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Add some variety to your weeknight dinner routine with these Turkey Stuffed Peppers! Ground turkey and quinoa pack in the protein—40 grams per serving!—while Italian seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes, and melty cheese bring the flavor. These turkey stuffed peppers are great for making ahead too!
Table of Contents
- Recipe At a Glance
- Ingredients you’ll need for turkey stuffed peppers
- Popular substitutions & additions
- How to make turkey stuffed peppers
- Tips for making the best stuffed peppers with ground turkey and quinoa
- What to serve with healthy turkey stuffed peppers
- How to store & reheat stuffed peppers
- Frequently asked questions
- More weeknight dinner recipes:
- Turkey Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Ground turkey is one of my favorite ways to lighten up recipes, from Spaghetti Squash Lasagna to classic Grilled Turkey Burgers. It has a mild flavor on its own, which means it’s all about what you add to it—and in these turkey stuffed peppers, we’re adding lots of deliciousness!
This recipe borrows flavors from Italian cuisine, with fire-roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and mozzarella cheese. Then, instead of making the filling with rice, I use quinoa, which is much more nutrient-dense.
And because you can assemble these turkey stuffed peppers in advance, they’re perfect for even the busiest days!
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American, with some Italian influence
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop and Oven
Dietary Info: Gluten-Free
Key Flavor: Savory
Skill Level: Easy
Summary
- Packed With Protein: Stuffed peppers with ground turkey—no rice, no breadcrumbs, but lots of protein! With 40 grams of protein, this is a recipe that will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
- Make Ahead Options: You can either make the filling in advance and then stuff the peppers when you’re ready to bake, or you can stuff the peppers and store them in the refrigerator up to a day ahead of time.
- Lots of Flavor: Ground turkey has a reputation for being bland, but we take care of that by adding an aromatic base, lots of herbs and spices, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
- Customizable: While I made my stuffed peppers with ground turkey and quinoa, there’s room to tweak the ingredients and make this recipe your own.
Ingredients you’ll need for turkey stuffed peppers
- Bell Peppers: I prefer red, orange, or yellow peppers because they have less of a bite than green bell peppers. But you can use any variety you like, or a combination.
- Olive Oil: Or another oil you like to cook with.
- Aromatics: I use onion, celery, and carrot to create a base layer of flavor for the filling. These three ingredients are often used in soups for the same reason!
- Ground Turkey: I recommend 93% lean, which stays more moist.
- Salt and Pepper: For seasoning.
- Garlic Cloves: Finely mince them with a knife or push them through a garlic press so they can be evenly distributed in the filling.
- Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs and spices that gives these turkey stuffed peppers some Italian flair!
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Feel free to adjust the amount according to your family’s tastes.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes: While you can use regular diced tomatoes instead, I like fire-roasted tomatoes because they have a little more depth.
- Cooked Quinoa: Here’s How to Cook Quinoa.
- Shredded Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese: A shredded Italian cheese blend will also work.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Make Them Tex-Mex Style: Season with filling with Taco Seasoning instead of Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes. You can add corn or black beans to the mix if you’d like, and top the turkey stuffed peppers with a Mexican cheese blend or shredded Monterey jack.
- Use Rice: Not sure about quinoa? You can use cooked Brown Rice instead if you prefer.
- Make It Unstuffed: Dice the bell peppers and sauté them with the aromatics for an un-stuffed pepper recipe.
- Swap Out the Turkey: Use your favorite plant-based ground meat, ground chicken, or ground beef instead of the ground turkey.
How to make turkey stuffed peppers
You’ll need to have the quinoa cooked and ready to go. I like to plan for a stir fry the day before, then I can serve it over quinoa and make extra to use in this turkey stuffed pepper recipe!
Prepare the turkey and quinoa filling
- Cook the onion, celery, and carrots in a skillet with the olive oil, then add the ground turkey.
- Break up the turkey into small pieces as it cooks. Once it’s cooked through, add the seasonings and cook, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cooked quinoa.
- Stir to combine and turn off the heat.
Bake the stuffed peppers
- Use a spoon or cookie dough scoop to fill the bell pepper halves.
- Bake until warmed through, then add the cheese and continue baking until it melts.
Tips for making the best stuffed peppers with ground turkey and quinoa
- Cut the Peppers in Half Lengthwise. Some recipes have you stand the peppers up in the pan, but I think they’re much easier to eat (and stuff!) when they’re halved lengthwise. Plus, you get more cheese in every bite!
- Make the Peppers Softer. If you want the bell peppers extra soft, you can add a few tablespoons of water to the bottom of the baking dish and cover it with foil during the first 15 minutes of baking time.
- Rinse the Quinoa Well. Quinoa has a bitter coating on the outside, so place it in a mesh strainer and rinse it well before cooking it.
- Add Some Garnishes. I added chopped parsley as a garnish, but toasted pine nuts are also delicious. You can pair these turkey stuffed peppers with marinara sauce, too.
What to serve with healthy turkey stuffed peppers
How to store & reheat stuffed peppers
Store turkey stuffed peppers in an airtight container. You can reheat them in the microwave, or cover them with foil in a baking dish and reheat them in a 350ºF oven until they’re completely warmed through.
How long will stuffed peppers last in the fridge?
These turkey stuffed peppers will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can i freeze stuffed peppers with quinoa?
Yes, you can freeze these turkey stuffed peppers with quinoa in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before reheating according to the instructions above.
Frequently asked questions
No, I don’t recommend it! While some recipes have you do this, I think it makes the peppers too soft. If you do want them just a little bit softer, follow the tip above for adding water to the baking dish.
With a knife and fork! If you have young kids, it can help to simply cut the stuffed peppers into bite-sized pieces; the filling will fall out, but I just add everything to a bowl and serve it that way.
The peppers will release liquid as they cook, but as long as you don’t overcook them, they shouldn’t be watery.
With make-ahead options and delicious Italian-inspired flavor, these healthy stuffed peppers will quickly become one of your go-to recipes for an easy, nutrient-packed weeknight dinner!
More weeknight dinner recipes:
- Pesto Pasta with Chicken
- Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
- Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Sweet Potato Chili
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Steak Salad
- Easy Eggplant Moussaka
If you try this feel good Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers halved lengthwise, stems and seeds discarded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ¾ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 14.5 ounce fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the peppers cut side up in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the turkey and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the turkey into small chunks for 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Add diced tomatoes and cooked quinoa and stir until well combined. Remove from heat. Using a serving spoon or cookie scoop, divide the turkey and quinoa mixture evenly between the peppers.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese evenly on top of each pepper and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until melted and bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I’m a single gal who doesn’t really like to cook but I do like to eat! I made these stuffed peppers and froze half of them. I really enjoyed them, even if it required a bit of labor to get them prepped. I’l going to look for similar such recipies that I can apportion for myself throughout the week (and not get bored eating the same thing!)
So glad you liked it, Annette!
Made this tonight for dinner and loved it! My husband did too (and he’s a pretty picky eater). Used brown rice instead of quinoa but otherwise followed exactly. Made a ton of food! Excited for leftovers!
So happy to hear that you both enjoyed!
I can’t have any type of oil at the moment, could I sauté the veggies in organic chicken broth?
Yes, that should work fine, you might just need to keep adding the stock or water a little at a time so they don’t stick or burn. Hope that helps!