Quinoa & Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Originally posted July 25, 2015

These easy to make Quinoa & Turkey Stuffed Peppers are the perfect, weeknight dinner the whole family will love!

Everyone has one or two recipes that always remind them of their mom. For me, stuffed bell peppers was that recipe!

I loved coming home from school or soccer practice with the smell of baking peppers in the oven.  I can see them now...stuffed to the brim with rice, veggies, and ground meat. Yum!  It was the perfect welcoming after a long day.

While I will always be a fan of the traditional recipe, there are so many different ways to prepare stuffed bell peppers.

In this recipe I decided to substitute the white rice stuffing with quinoa and ground beef with turkey. Both modifications will help reduce the amount of calories this dish would normally have. Plus, the quinoa will give you a little added benefit with more fiber and protein than white rice.

The filling is so good my husband and I will often eat it on its own.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED?

• 4-5 bell peppers - preferred color
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup red onion- chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup tomato sauce/ marinara sauce (either is fine) + additional 2-3 tablespoon for topping
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Optional add on- Parmesan Cheese

HOW DO I MAKE QUINOA & TURKEY STUFFED PEPPERS?

This recipe is fairly simple, there are just a few instructions that are required to make the flavor extra delicious!

In a small pot, add ½ cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water. Once you bring the water to a boil, turn to a low simmer for about 10-15 minutes (or until water has been absorbed by the grain).  

While the quinoa is cooking, cut the tops off of each bell pepper and remove all the seeds. Then place the bell peppers on a large plate or microwaveable dish, face down. Cook for 2 minutes to help soften them a bit.

In a deep skillet, begin to sauté the ground turkey and red onion. When the turkey has started to brown, stir in the cooked quinoa along with tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.  Continue to cook mixture for about 5-10 minutes.  

As soon as the turkey quinoa mixture has finished cooking, carefully spoon it into each of the bell peppers.  Fill each pepper all the way to the top, and place them into a oven safe baking dish.  

Before placing the peppers into the oven, top them with the remaining amount of tomato sauce. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes.

If you want to add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to your peppers, do so during the last 5 minutes.

A filling and impressive dinner on regular weeknights or special occasions! Comforting, healthy, gluten-free and super flavorful! Enjoy!

Quinoa & Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Print

Ingredients

• 4-5 bell peppers - preferred color
• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup red onion- chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup tomato sauce/ marinara sauce (either is fine) + additional 2-3 tablespoon for topping
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Optional add on- Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. In a small pot, add ½ cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water. Once you bring the water to a boil, turn to a low simmer for about 10-15 minutes (or until water has been absorbed by the quinoa).  
2. While the quinoa is cooking, cut the tops off of each bell pepper and remove all the seeds. Then place the bell peppers on a large plate or microwaveable dish, face down. Cook for 2 minutes to help soften them a bit.
3. In a deep skillet, begin to sauté the ground turkey and red onion. When the turkey has started to brown, add in the cooked quinoa along with tomato sauce and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.  Continue to cook mixture for about 5-10 minutes.  
4. Carefully spoon mixture into each of the bell peppers.  Fill each pepper all the way to the top, and place them into a oven safe baking dish.
5. Before placing the peppers into the oven, top them with the remaining amount of tomato sauce. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F. If you want to add Parmesan cheese to your peppers, do so during the last 5 minutes.