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Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are a high-protein dinner idea that tastes like lasagna. They are a great way to get more veggies and protein into your life!
This recipe tastes like a cross between lasagna and pizza. The tender bell peppers add extra veggies to your meal while acting as the perfect way to portion the flavorful filling.
You can even make these ahead as part of your meal prep routine. The filling takes just 15 minutes to prepare, and then you can freeze it in the bell pepper halves for a future meal. It’s naturally gluten-free and easy to customize!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Stuffed pepper filling is often made with ground beef and brown rice, but this version features lean ground turkey paired with cooked lentils, which offer significantly more protein and fiber. (I used canned lentils or the vacuum-sealed pack from the grocery store to cut down on the prep work.)
Cooked with onion and your favorite marinara sauce, the flavor of the filling reminds me of lasagna! The cheese is optional here, so feel free to leave it off for a dairy-free meal.
Any color bell peppers will work for this recipe. Red ones are slightly sweeter, while green bell peppers remind me more of a pizza topping, which I love. Choose whichever you prefer!
How to Make Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a sharp knife to cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, cutting right through the tops of the peppers. Cut away the membranes and use a spoon to remove any remaining seeds.
I don’t fully remove the stems so that the peppers will hold their shape without too much filling spilling out. Season the bell pepper halves with salt and pepper, then turn them over and arrange cut-side-down in a 9-by-13 baking dish.
Place them in the oven to cook while you prepare the filling, about 15 minutes.
Drizzle the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add in the diced onion. Stir for 5 minutes, then add in the ground turkey. Season it with a half teaspoon of salt, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks.
Continue stirring and breaking the meat into crumbles until it’s no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Once it’s cooked, add in the cooked lentils and an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir briefly, then add in the marinara sauce and mix well.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in grated parmesan cheese, if desired. (This makes it taste more like lasagna, in my opinion.) Use oven mitts to remove the pan of bell peppers from the oven and carefully flip them over with tongs or a fork.
Scoop the turkey mixture into each bell pepper half, distributing it evenly among the 8 bell pepper halves. It’s okay if they look slightly heaped.
Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, if desired, then return the dish to the oven to bake until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbly about 20 to 25 more minutes.
Serve these turkey stuffed peppers warm, with fresh parsley on top, if desired. (We usually plan on serving two stuffed pepper halves per person.)
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen peppers overnight before reheating them. To reheat from the fridge, place them on a pan and bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes.
Meal Prep Tips
If you’d like to make ground turkey stuffed peppers as part of your meal prep routine, you don’t have to bake them once they are stuffed. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to reheat and eat.
To reheat a refrigerated stuffed pepper, place it on a baking sheet, top with shredded cheese, and bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through. (You can use an air fryer for this, too.)
Freezer tip
For an easy freezer meal, you can add the cooked filling to un-cooked bell peppers. The peppers will become more tender after freezing and thawing, almost as if you cooked them. Thaw a frozen stuffed pepper in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven as directed above for an easy dinner.
Looking for more easy dinner ideas? Try Healthy Burgers, Cauliflower Tacos with Fresh Cilantro Slaw, or Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos.
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.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
OMG, we made these for dinner last night and my husband (who didn’t think he’d like them) is already asking for leftovers for lunch today. We used Rao’s marinara sauce and added the optional Parmesan cheese. Definitely adding this to our regular dinner rotation!
Can you swap quinoa for the lentils?
Yes, definitely!