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    Home » Recipes » Chicken & Turkey

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

    Published: Sep 12, 2012 · Modified: May 10, 2022 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    10634 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Traditional versions of stuffed peppers use green bell peppers, ground beef and rice. Here’s my recipe for turkey quinoa stuffed peppers with ground turkey, nutrition-packed quinoa and tomatoes plus warming spices and a little feta cheese for some tang. You can make the stuffing ahead of time to save time. Notes for dietary options are at the end.

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

    These savory stuffed peppers make a great dinner with just a side green salad. Make the stuffing ahead of time, then stuff and bake the peppers when you want to eat. Lots of textures and flavors make them satisfying.

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

    For your shopping list:

    • Quinoa (cooked)
    • Large red or orange bell peppers
    • Olive oil
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Ground turkey (beef, bison, chicken)
    • Ground cumin
    • Ginger (jarred puree or fresh)
    • Sea salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Canned diced tomatoes
    • Parsley
    • Greek feta cheese

    How to Choose Bell Peppers for Stuffing

    Choose peppers that are smooth-skinned, richly colored red or orange, and heavy for their size. Brighter colored peppers have more nutrition in them and a sweeter taste.

    If the peppers are short, squat and round, trim off the top and fill them whole. If they are long and narrow, do not cut off the top. Instead cut them in half stem to end all of the way through for filling. See photos for visual help.

    Trim out the ribs and seeds from peppers with your fingers and a sharp paring knife until they are clean inside. After cooking the filling, stuff your peppers and bake.

    turkey quinoa stuffed peppers|AFoodCentricLife.com

    Make the Stuffed Peppers Filling

    Turkey, beef, or bison work equally well in this stuffed pepper recipe. I buy the 93% lean turkey or 10% ground beef. Instead of rice, I use light, fluffy quinoa. It’s a complete protein, meaning it provides all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. It’s a great swap for rice in this recipe.

    For another terrific recipe using ground turkey, try these baked turkey meatballs.

    Dietary Options

    For vegetarian, swap the turkey for your favorite bean. Black beans, Cannellini beans, kidney beans or pinto beans all work well. Use canned beans to save time. Rinse and drain them first.

    If you are not a big quinoa fan, swap cooked brown rice. Here is a post on how to cook recipe like pasta (my preferred method and it reduces arsenic).

    For vegan or dairy-free, use beans and skip the feta cheese. Add a tossed green salad and you are set.

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers|AFoodCentricLife.com

    If you are looking for more recipes with bell peppers try my Sheet Pan Roasted Pepper Soup or roasted vegetable ratatouille. 

    📖 Recipe

    Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers | AFoodCentricLife.com

    Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

    Sally Cameron
    Stuffed with nutrition, these turkey and quinoa filled peppers are a nice little package. To save time, make the stuffing ahead. When it’s time for dinner, stuff the peppers and bake. Serve with a big tossed green salad for a healthy balance. For a vegetarian dish, skip the turkey and add more cooked quinoa, or substitute your favorite bean. See notes in the post.  
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 363 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    • 4 large red or orange bell peppers
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 pound ground turkey
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger or jarred puree
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 14 ounce  can diced tomatoes
    • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
    • 4 ounces crumbled Greek feta cheese

    Optional Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons dried currants

    Instructions
     

    • Start by rinsing the quinoa under cold running through a fine sieve. Place rinsed quinoa in a small pot. Add 1 ½ cups of cold water to the pot. Bring it to a boil, then cover and turn heat down to low.  Cook 15-18 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to finish by steaming 5-10 minutes more. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
    • Prepare the peppers to be stuffed. If the peppers are round and fat, cut off the top to open up the pepper. If the shape is 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.
    • 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 to break up the turkey, until the pink is just gone. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, currants, feta., parsley and quinoa.
    • Fill peppers and mound it a little on top. Place peppers in a shallow casserole or baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350°F degree oven until hot all of the way through, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees (74C), about 35 -40 minutes. Serve as soon as possible  Alternatively, cool completely, cover the peppers and refrigerate. To serve the next day, heat covered in a 350 oven until hot.

    Notes

    For 2 servings: make the entire recipe for the stuffing. Use what you need and freeze the extra for future stuffed peppers. That’s a good time saving step

    Nutrition

    Calories: 363kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 35gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 536mgPotassium: 875mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5611IUVitamin C: 218mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda says

      January 19, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      Made these for dinner, easy and very yummy ??

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        January 19, 2016 at 10:00 pm

        Love to hear that Linda! Thanks for commenting.

        Reply
    2. Pamela says

      December 30, 2015 at 7:51 pm

      I can't find the nutritional information on your recipes. Am I missing it or do you not include it.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        December 30, 2015 at 8:03 pm

        Hi Pam. I have not included it in the past. I am just starting to add it to a recipes going forward. But since you asked, I did the analysis on this recipe and added it ;). Please let me know if that helps.

        Reply
    3. Susan C. says

      March 27, 2014 at 11:14 am

      I made this the other day and it was wonderful! My family loved it! Since then, my husband has learned he is allergic to tomatoes. I wondered if you might have any suggestions for a good substitute? I'm thinking of maybe adding some beef or veggie broth for the liquid, and maybe some black beans for substance? Just wondering if I should add some extra seasonings too, and/or if there are some other things you might recommend. Thank you!?

      Reply
    4. Vida says

      July 21, 2013 at 7:46 pm

      I just tried this recipe as my first attempt at stuffed bell peppers. I was looking for something a bit lighter and nutritious but also as delecious in comparison to my family recipe. This recipe hit the nail on the head. I tweaked it slightly by leaving out the ginger and the currants, using green bell peppers, and adding a bit more turkey to it. Lets just say that my family was more than pleased with my first stuffed bell peppers. Thanks!!!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        July 21, 2013 at 8:20 pm

        So glad it worked for you Vida. Thanks for commenting back. Tweaking to make it what your family wants is terrific!

        Reply
      • Makenna says

        April 17, 2014 at 6:07 pm

        That's what I did too! I added parmesan on the top because I like cheese, but I removed the ginger and the currants and used green peppers. Mine's still in the oven... Excited to try it!

        Reply
    5. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

      September 16, 2012 at 7:57 pm

      Wow, you have such stunning photos! And these stuffed bell pepers - YUM! These have been on my bucket list for so long - thanks for pushing me to finally give it a try!

      Reply
    6. Michelle @ Find Your Balance says

      September 16, 2012 at 10:55 am

      I've been meaning to make something like this forever. It's on my list of things to do. Ok. This week!!

      Reply
    7. Madonna says

      September 12, 2012 at 11:21 pm

      I love how you prep food. It is just one of the things I have learned from you. This is going on next week's menu. I prefer the reds and orange for stuffing, and for some reason I like the horizontal cut. I think it is because of the proportion of filling to pepper. Anyway, thanks again. I really appreciate you.

      Reply
    8. Mary@SiftingFocus says

      September 12, 2012 at 11:18 pm

      Sally, these stuffed peppers sound wonderful. Creative twists on a traditional recipe! Since I'm not a big green pepper fan, I love the use of red, orange, or yellow peppers in their place.

      Reply

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