When it comes to weeknight dinner comfort food, stuffed peppers are definitely on my list. They are hearty, packed with protein, there’s plenty of veggie action, and they reheat well which means the leftovers are great for lunch the next day.
If you have never tried making stuffed peppers before then this easy (and delicious!) recipe is for you! The peppers are filled with lean ground turkey, hearty brown rice, veggies, and then topped with plenty of mozzarella cheese for good measure. This recipe is sure to be a hit and it’s another delicious way to use ground turkey!
Bell Peppers: I like to use a wide variety of colors for this recipe simply because it looks so pretty but any color bell pepper will work. Choose peppers that are on the larger side so that there is plenty of room for all of the yummy filling.
Ground Turkey: either ground dark or white mean turkey will work well in this recipe.
Onion and Garlic: to help build a delicious flavor base.
Marinara Sauce: you’ll need one large jar of your favorite marinara sauce for this recipe.
Spinach: fresh spinach gets wilted into the stuffed pepper filling.
Brown Rice: to make these peppers nice and hearty we’re using cooked brown rice in the filling.
Cheese: we’re using a combination of parmesan and mozzarella for the ultimate flavor and the cheesy gooeyness on top.
Fresh Herbs and Spices: plenty of fresh basil and parsley helps to give the peppers the best flavor.
Ingredient Substitutions
Ground turkey – you can easily substitute ground turkey for ground chicken or ground beef if you prefer. If you want to make a vegetarian version of these stuffed peppers you could use your favorite meat crumbles!
Brown rice – easily swap the brown rice for white rice or quinoa if you like.
Cheese – leave it out altogether or use your favorite dairy free version instead!
Spinach – I love using spinach in these peppers but feel free to swap it for thinly sliced kale if you prefer.
Step One: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and then ground turkey. Brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
Step Two: Once the turkey is brown, add the diced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the onion is tender.
Step Three: Add the marinara sauce and chopped spinach. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 more minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown rice and parmesan cheese.
Step Four: Stuff the pepper halves with the filling and place them in a 9×13 casserole dish.
Step Five: Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Step Six: Remove from the oven and top the peppers with the mozzarella cheese. Return them to the oven and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and parsley.
My Favorite Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Use leftover brown rice – whenever you make brown rice make extra and freeze it! When it’s time to make these peppers remove the extra brown rice from the freezer to use in this dish!
Add extra veggies – finely chopped zucchini, carrot, or celery would all be delicious in this recipe. Feel free to get creative!
Do some prep in advance – you can easily assemble these peppers ahead of time and then place in the fridge until you are ready to bake them!
Can You Freeze Stuffed Bell Peppers?
Yes! These peppers are a great option to meal prep in advance and then store in the freezer for a rainy day when you need a quick recipe.
To freeze the peppers: Prepare the peppers according to the recipe instructions and then let them come to a complete cool. Transfer the peppers to a freezer safe storage container. Place the lid on the storage container and then freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
How to Reheat and Store
You can easily reheat the stuffed peppers in a 350 degree oven, microwave, or even an air fryer if you have it.
Oven: reheat at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, covered, until warmed through. If the peppers are frozen reheat them for 45-50 minutes.
Microwave: you can microwave the peppers on high for 2-3 minutes until completely warmed through.
Air Fryer: place the peppers in your air fryer basket and reheat for 5 minutes at 350 degrees until completely warmed through.
Of course, feel free to adjust these times if needed to ensure your peppers are perfectly piping hot!
I hope you give these Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers a try! They are so hearty and filling
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping
extra basil and fresh parsley, for garnish
Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and then ground turkey. Brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
Once the turkey is brown, add the diced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the onion is tender.
Add the marinara sauce and chopped spinach. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 more minutes until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown rice, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese.
Stuff the pepper halves with the filling and place them in a 9×13 casserole dish.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and top the peppers with the mozzarella cheese. Return them to the oven and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Garnish with extra fresh chopped basil and parsley.
Keywords: ground turkey stuffed peppers, stuffed peppers with ground turkey, stuffed bell peppers with ground turkey, how to make stuffed peppers with ground turkey
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by:THE MINDFUL HAPA
Googled healthy stuffed peppers and these came up. Best stuffed peppers I have ever had. Used peppers, basil and parsley from my garden. My family went nuts over them. Great flavor!!
Absolutely Perfect ! I followed the recipe exactly with only 1 exception. I added a few chopped baby bella mushrooms which needed to be used. Added them the same time as the onion.
You don’t have to be an expert cook. Just simply follow the instructions. They are perfect.
I rarely ever leave reviews of any kind, but this is delicious and easy!
Easy and plenty for leftovers after my husband and I had a filling dinner! The rice really helped make it more satisfying because I feel like I’ve tried this type of dish before and was hungry later. This meal was great!
These were delicious and so simple to make. I love fresh, flavorful, and quick recipes where there isn’t much legwork when I’m feeling lazy and this definitely delivered! Will definitely make again – my fiancé said these were the best stuffed peppers he’s ever had!
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Googled healthy stuffed peppers and these came up. Best stuffed peppers I have ever had. Used peppers, basil and parsley from my garden. My family went nuts over them. Great flavor!!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you all loved these, Jenny! Thanks for leaving a review!
Easy to make, tasty recipe! Loved the spinach and addition of red pepper flakes in this recipe. This is a keeper.
★★★★★
I substituted ground chicken for turkey and really liked it. I think the ground chicken made a great base for all the flavors. Really easy and yummy!
★★★★★
These turned out delicious!
★★★★★
These were easy and so very tasty!!
★★★★★
Absolutely Perfect ! I followed the recipe exactly with only 1 exception. I added a few chopped baby bella mushrooms which needed to be used. Added them the same time as the onion.
You don’t have to be an expert cook. Just simply follow the instructions. They are perfect.
I rarely ever leave reviews of any kind, but this is delicious and easy!
Thanks
★★★★★
Yum! My 3 kids and husband all loved these. Super easy to put together and felt healthy and tasty. I will definitely make these again.
★★★★★
Easy and plenty for leftovers after my husband and I had a filling dinner! The rice really helped make it more satisfying because I feel like I’ve tried this type of dish before and was hungry later. This meal was great!
★★★★★
These were delicious and so simple to make. I love fresh, flavorful, and quick recipes where there isn’t much legwork when I’m feeling lazy and this definitely delivered! Will definitely make again – my fiancé said these were the best stuffed peppers he’s ever had!
★★★★★
These were delicious!! Stuffed peppers can be too cooked or undercooked, and these were just perfect.
★★★★★