!
Use lean ground turkey
Ground turkey is already a healthier option than beef but if you want to step it up try finding lean ground turkey. This will help to cut out some of that extra fat in traditional ground turkey.
Watch How to Make Stuffed Ground Turkey Bell Peppers
Ground Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- cilantro for topping
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 cup white rice cooked
- 15 oz black beans
- 1 cup mexican cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Sautee onions for 3 minutes, add turkey, and cook until brown.
- Add seasonings and minced garlic for 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes sauce, rice, black beans, and cilantro. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Cut the top of the bell peppers and the core then rinse.
- Boil bell peppers for 5 minutes, dry. (optional)
- Pour olive oil over peppers and rub it all over.
- Add filling to each bell pepper and cover with foil.
- Bake for 35 minutes, add cheese, bake for 10 minutes uncovered.
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