Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

These Italian-style Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are the total package. Protein, carbs, and veggies all in one bite! Full of flavor, comforting, and healthy--the perfect weeknight dinner for anyone trying to stick to a low-carb or gluten-free diet.

These peppers bake up perfectly tender and crisp and are packed with juicy ground turkey, rice, basil-infused red sauce, melty mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.

Why This Recipe Works

There are no extra unnecessary steps when it comes to this recipe! These healthy ground turkey stuffed peppers come together completely from scratch, and you won't find anything about the recipe too time-consuming or difficult.

• No Extra Steps | Par-boiling the peppers? No, thanks. Skip this step by simply adding a thin layer of water to the bottom of the pan and covering the pan with aluminum foil to create steam and cook the peppers through. Casserole dinners are a gift to the busy mom, and this stuffed pepper recipe is no different.
• Pepper Stability | Another reason this recipe is easier than the rest is the way we cut the bell peppers. Rather than standing them upright in the pan and worrying about them tipping over, we cut them in half vertically, meaning the side of the bell pepper lays flat in the pan so there is no wobbling.
• Flavor | The combo of crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, and basil for the sauce is next-level delicious, full of flavor, and super simple to throw together.

Ingredients and Customizations

• Bell Peppers | Make sure to pick peppers similar in size. Feel free to use any color bell peppers you like--green, red, yellow, or orange.
• Ground Turkey | This recipe calls for 1 pound of ground turkey. While this recipe was created with ground turkey, you can certainly use ground chicken, ground beef, Italian sausage, or a combination of ground meats for this recipe.
• Crushed Tomatoes | These make up the sauce base for your ground turkey stuffed peppers. I always buy San Marzano if I can find them; higher quality canned tomatoes equals better flavor.
• Onion + Garlic | The king and queen of aromatics! You can't make a good red sauce without them.
• Basil | This is a small ingredient that makes a really big difference when it comes to flavor. Basil adds a fresh note to the dish and amplifies the sauce's flavor tenfold.
• Spices | A simple blend of Kosher salt, black peppers, and Italian seasoning is all it takes.
• Rice | We use long-grain white rice, but you can easily substitute brown rice if desired. Other grains like quinoa, couscous, or even orzo will also work well in this recipe. Ensure your rice is cooked and ready before your pepper assembly begins. Time-saver hack: instant rice will work just fine in this recipe if you're in a pinch! And to keep this recipe on the lower carb side, cauliflower rice is your friend instead of white rice.
• Mozzarella | You can use block mozzarella or fresh mozzarella for this recipe; 2 cups total. I actually prefer to use a combo of both. Freshly grated mozzarella is perfect for binding the pepper filling together, and no cheese melts more beautifully than fresh mozzarella! You certainly don't have to buy both, however.
• Parmesan (optional) | This topper is optional, but if you dig on the nutty, salty vibes Parmesan cheese brings to the table, we can't recommend it enough!

How to Make Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Ready Oven + Baking Dish | Preheat the oven to 400° and have ready a 9x13” casserole dish. Add water to the bottom of the casserole dish to fill by about a ¼ inch and set aside. (Note: You can add the water before or after peppers go in.)

Prepare Bell Peppers | Stand the bell peppers on their bottom and cut them in half. Seed and core the peppers. Set aside until ready to use.

Sauté Onions + Garlic | Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Adding oil is necessary since turkey meat is so lean; it needs the fat to cook nicely. We use the same technique in our ground turkey tacos. Add the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Cook Ground Turkey | Add the ground turkey and break it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the turkey is fully cooked. If ground turkey is a staple in your home, our baked turkey meatballs are another family favorite and take no time at all to whip up.

Add Sauce Ingredients | Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning until evenly distributed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add Rice + Mozzarella | Once cooled slightly, add the rice and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese to the mix and stir to combine.

Stuff the Peppers | Divide the filling amongst the bell peppers and place them in the casserole dish. Top the peppers with the remaining cheese and cover with non-stick aluminum foil. If you did not add your water to the dish in the beginning steps, now is the time to add it!

Bake | Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for 10 minutes more.

Serve + Enjoy! | Allow to cool slightly, serve, and enjoy.

What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers

Peppers are a meal in and of themselves, fully loaded with veggies, protein, and carbs, but if you like a variety on your plate come dinnertime, here are some serving ideas everyone will love.

Salad | Pair with a Milanese salad consisting of arugula, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, topped with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and olive oil. We serve this salad with our parmesan pork chops -- another healthy dinner to try! You could also serve these peppers with a traditional house salad or a top-notch Caesar.

Air Fryer Faves | Air fryer recipes with an Italian flare! Air fryer eggplant or zucchini are another veggie option, or make all of the kids happy with homemade mozzarella sticks!

Make-Ahead and Storage

Store | Store leftover bell peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze cooked bell peppers. Allow them to cool completely and transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe safe container and freeze for 2-3 months.

Make Ahead | Complete the recipe up to the point of filling and topping the bell peppers with cheese, then transfer to a casserole dish (but do not add any water). Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also transfer unbaked peppers to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 months.

Reheat | You can reheat these bad boys in the microwave, in the oven at 350°F for about 8-10 minutes, or in the air fryer at 400°F for about 4 minutes. If you are reheating from frozen, you may need to add time to the oven or air fryer to bring it to temperature.

6 More "Stuffed" Recipes You'll Love

• Stuffed Pork Chops
• Stuffed Shrimp
• Stuffed Salmon
• Stuffed Shells
• Stuffed Chicken Breasts
• Stuffed Poblano Peppers