Description
These Stuffed Bell Peppers are the ultimate weeknight dinner—vibrant, hearty, and endlessly customizable. Filled with savory ground turkey (or a vegetarian alternative), rice, rich tomato sauce, melty cheese, and warm spices, this classic dish comes together with pantry staples and tons of flavor.
Ingredients
▢ 4 bell peppers, halved lengthwise and deseeded
▢ 1 lb ground turkey or beef (or 1 ½ cups cooked lentils or mushrooms for vegetarian)
▢ 1 small onion, chopped
▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
▢ 1 cup cooked rice (or quinoa/farro)
▢ 1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
▢ 3/4 cup tomato sauce
▢ 1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
▢ 1 tsp chili powder
▢ 1/2 tsp cumin
▢ 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
▢ 1/2 tsp oregano
▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
▢ Salt and pepper, to taste
▢ 1 cup shredded gluten-free cheese (mozzarella or Monterey Jack)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ground meat (or vegetarian option) and cook until browned.
4. Stir in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5-7 minutes.
5. Arrange pepper halves in a baking dish and fill with the meat/rice mixture.
6. Top each stuffed pepper with shredded cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
8. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
You can prep the filling up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge.
Try adding corn, black beans, or chopped spinach for extra nutrition.
This recipe works well with dairy-free cheese if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 halves
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: stuffed bell peppers, easy dinner, gluten free stuffed peppers, turkey stuffed peppers