This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers – Tender bell peppers are stuffed with seasoned ground turkey taco meat, black beans, and cheese for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
I love replacing regular ground beef with ground turkey in my recipes to make them a little lighter and healthier, like myTurkey Taco Stuffed Shells,Turkey Taco Burrito Bowls,andTurkey Taco Soup. Ground turkey is leaner and lighter than beef, saving you on calories. It’s delicious and I actually prefer it to beef or sausage in spaghetti sauceand tacos. If you want to try a kicked up version, try theseChicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers!
How To Make Ground Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers always seems like such a complicated dish to make, but I promise you it is so easy. You just need a few ingredients and in under an hour you will have delicious and healthy Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers!
- Start by cooking a pound of ground turkey with some onion and garlic. This will add flavor to the meat itself. If your turkey releasing a lot of liquid during cooking, you may want to drain it before adding anything else.
- Next, add some of your favorite salsa, but I do recommend that it be a more blended salsa, and not chunky so that it can help to form the sauce a little better. Chunky salsas tend to be more thin and watery. Stir in sometaco seasoning and water and let that pot simmer for about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will reduce and thicken a bit, so when time is up you can add some cheese to complete the sauce, then stir in some cooked white rice, black beans, and corn.
- While the filling is cooking, prepare the bell peppers. Slice the pepper in half lengthwise then remove and discard seeds and membranes. Rinse the peppers and arrange them in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture. Depending on how full you pack the peppers, you may end up with 6-8 stuffed peppers. Top each pepper with a spoonful of salsa and a sprinkling of cheese. Pour some water or chicken broth around the peppers in the dish and cover with nonstick foil. Bake until peppers are soft and the filling is hot and bubbly.
This recipe does make a lot of the taco meat, and you will have enough to fill at least 6 peppers, maybe more, depending on how full you fill them. If you have any taco meat leftover, you can follow the directions below to freeze it.
How to Precook Peppers for Stuffed Peppers
Precooking the peppers is not a necessary step for this recipe, but it can save you some time by softening the peppers. To precook, slice the tops off of the peppers and clean them. Place them in a large pot, then fill with water, making sure the peppers are filled so they don’t float. Bring to a rolling boil for 2-3 minutes, then transfer the peppers to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Proceed with stuffing the peppers with the filling.
Top Tips for this Recipe
- What Color Peppers are Best for Stuffed Peppers? This is really a personal preference. Green peppers tend to have a heavier flavor, while red, yellow, and orange peppers are on the sweeter side. Any of them will be delicious, but I tend to lean towards the sweet reds and yellows.
- Can You Freeze Stuffed Peppers? Absolutely! These stuffed peppers actually freeze quite beautifully for up to 6 months. Allow baked peppers to cool, then place in a ziploc freezer bag or airtight container. To eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350 degrees until heated through (10-15 minutes).
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers?
These Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers can be a meal in themselves, but we love to serve them with:
- 5-Minute Parmesan Ranch Broccoli
- Olive Garden Salad Copycat
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
Keep this recipe on hand for a quick and easy dinner that’s fun to eat, too. It’s ready in under an hour and can be prepped ahead of time, making it a perfect meal for your busy life.
More ground turkey recipes you’ll love:
- Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
- Homemade Turkey Meatballs Recipe
- Turkey Meatball Subs
Recipe
Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers
4.69 from 19 votes
Kristin Maxwell
Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers are tender bell peppers stuffed with seasoned ground turkey taco meat, black beans and cheese for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 cups salsa not chunky, divided
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese divided
- 1 cup cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 6 bell peppers any color
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- thinly green onions or minced parsley for garnish
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onions until soft; 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink; about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid and return meat mixture to the pan.
Stir in 1 cup of salsa, taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced. Stir in rice, black beans and corn. Stir in half of the cheeses until melted.
Meanwhile, prepare the bell peppers. Slice the pepper in half lengthwise, or cut off the tops of the peppers, depending on whether you want them to lay flat or stand up. Remove and discard seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. Arrange in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. (Note - the size of the baking dish will depend on how you plan to cut the peppers. I recommend slicing them, then fitting them into the pan you think would be the best fit.)
Stuff peppers with the meat mixture. Top each pepper with a spoonful of salsa and remaining cheese.
Carefully pour 1 cup of chicken broth or water around the peppers.
Cover with nonstick foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and peppers are tender.
Garnish with fresh minced parsley or sliced green onions and serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Prep these peppers ahead of time, store in the fridge and bake when ready!
Keyword stuffed peppers
Nutrition
Calories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 32gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1086mgPotassium: 878mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 4640IUVitamin C: 160mgCalcium: 324mgIron: 2mg
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of "Yellow Bliss Road" is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Have you tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was by leaving a review or sharing on Instagram with the tag #yellowblissroad
