Description

Ground turkey stuffed peppers made with ground turkey, brown rice, cheese, onions, cilantro, and spices—healthy, simple, and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
4 red or green bell peppers, halved lengthwise
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup (dry) brown rice
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup cilantro loosely packed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1–2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
3–4 slices of minced jalapeño (optional)
Sour cream, salsa, and hot sauce for topping

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prepare rice according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing the stems and seeds. Set aside.
Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add ground turkey and season generously with salt and pepper. Use the tip of a spatula to break the turkey into small granular chunks. Cook until turkey is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the rice, tomato, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and optional jalapeño. Heat for 3-4 more minutes, mixing well so spices incorporate evenly. Taste the filling—if it tastes bland, add a bit more salt to help the spices really pop.
Using a large spoon or spatula, pack each pepper to the brim with the turkey filling. Set filled peppers aside on a plate or counter until the skillet is empty. Spoon any leftover filling evenly on each pepper.
Arrange the peppers back in the skillet, cavity side up, and bake for 25-30 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven, top each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of cheese, and place back in the oven for 5 more minutes or until cheese is meleted. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving. Serve with hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, and avocado.

Notes

You can use ground beef in place of ground turkey (or even ground chicken) but we’ve settled on turkey because we eat plenty of red meat. Ground turkey is tender and the seasonings make up for any flavor you might be missing with beef.

I use 93% lean ground turkey because 99% lean turkey tends to be a little dry and flavorless.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pepper
Calories: 394
Sugar: 8.2g
Sodium: 219mg
Fat: 7.1g
Saturated Fat: 2.5g
Carbohydrates: 50.6g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 34.4g
Cholesterol: 71mg

Keywords: Bell peppers stuffed with ground turkey