Stuffed Turkey Peppers (+ Vegan Option!)
Stuffed Turkey Peppers a.k.a. your NEW favorite dinner recipe!
If you are looking for a simple, healthy dinner recipe then you are in the right place. Stuffed peppers are delicious, easy, and can be customized based on what your family likes. Not to mention they are the perfect balance of vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. *Chef's Kiss*
I have never been the biggest fan of bell peppers, so when I was experimenting with this recipe I really was not expecting to love it as much as I do. I thought it would be a fun dinner to make for my family, and then once we all had a taste I have made it SO many times since. This recipe is packed with so many nutrients, such as vitamin C, Vitamin B6, iron, fiber, and protein from the ground turkey and quinoa.
Depending on what you like (or what you have in your fridge!), you can replace the quinoa with brown or wild rice, or replace the ground turkey with lean ground beef or pork. You can also switch up the veggies you add. One of my favorites is adding canned corn or frozen diced carrots. I also sometimes like adding different herbs or spices such as paprika or cumin. Try whatever YOU like - you won’t regret it!
This recipe sometimes makes extra filling (depending on the size of your peppers and how full you like them), so feel free to pick up a few extra bell peppers just in case. OR sometimes I like to keep the filling and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Pro tip - add some shredded cheese on top of the filling before warming in the microwave to enjoy some cheesy goodness.
Kid Friendly Tips:
Did you know kids are more likely to try new foods if THEY are included in the meal prep? You can get them involved by asking them to scoop the seeds out of the bell peppers (they do have small hands after all!). You can also ask them to help spoon filling into the bell peppers, and sprinkle cheese on top at the end. You can even ask them to choose their favorite bell pepper color, and that's the one (or two) they can eat!
Vegan Recipe Option:
You can make this recipe vegan by using Yves Ground Round, Black Beans, or Extra Firm Tofu instead of the turkey. Also use vegan shredded cheese instead of regular cheese.
Serving Size: 4
Let's get into the recipe. Here is what you'll need:
Ingredients:
4 whole peppers
1 cup of cooked quinoa
⅓ cup of tomatoes, diced
⅓ cup of zucchini, diced
1 cup of fresh spinach
1 cup of ground turkey, cooked
One small onion or shallot
1 tbsp each of fresh or dried rosemary, oregano, and thyme
Pinch of salt and pepper
Cheese of choice (I used fresh mozzarella)
2/3 cup of canned tomato sauce
Directions:
In a small pot, cook quinoa according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While your quinoa is cooking, dice your tomatoes and zucchini and set them aside.
Cut the tops off of your pepper, ensuring to remove all the seeds from inside.
In a saucepan, cook ground turkey with onion, salt, pepper, and herbs.
Once cooked, add tomato puree, spinach, quinoa, tomatoes, and zucchini to the pan until warm.
Remove from the stove and scoop the filling into your peppers (no specific measurements as peppers will vary in size, and you can choose to fill them as much as you would like)
Once stuffed, add shredded cheese on top and place them on a baking tray (you may need to lean them on each other for support!)
Bake in the oven for ~20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked and the cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and enjoy!
Note: you may have extra filling, which you can use to fill another pepper OR keep in the fridge and enjoy as leftovers for lunch :)