Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: ground turkey stuffed peppers

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers taste like lasagna, without the extra effort of making multiple layers. It's the perfect way to get more protein and veggies into your life!

Print Recipe Add to Collection

Ingredients

4 bell peppers (any color)
fine sea salt & black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion , chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 (15 oz.) can cooked brown lentils , drained and rinsed (see notes)
1 ½ cups marinara sauce
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, directly through the stem, then use a spoon to remove the seeds and white pith. Sprinkle the inside of each pepper with salt and pepper, then arrange them cut-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place them in the oven to cook for 15 minutes.
While the peppers are cooking, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and stir until it starts to soften about 5 minutes. Then add in the ground turkey and season it with a ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt. Use a spatula to break up the turkey into smaller pieces, and cook until it's no longer pink, which should take about 8 more minutes.
When the turkey is cooked, add in the drained and rinsed lentils, another ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the marinara sauce. Stir well to make sure everything is evenly coated. Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, if desired. (This makes it taste more like lasagna!)
Remove the pan of bell pepper halves from the oven and use an oven mitt or tongs to carefully flip them over so they are cut-side-up. Divide the turkey filling among all of the pepper halves, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven to bake until the cheese has melted and looks lightly golden on top, about 25 more minutes.
When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and let the peppers rest for 5 minutes. Then serve warm with chopped parsley or basil on top as a garnish. Leftover peppers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for 15 to 20 minutes at 350ºF or until the center is warm again.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 2 stuffed pepper halves, assuming you get 8 halves total and use all of the cheese. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Lentil Note: Using canned lentils makes this recipe more convenient, but you can also use home-cooked lentils or the vacuum-sealed pack from the grocery store (check the refrigerated section for this). This is an alternative to brown rice, which is often used in stuffed peppers, only it has more fiber and protein. Feel free to use cooked rice as a swap, if you prefer.

Make it dairy-free: Omit the cheese if you need a dairy-free meal, or use a vegan alternative if you prefer. This would also be delicious topped with the dairy-free cheese sauce from my Vegan Lasagna recipe.

Nutrition