Healthy Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey

The most delicious healthy stuffed peppers with ground turkey dish that is common in many cuisines. Hallowed or halved peppers filled with ground turkey, black beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, and topped with melted cheese, scallions, the ripest avocado, and squeezed lime juice poured over top.

Healthy stuffed peppers with ground turkey are absolutely delicious!  First of all, this is the most beautiful creation and the ground turkey inside the stuffed pepper is the perfect combination. This stuffed peppers with ground turkey and tomato sauce recipe also uses no rice and quinoa.

That is totally a variation you can use, but I chose to lessen the carbs. Hello bathing suit season 😉 I know we all love a nice easy bell pepper recipe too and that is exactly what I am giving you. Being a mom of three I have minimal time to get fancy with my meals. Occasionally, I will just for fun, but for the most part I'm a pretty basic cook that healths up all her meals! Of course they are all family approved!

Why is this recipe good for you?

You ask are stuffed bell peppers healthy? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, red bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C and during the cold winter months the more vitamin C you can get the better your immune system will be. I think now a days everyone and anyone wants their immune system up to date. Especially if you're pregnant! For all those Mama-to-bes out there.  For that reason, I find this meal to be extra important for those expecting.

Besides that, and black beans are also very beneficial for women expecting.  Beans are one of the top foods you should eat when pregnant.  Besides providing protein and fiber, they are also good sources of iron, folate, calcium, and zinc.  They are a good source for anyone actually.  This meal was fun to make with my daughter too.  She loved scooping up the turkey mixture and stuffing it into the bell peppers.  She is a huge fan of bell peppers so that enticed her more to want to help and eat the finished product.

Ingredients to make this dish

This is one of my favorite meals when changing up Taco Tuesday is healthy stuffed peppers with ground turkey. It makes the meal look much more appealing when stuffed inside a bell pepper. 

You will need:

1. 5 medium bell peppers. These bell peppers will be hollowed out and halved peppers. First, lay the pepper on it's side and using a sharp knife ( I recommend a chef's knife) slice the tops off of each bell pepper. Next, run the knife around the inside of the flesh to scoop out all of the seeds and the core. Repeat with all and set aside.

1. 2 green onions. Clean your onions under the faucet to remove any dirt or bacteria. Lay on a cutting board and also using a chef's knife, chop off the root end. Line your green onions next to each other and thinly slice them into ⅛-inch thick. Also, the green onions are optional because they are only sprinkled on top, but I recommend adding them for that extra flavor.
2. one can of low-sodium black beans. Use a 15 oz can of low-sodium black beans. Make sure you drain and rinse them before use. Draining and rinsing beans lowers the sodium by about 100 milligrams per ½ cup serving.
3. one 28oz. can of crushed tomatoes. I am all about organic products. I found this one for only 1.69.  Organic foods always have less pesticides. That is why I try to only eat organic, but it is more pricey so that doesn't always happen.
4. one 28oz. can of sweet corn. Drain and rinse before using.
5. 1-¼ lb ground turkey. I like to brown my meat using a cast-iron skillet. Cast-iron skillets are great for keeping food warm so this is helpful for when you're done cooking your ground turkey mixture and need to stuff it into your peppers.
6. 1 garlic clove, minced. I like to cut corners by buying my garlic already minced. This is a staple in my fridge. Being a busy mom I always think about saving time, but feel free to get fresh garlic. Spice World Organic Garlic, 32 oz. $11.42.
7. one 8 oz. bag of reduced fat Colby-Jack cheese. You can really choose any cheese you prefer. I like natural cheeses, like colby-jack, cheddar, swiss, and parmesan because they contain minimal lactose. Which makes them a tad easier to digest if you have any lactose issues.
8. plain Greek yogurt for topping. I alwayssss substitute plain Greek yogurt instead of using sour cream.
9. Baking dish. This recipe asks you to bake the final product in a baking dish.  I recommend using one with sides in case some of your ingredients fall out or the bell pepper topples over.  I found this one which can be used for this recipe, but in the future it has a top that can easily snap on for leftover that were cooked in this dish.

How to make this dish

This meal looks complicated, but I promise you it's super easy.  Start off by washing the  red peppers and slice the tops off each pepper.  Remove the seeds and set aside.

In a large cast-iron skillet, brown ground turkey until fully cooked. Drain in colander and return to skillet.

Add cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn. Simmer about 15 minutes. 

Stir all the ingredients together using a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat and fill each red pepper with turkey mixture.

Cover dish with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40-45 min. Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake an additional 5 min. until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onion pieces. Serve and enjoy!  Top with a dollop of the plain greek yogurt.

How to cooked stuffed pepper in a slow cooker

Of course you can! I love using my slow cooker during the winter months or on football Sundays during the fall. Crock pot stuffed peppers are perfect for when you need to run around on a busy day. I always say, "set it and forget it". Brown your ground turkey and garlic in your cast iron skillet until your turkey is cooked through and your garlic gives off that beautiful smell. Drain in a colander.

Add back to skillet and stir in black beans, crushed tomatoes, corn, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cut your peppers and place in bottom of crock pot. Fill each pepper up about half way and top with your cheese. Spoon remaining ground turkey mixture over top peppers and cook on high for about 3 hours. Right before serving sprinkle more cheese on top along with your green peppers. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

How to reheat stuffed peppers

In the microwave of course 🙂 First, on a microwave safe-plate or dish, place the stuffed peppers facing upwards. Please do not put them on top of each other. Next, pop the dish in the microwave for 2 minutes. Make sure to avoid heating for more than 20 seconds as that might overcook the stuffed peppers. Leave off the toppings until you remove the pepper from the microwave. Enjoy 🙂

How to store leftover stuffed peppers

Leftovers are my favorite! I always says cook once, eat twice. When I have dinner for lunch the next day I know I've won in the meal prep department. If you made too many stuffed peppers and want some leftovers this is the way to store them correctly. Refrigerate the peppers in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Properly stored, cooked peppers will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Tips and FAQ's

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If you give these stuffed peppers a try don't forget to rate the recipe below! Always love hearing what you all think. You can also Stay in touch with me through social media on @Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my healthy recipes!