Dinner · Turkey

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Bell pepper halves filled with ground turkey, quinoa and marinara, topped with mozzarella and fresh basil.

⏱ 1 hr 10 min (25 min prep, 45 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 6 · 2 pepper halves make aheadkid friendlyfreezer friendlyleftovers gluten free
📅 Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 6 servings

  • Peppers

  • 6 Red bell pepper, halved through the stem, seeds removed

  • Filling

  • ¾ cup Quinoa, rinsed
  • 1½ cup Water
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 lb Ground turkey, 93% lean
  • 1 Yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 clove Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp Table salt
  • 2 cup Marinara or pasta sauce (jar)
  • ⅓ cup Fresh basil, chopped
  • 1½ cup Shredded mozzarella

Make it yourself

Make the italian seasoning yourself → Make the marinara and pizza sauce yourself →

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: 9-by-13-inch baking dish, large skillet, medium saucepan with lid, instant-read thermometer, aluminum foil.

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Simmer the quinoa covered in the water 15 minutes.
  2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey and onion, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the turkey reaches 165°F. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning and salt for 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the quinoa, 1 1/2 cups marinara and the basil. Spread the rest of the sauce in the baking dish, set the peppers in it cut side up and fill them.
  4. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, top with the mozzarella and bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is 165°F.

🌡 Safe temperaturesGround turkey or chicken 165°F; Casseroles 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadFill the peppers up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate; add 10 minutes to the covered time.
❄️ FreezerFreeze baked peppers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat covered to 165°F.
↺ LeftoversChop a leftover pepper into the filling and spoon it over pasta.
🧒 With kidsUse a mix of red, yellow and orange peppers and let kids pick a color.
Dairy-free swapSkip the cheese.
Meatless swapUse a can of black beans or white beans instead of the turkey.

Goes well with

🥬 Simple Green Salad🥖 Garlic Bread

Good to know

Cooking Fats Compared Fresh vs. dried herbs Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.

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