As fall approaches, I start shifting into comfort food mode and stuffed peppers are one of our favorites. Sweet bell peppers filled with something delicious, topped with cheese (or not) and baked to tender, caramelized perfection.
Peppers can be stuffed with such a wide variety of fillings making them a versatile meal that can be made with everything from Mexican to Mediterranean vibes.
Today, we are stuffing sweet bell peppers with ground turkey, wild rice and a sauce with fire roasted tomatoes, parmesan and parsley. These peppers are delicious and a wonderfully filling meal with grains, protein and veggies. Healthy comfort food that are just perfect for any time of year.
Let’s get started…
Begin by gathering 16 ounce of ground turkey, 1/2 cup of wild rice, a medium yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 15 ounces of fire roasted tomatoes, 1 cup of grated parmesan, 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley and about a 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
For the seasoning, we will need a teaspoon of paprika, a teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
This filling is enough for 3 large sweet bell peppers or 4 smaller ones. Try to choose similar sized peppers, so they all cook the same. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and core.
Some recipes call for the peppers to be pre-cooked before filling, but I find that this leads to over cooked peppers in the end, so I prefer to cook the peppers only after they are filled. As long as you check for tenderness before you pull them out of the oven, they will be perfect!
Arrange the peppers in a baking dish with sides high enough to keep them secure and set them aside while we prepare the filling…
Begin by cooking your wild rice. We need about a cup of cooked rice for the filling, which takes 1/2 cup of dried wild rice. Some types of wild rice take a while to cook, so be sure to give yourself enough time to get the rice cooked before the filling is ready to be added to the peppers.
To make the filling, begin by cooking a medium diced yellow onion in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Once the onion has softened a bit, add 3 cloves of finely minced garlic and cook while stirring for about 60 seconds.
Add 16 ounces of ground turkey, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, stir to combine and cook until the turkey is cooked through and has started to slightly brown.
Once the turkey is cooked through, transfer the skillet off of the heat and add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 15 ounces of drained fire roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley and the cooked wild rice and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Divide the filling between the halved peppers and add about a half cup of stock into the bottom of the dish. The stock will help to keep the peppers from drying out while they bake.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake the peppers in a 375 degree oven for 22-25 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil, add a little bit more parmesan over each pepper and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until the edges of the peppers have started to caramelize and a knife will easily slide into the thickest part of one of the peppers.
As soon as the peppers are tender, transfer the baking dish onto a cutting board and get ready to enjoy flavorful, healthy comfort food all in one adorable little package…
First, aren’t they cute? There is something very inviting about these peppers. Its like you can just tell that they are going to be delicious and once you bite into that filling, you will definitely be in love.
The combination of generously seasoned turkey, the grainy wild rice and rich tomato based sauce is truly delicious. The parsley adds a pop of freshness and the parmesan adds great saltiness that rounds all of the flavors out perfectly.
If you are looking for a healthy version of comfort food then you should definitely give these turkey and wild rice stuffed peppers a try! You are going to love them.
Turkey & Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 cup of wild rice, cooked
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 16 ounces of ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 15 ounces of fire roasted tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup of parmesan, finely shredded
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of wild rice according to the directions on the box
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
- Slice the peppers in half from stem to base and carefully remove the seeds and core. Set the peppers aside while you prepare the filling.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil
- Add a diced yellow onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until it begins to soften
- Add 3 cloves of finely minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds while stirring constantly
- Add 16 ounces of ground turkey, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and cook until the turkey is cooked through
- Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 15 ounces of drained fire roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley and the cooked wild rice and mix until evenly distributed
- Divide the filling between the 6 pepper halves and place them into a deep baking dish and add 1/2 cup of chicken stock to keep the peppers moist
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 22-25 minutes
- Remove the foil, top each pepper with additional shredded parmesan and return the peppers to the 375 degree oven for another 5-8 minutes or until the peppers are tender
- Enjoy!
