Hearty Stuffed Peppers
Bell peppers stuffed to overflowing with rice, turkey, sweet potato and more.
Equipment
- 1 small or medium saucepan with a lid
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, or chicken stock, divided
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 4 bell peppers, any colors
- 1 pound ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground beef
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼” pieces (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 shallot small-dice
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning, my favorite brand here, see Notes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, (Fontina, Havarti, Muenster, etc.)
- 1/2 cup green onions, green and white parts, sliced
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small or medium saucepan with a lid, bring 1 1/2 cups stock to a boil. Add a pinch of salt if you've used low-sodium or unsalted stock. Add a pinch of black pepper. Add the rice and stir. Place the lid on the saucepan. Lower the heat to low/gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Scrape the rice into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- While the rice is cooking, cut the peppers in half from the top to the bottom. Remove any membranes, seeds, and the thick, white part of the core and discard.
- Place the peppers in a bowl with about an inch of water, layering them on top of each other is fine. Microwave them for about 8 minutes on high, or until just softened. (If your microwave is large enough to hold your 9x13” dish, you can place the peppers cut-side up in the dish with about a cup of water and microwave them to soften. Pour out the water before filling; you may have to remove the peppers to drain, then return them to the dish.) If you microwaved the peppers in a bowl, once softened, place them cut-side up in the baking dish. Set aside.
- Brown the ground turkey in a medium skillet (nonstick works well) until cooked completely through. Drain and set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato and leeks. Cook, stirring often, until the sweet potato is just tender, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Some caramelization is fine and good.
- Add the shallot and stir often until just softening, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 20 seconds. Turn the heat off and add the Worcestershire sauce, all-purpose seasoning, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the stock to moisten the mixture. You should have cooked the ground turkey completely, so the mixture should be safe to taste for seasoning. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Scoop and mound the mixture evenly into the 8 pepper halves. Top with the cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the green onions and parsley.
- Serve very warm.
Notes
You can use your favorite all-purpose seasoning, or just salt and pepper.
The mixture and/or the stuffed peppers can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Nutrition Facts
Hearty Stuffed Peppers
Amount per Serving
Calories
672.83
% Daily Value*
Fat
31.47
g
48
%
Saturated Fat
12.61
g
79
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
5.52
g
Monounsaturated Fat
10.85
g
Cholesterol
169
mg
56
%
Sodium
2790.9
mg
121
%
Potassium
1028
mg
29
%
Carbohydrates
50.25
g
17
%
Fiber
6.52
g
27
%
Sugar
10.05
g
11
%
Protein
50.18
g
100
%
Vitamin C
134.58
mg
163
%
Calcium
343.46
mg
34
%
Iron
4.45
mg
25
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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