Ingredients
4 small bell peppers (about 5 to 6 ounces / 140 to 170 g each), 2 red and 2 yellow, or any mix of colors
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion (about 1/2 small onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces (227 g) 93% lean ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2/3 cup (160 ml) tomato sauce, divided
3/4 cup cooked long-grain white rice (from about 1/4 cup / 45 g uncooked)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
3/4 cup (about 3 ounces / 85 g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
Instructions
Heat the oven to 375°F. Cut the tops off the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes, and stand the four hollowed peppers in a small baking dish (about 8×8 inches or a similar small baker). Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish around the peppers.
Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the turkey, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and the optional red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking the turkey into crumbles, until it is no longer pink and reaches 165°F, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce, then the cooked rice, 2 tablespoons parsley, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella. The filling should be moist but not soupy. Taste and adjust the salt.
Spoon the filling into the four peppers, mounding it slightly. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the peppers are tender, the cheese is bubbly and golden, and the filling in the center reaches 165°F.
Rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with more parsley and serve two peppers per person, with a green salad if you like.
Notes
Timing: 20 minutes active prep + 50 minutes cook (about 12 minutes in the skillet and 35 to 40 minutes in the oven) + 5 minutes rest = about 1 hour 15 minutes until ready to serve. Times assume cooked rice is on hand. If you need to cook the rice from dry, combine 1/4 cup long-grain white rice with 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt, simmer covered until tender, 15 to 18 minutes, and start it first so it can overlap with prep.
If you only have large peppers (8 ounces or more), use 2 peppers, one per person, and keep the same filling. They may need a few extra minutes in the covered bake.
Do not use raw rice in the filling; it does not cook reliably inside the peppers in this bake time.
The onion should be cooked with the turkey (start the onion first), and the filling should be seasoned before you stuff the peppers.
Store covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. After serving, refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Reheat until the filling reaches 165°F. Freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator and reheat covered.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American