Description
A quick, weeknight-friendly dinner featuring lean ground turkey and protein-rich quinoa stuffed into bell peppers. This one-pan meal is customizable, kid-approved, and takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- 1 pound (450g) ground turkey (93% or 99% lean)
- 1 cup dry quinoa (185g)
- 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Rinse quinoa well. Combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups water or broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- Wash bell peppers. Cut off the tops (about 1 inch from stem) and remove seeds and white membranes. If needed, trim a tiny slice off the bottom so they stand flat.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cooked quinoa, diced tomatoes (with juice), and black beans. Mix well and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Place hollowed peppers in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Spoon the filling into each pepper, packing gently but leaving room for cheese on top.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle shredded cheese over the tops, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, swap turkey for lentils or extra beans. For dairy-free, skip cheese or use vegan alternative. Use low-sodium broth and rinse beans to control sodium levels. Do not overstuff peppers to prevent bursting. Red, yellow, or orange peppers are sweeter and cook faster than green peppers.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 32
Keywords: high protein, turkey, quinoa, stuffed peppers, weeknight dinner, healthy meal, meal prep, gluten-free, one-pan