Today I am partnering with my friends at Hodgson Mill & the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network to bring you this recipe for Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers! I know what you’re thinking…woah Laura, two savory recipes in one week…what’s going on with you?! I know I know, but I just thought you all might like some easy & nutritious dinner inspiration for your New Year’s health & wellness goals! And one of my goals in 2018 is to share more of what our family eats for dinner {and not just dessert} with all of you!
These Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers were a major hit around here! They are an easy & healthy dinner recipe that’s ready in 40 minutes. And I don’t know about you, but even though I love spending time in the kitchen, in this phase of life {with four kids ages 6 and under}, 40 minutes is about all the time I have to get dinner on the table!
Another goal of mine for 2018 is to try cooking with a new ingredient at least twice every month! I used to do this every week, but after our sweet kids entered the picture, I have found it much easier to stick to our tried-and-true family favorites, with a few new recipes thrown in every now and then! This time I chose to give the NEW Hodgson Mill Sorghum, Quinoa & Brown Rice a whirl!
It’s not often that I find wholesome grains for my family that are filling, healthy AND delicious! Well these sides did not disappoint! The Rosemary & Garlic flavor was the perfect addition to this Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe! PLUS the blend of sorghum, quinoa and brown rice is totally gluten-free! And some more good news, these Hodgson Mill side dishes can be found in-store in select areas, but can also be purchased online at www.hodgsonmill.com or on Amazon! Because I totally do most of my non-produce shopping on Amazon {anyone else with me}?!
This Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe is gluten-free and could easily be made dairy-free by omitting the cheese on top {although it does make them extra delicious}! And thanks to the Hodgson Mill Sorghum, Quinoa, & Brown rice side, these beauties are full of fiber, protein and minerals! Buh bye refined white rice! Hello delicious whole grains! 🙂
Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers: Method
This recipe came out even more delicious than I could’ve imagined! The peppers were cooked to perfection, the seasonings and flavors were out-of-this-world and the texture was spot on {e.g. no soupy mess in the bottom of the pan}! So here are a few tips to ensure that you have the same success!
Pre-cook the peppers. I chose to roast the peppers for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven before filling and baking again. This seemed the easiest to me because 1) the oven was already on and 2) it gave me time to cook the filling while they were roasting. You can also microwave or parboil the peppers to precook them. Whatever you choose, just be sure that they are slightly soft, but still firm enough to hold the filling!
Brown the turkey. For the best flavor and texture, be sure the turkey is completely browned before adding the liquid ingredients. You may need to add an extra glug of olive oil to aid in the browning process!
Don’t over-fill. It’s likely you will have a little extra filling leftover. You can either grab an extra pepper and stuff it too, or save the filling to snack on later. Just don’t over-fill the peppers or you will end up with a mess!
Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers: Substitutions
Like I said above, I absolutely adore the way this recipe turned out. So I recommend you only make substitutions with extreme caution, because I wouldn’t want the recipe to go awry for you! Here are a few possibilities.
Ground turkey. Ground chicken or beef can easily be substituted for the ground turkey!
Olive Oil. Any neutral oil can be used in this recipe! Avocado oil is another great choice!
Garlic/onion powder. Real garlic and onion can be used in place of the powders, however you all know I’m cooking for 4 kids so I usually opt for the powders to keep them happy! 😉
Diced tomatoes. I used regular diced tomatoes, but a variety with Italian seasonings or one that’s fire roasted would also be delicious!
Marinara sauce. Choose your favorite kind! I used a tomato and basil flavor but the sky’s the limit!
Mozzarella cheese. Toss in some parmesan for an extra flavor boost too!
Sorghum sides. I think that using the Hodgson Mill Rosemary & Garlic Sorghum Side added so much flavor and texture to this dish! If you can’t find it {remember you can order it on Amazon soon or at the Hodgson Mill Website}, 2 1/4 cups of cooked (about 1 cup uncooked) brown rice or quinoa can be substituted for the sides.
Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Italian Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers are an easy & healthy dinner recipe! Ready in 40 minutes, this hearty main dish is sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers
- 1 lb. 16 oz ground turkey
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 3 TBS Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 2 TBS high quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 Sorghum, Quinoa & Brown Rice Side cooked
- mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa/brown rice blend according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a baking dish and set aside.
- Remove top, seeds and core from bell peppers.
- Rinse, pat dry and cut in half lengthwise.
- Place halves open side up on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.
- Bake 10-15 minutes in preheated oven until they just begin to become soft. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder salt and pepper.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, add ground turkey and olive oil.
- Sautee 10-12 minutes until turkey just begins to brown.
- Add seasoning and continue cooking until turkey is fully browned.
- Stir in tomatoes, marinara sauce and balsamic vinegar.
- Turn off heat and add cooked Hodgson Mill quinoa/brown rice blend and stir until completely combined.
Taste filling and adjust salt/pepper/seasonings to your liking!
- Add about ½ cup of filling to each bell pepper half (or as much as can fit without overflowing).
- Top each filled bell pepper with a light sprinkling of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake peppers in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is slightly browned and melted, rotating baking pan once during cooking.
- Remove from oven and serve!
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This post is sponsored by my friends at Hodgson Mill as part of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network! Thank you for allowing me to continue creating delicious recipes for you by supporting partnerships with amazing brands that I LOVE. As always, opinions are completely my own!
Stuffed peppers were made a lot growing up and my husband had never heard of them. I use to make them a lot but haven’t in awhile. Thinking this recipe is a sign.
My husband would love this for dinner! So great for busy weeknights too!
I love seasoned grain dishes like that. And stuffed peppers are a personal favorite, too!
A good reminder I need to make stuffed peppers! They’re always so surprisingly easy to make and they’re so fun and pretty! Good for food prep too! Thanks. 🙂
I am SUCH a sucker for a good stuffed pepper, and these look GREAT. Love the lean turkey too!
Definitely a Gluten-free keeper. Thanks for sharing.