Turkey Stuffed Peppers

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 02/4/21
stuffed peppers in a serving tray

The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Yield: 8 to 10 pieces
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
537 Calories
34g Fat
23g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 537
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 141mg 47%
Sodium 714mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 36g
Vitamin C 42mg 210%
Calcium 417mg 32%
Iron 4mg 19%
Potassium 535mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These light and delicious stuffed peppers are a great choice for a light lunch or dinner. Stuffed with lean ground turkey, rice, savory spices, and diced tomatoes, this dish is the perfect all-in-one. Serve the stuffed peppers with a salad, roasted vegetables, potatoes, or even a good slice of garlic bread.

Using leaner meat doesn't mean giving up flavor, as our recipe compensates for the lack of fat in the turkey with spices and fresh herbs. But the amount of fat that you'd like in your dish is up to you: choose ground turkey thighs or a combination of white and dark meat. Ground turkey breast will be leaner, but the filling will not be as moist. If you're looking for a richer filling, use beef instead, or turkey with a greater ratio of fat to meat than the usual 93 percent: a 100-gram serving of uncooked 93-percent lean ground turkey has over 8 grams of fat, whereas the same amount of uncooked beef has over 20 grams of fat.

To keep your peppers with the appropriate amount of moisture, the rice and turkey need to be appropriately cooked before stuffing the peppers, as uncooked filling ingredients can make stuffed peppers watery.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 large bell peppers (assorted colors)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 pound ground turkey

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked rice

  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (approximately 2 cups) 

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    ingredients for turkey stuffed peppers
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, and arrange the peppers in a shallow rimmed baking pan. To keep your pepper halves from tipping or leaning, if needed carefully slice a very thin piece off of the bottom to stabilize them.

    slice the peppers and remove the seeds
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and onion and cook, turning frequently, until the turkey is fully cooked and no longer pink.

    cooking the ground turkey in a large skillet
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. Add the garlic, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about 1 to 2 additional minutes.

    spices are added to the ground turkey
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Add the cooked rice, tomatoes, and parsley and stir to mix well. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.

    skillet with turkey stuffing for stuffed peppers

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. Stuff the peppers with the turkey and rice mixture. If there is a wobbly pepper, lean it against another stuffed pepper to keep it in place. Add about 1 cup of hot water to the pan and bake the stuffed peppers for 25 minutes. Top each pepper with some of the remaining cheese and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.

    baking pan with turkey stuffed peppers

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Transfer the stuffed peppers to a serving platter or individual plates. Enjoy!

    turkey stuffed pepper on a spatula

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

How To Store and Freeze

  • Refrigerate leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • To freeze stuffed peppers, put the cooled stuffed peppers in resealable food storage bags or airtight freezer containers. Freeze the peppers for up to 3 months.
  • To freeze a whole batch of stuffed peppers, let them cool and arrange them in a baking dish or casserole. Cover with foil and then wrap in cling wrap.
  • To reheat frozen stuffed peppers, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 F for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the center of the filling registers at least 165 F.

Recipe Variations

  • Replace the white rice with cooked brown rice or bulgur wheat.
  • Add a minced jalapeño pepper to the filling or add a dash of ground cayenne pepper for a spicier version.
  • Use pepper jack cheese or a Mexican blend instead of cheddar.
  • Use ground chicken, pork, or beef instead of turkey.

Helpful Links

Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Beef, Ground. FoodData Central. United States Department of Agriculture.