Ingredients
Peppers and filling
- 4 large bell peppers red or yellow, about 640 g trimmed flesh
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped, about 150 g
- 450 g 93% lean ground turkey about 1 lb
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 400 g canned diced tomatoes with their juice; about 14 oz
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 g fine salt about 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 300 g cooked white rice about 1 1/2 cups; not uncooked rice
- 100 g mozzarella shredded, about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Equipment
- 1 Large baking dish
- 1 Large skillet
- 1 Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
Prepare the shells and filling
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove seeds and white membranes. Place cut-side up in a large baking dish; add 2 tablespoons water to the bottom. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes while making the filling.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the turkey and cook 6–8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (74°C). Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes with their juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is moist but not watery. Fold in the cooked rice and heat through. Add a splash of water only if it looks dry.
- Carefully uncover the peppers and spoon out any excess water in the dish. Divide the filling between the eight halves, without packing it tightly. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the tops.
- Bake uncovered 20–25 minutes, until the peppers are tender, the cheese has melted and the filling reaches 165°F (74°C) throughout. Sprinkle with parsley and serve two halves per portion.
Nutrition
Serving: 2pepper halvesCalories: 457.9kcalCarbohydrates: 40.7gProtein: 31.7gFat: 17.3gSodium: 483.1mgFiber: 8.9g
Video
Notes
Video reference: Cooking With Moe & Deb, Turkey Stuffed Peppers, published October 14, 2025. The demonstration uses quinoa and balsamic with different seasonings; its description permits rice. Follow this written rice-and-oregano formula for the quantities above.
Cook time includes overlapping shell pre-baking and skillet work. Rice must already be cooked; add its preparation time if needed. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and keep 3–4 days; reheat to 165°F/74°C.
Nutrition is estimated from ANSES Ciqual 2025 (https://doi.org/10.57745/RDMHWY) and Butterball's official 93% lean ground-turkey label (160 calories, 22 g protein and 8 g fat per 112 g). It includes all ingredients divided into four servings; tiny oregano contributions are not included. Values below a reporting threshold use half that threshold; traces use zero. Brands and pepper sizes vary.
Illustrative budget assumptions, not live shop prices: peppers $4, turkey $4.50, rice $0.40, tomatoes $1, mozzarella $1.25, onion and other seasonings $1.35 = $12.50 for four servings.
