Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers Recipe (2024)

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Ground turkey stuffed peppers are one of my favorite healthier, Mexican-inspired recipes. These stuffed bell peppers are simple but loaded with protein and flavor. Ground turkey, brown rice, chopped onion, diced tomatoes, spices, a blend of cheeses, and fresh cilantro come together to deliver a simple and delicious skillet meal.

Why I Love This Recipe

Turkey stuffed peppers are a fantastic weeknight meal that’s healthy, flavorful, and filling. The blend of lean meat, brown rice, and spices creates a full meal packed into every bite. We eat plenty of red meat, the turkey is a great way to change things up.

This recipe is very easy to make and can all be made almost entirely in a single cast iron skillet (aside from the rice). It’s a fantastic recipe to use leftover rice, making it even easier to pull together in about 15-20 minutes of active cooking time. Stuffed peppers can be made ahead of time and baked when ready to serve.

Looking for more delicious skillet recipes? Try my skillet fajitas and my skillet chicken enchiladas! This recipe pairs well with homemade guacamole and a classic margarita.

Ingredients

• 85-93% lean ground turkey: you can optionally use ground beef or ground chicken. We like ground turkey because it’s a healthier alternative to red meat.
• Shredded Mexican blend cheese: any blend of cheddar cheese will work. You can also use shredded mozzarella or whatever you have on hand. It’s the best part!
• Red, green, or orange bell peppers: this is a matter of preference. You can also use poblano peppers, they’re just much smaller and will require more peppers.
• Tomato: any tomato can be used in this recipe. I usually use a standard globe tomato but roma, cherry, or vine tomatoes work too.
• Brown rice: you can also use white rice or quinoa. Day-old rice works great too.
• Yellow onion: onion can be omitted if you aren’t a fan. Feel free to use red onion or white onion as well.
• Fresh cilantro: I reserve the cilantro topping at the very end. It adds a nice fresh touch of herbs that elevates the dish.
• Spices: I like to use a blend of cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. You can also add onion powder in place of the fresh onion. If you’re in a pinch, a full packet of taco seasoning works well too!
• Salt: salt is what helps to bring all of the spices to the front. If the dish feels on the bland side, add a bit more salt instead of more spices. This is likely the problem.
• Olive oil: I use olive oil but any cooking oil will work.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.

Substitutions and Variations

Below is some extra inspiration and substitutions for the pepper filling. I’ve experimented with a lot of different ingredients with fantastic results.

• Ground beef, turkey, or chicken
• Sauteed corn or black beans
• Quinoa, brown, or white rice (try my cilantro lime rice next)
• Chopped jalapeno
• Cojita or any Mexican cheese blend
• Red, yellow, or white onion
• Your favorite spices and seasoning (chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, or taco seasoning blend)

How to Make Stuffed Peppers

Frequently Asked Questions

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