These ground turkey stuffed peppers are filled with lean ground turkey, quinoa, tomatoes, warm spices, and tangy feta cheese for a healthy, satisfying dinner. Colorful, flavorful, and easy to prepare, they're perfect for busy weeknights. Make the filling ahead, then stuff the peppers and bake when you're ready for dinner.
Along with my baked turkey meatballs, these ground turkey stuffed peppers are one of my favorite ways to turn lean ground turkey into a delicious dinner. With quinoa, vegetables, and savory Mediterranean-inspired flavors, they're a satisfying meal that needs little more than a leafy green salad tossed with an easy lemon vinaigrette.
Stuffed Peppers Recipe Snapshot
- Make ahead - Prepare the turkey filling 2-3 days in advance or freeze it for later.
- Meal prep friendly - Assemble and bake the peppers when you're ready for dinner.
- Colorful and versatile - Use red, yellow, orange, or green bell pepper or a combination.
Ingredients You'll Need
Ground turkey stuffed peppers shopping list:
- Ground turkey - Choose 93% lean ground turkey for better flavor and moisture. If using extra-lean 99% ground turkey, add a little olive oil to prevent dryness.
- Quinoa - White or tricolor quinoa both work well and add protein and texture.
- Bell peppers - Choose red, orange, yellow, or green peppers with smooth, firm skins that feel heavy for their size. Red peppers are the sweetest, while green peppers have a more pronounced, slightly bitter flavor.
- Olive oil - For sautéing the aromatics and adding flavor.
- Onion - Yellow, white, or brown onion all work.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Ground cumin - Adds warm, earthy flavor.
- Ginger - I use jarred ginger purée for convenience, but ground ginger works too.
- Tomatoes - Canned diced tomatoes provide both tomato pieces and juices. If using fresh tomatoes, add a little broth or tomato sauce for moisture.
- Fresh parsley - Adds freshness and color.
- Feta cheese - I prefer authentic Greek sheep and goat milk feta for its tangy flavor. Cow's-milk feta or crumbled goat cheese also work. Omit for dairy-free stuffed peppers.
Please see the recipe card for measurements and details.
For another recipe using ground beef try this bbq glazed meatloaf topped with barbecue sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Other ground meats - Substitute lean ground beef, ground bison, or ground chicken for the turkey.
- Vegetarian or vegan - Replace the turkey with crumbled extra-firm tofu or browned, crumbled tempeh. Omit the feta for a vegan version.
- Rice instead of quinoa - Use cooked white or brown rice. Here's the best way to cook brown rice.
- Grain-free option - Substitute cauliflower rice for the quinoa.
- Italian stuffed peppers - Replace the cumin and ginger with Italian seasoning and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Swap the feta for mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Mexican stuffed peppers - Replace the feta with cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Add oregano, coriander, and ancho chili powder. For extra heat, add diced jalapeño. Finish with sour cream and chopped cilantro.
How to Make Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
First, decide whether to leave the peppers whole with the tops removed so they stand upright, or cut them in half lengthwise to fill and bake on their sides. The photos show whole peppers with the tops removed. If you haven't cooked the quinoa yet, prepare it while you're chopping the vegetables.
Chef's tip: Make ahead ground turkey stuffed peppers. Save time by preparing the turkey filling up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container or freeze for longer storage. Thaw frozen filling overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it briefly in the microwave to take the chill off before stuffing the peppers. Bake until the filling reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
How to Choose the Right Peppers for Stuffing
The shape and size of bell peppers determine the best way to cut and fill them. Here's what to look for when shopping.
- Short, squat peppers - These work well standing upright with the tops removed. Choose peppers with relatively flat bottoms so they sit securely in the baking dish.
- Long, narrow peppers - Slice these in half lengthwise, from stem to bottom, and fill the halves with the cut sides facing up.
- Small peppers - Buy an extra pepper or two to accommodate all of the filling. That's what I did for the lead photo.
Chef's Tip - If a pepper doesn't stand upright, trim a very thin slice from the bottom to level it, being careful not to cut through the flesh.
Serving Suggestions
These ground turkey stuffed peppers make a satisfying meal on their own. Serve with a simple leafy green salad tossed with Dijon vinaigrette. If desired, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the peppers before serving.
Storage and Freezing
Leftovers - Refrigerate cooked stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They're best enjoyed within 2 days, as the peppers soften during storage. Reheat until hot throughout.
Freezing - For the best texture, freeze the cooked turkey filling separately rather than freezing assembled stuffed peppers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then fill fresh bell peppers and bake.
Recipe FAQs
You do not have to cook the peppers before stuffing them. They cook while filled just fine. No need to blanch, pre-cook, or add any liquid to the bottom of the dish. They have enough moisture.
Bake covered with foil at 375°F for approximately 45 minutes, depending on the size of the peppers and the temperature of the filling. Use a digital thermometer to check that the center of the filling reaches 165°F.
More Recipes with Bell Peppers
If You Make These Ground Turkey Stuffed Pepper
Please please me a comment and let me know how you enjoyed them. I love hearing from you and your comments help other readers as well. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- Casserole dish for baking
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa
- 4 large bell peppers: red, orange, green or yellow
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey 93% lean, beef, bison, or crumbled tofu.
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon jarred ginger puree or ground ginger ½ teaspoon, optional
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes not drained
- ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley
- 4 ounces crumbled Greek feta cheese or goat cheese
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Instructions
Cook the quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa well under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer. Add to a small saucepan with twice its volume of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool while preparing the peppers and filling.
Prepare the peppers for stuffing
- If the peppers are round and fat, cut off the top and stuff peppers standing. If the shape is more long and narrow, do not cut off the top. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise from stem to bottom. With a sharp paring knife and your fingers, trim out the ribs and seeds until the pepper is clean inside. If they do not sit flat, trim a tiny bit off the bottom so they are stable. Be careful not to cut through the pepper.
Cook pepper stuffing
- Heat oil in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and translucent. Turn heat down to medium low if it starts to brown. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring. Add the turkey, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spatula breaking up the turkey, until the pink is just gone. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, parsley, feta, and cooked quinoa.
Stuff peppers and bake
- Fill peppers mounding a little on top. Place peppers in a shallow casserole or baking dish, cover with foil and bake in a 375°F oven until hot all of the way through, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 45-50 minutes. Serve right away or cool completely, cover the peppers and refrigerate.
To serve
- To serve the next day, heat, covered, in a 350°F oven until hot throughout. How long depends on how cold they are coming out of the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
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