Rule #45: Don’t ditch your peppers.
I love it when the stars all align, and I find a delightful little weeknight dinner that’s healthy, delicious, and a hit with the WHOLE family! These Italian Stuffed Peppers are one of such examples of those Dinner Stars aligning! Jon Boy and I eat ours pepper and all, but we serve the kids over a starch (pasta or rice) and discard their peppers. I’d still recommend baking the mixture in the pepper for the added flavor you get, so don’t ditch yer peppers!
Using lean ground turkey in this recipe makes for a huge protein boost without so much fat. And honestly, you can’t tell a difference between the lean turkey or lean beef.
Make the Italian Stuffed Pepper Filling
So, let’s make some dinner, shall we? First, brown 1 lb. of lean ground turkey in a large Dutch oven or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Then, toss in a bunch of fresh spinach (about 8 oz.). I used baby spinach in this version, but you can use regular spinach as well.
Next, add 2 tbs. of tomato paste. We use this brand and love it! Much better than buying a whole can of tomato paste and only using a bit. I’ve heard some folks refer to it as “Italian toothpaste”… ha! You’ll want to make a well in the middle of your turkey and spinach mixture. Then, place the tomato paste in the center. This allows the paste to cook a little bit before you stir it in to the mixture. This reduces the sweetness by a pinch and brings out even more flavor.
Give it all a biggo stir.
Now, we add in 1 (8-oz.) can of tomato sauce. Pour water into the can to the top, then add that to the pot as well.
Next we season our ground turkey Italian Stuffed Peppers mixture with 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Stir it all together, bring it to a boil (BTB), and then reduce to a simmer (RTS). Partially cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to come together in blissful pepper harmony. It’s a thing. Look it up. Also: preheat your oven to 375.
Assemble the Stuffed Peppers
Now for the really good stuff: CHEESE! Turn the heat off the Dutch oven or skillet. Sprinkle in 4 oz. of shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup).
Next, add in 1/4 cup of Parmesan and 1/2 cup of low fat ricotta cheese.
Finally, we assemble these gorgeous vessels of dinner deliciousness.
Evenly scoop your turkey mixture into each of your prepared bell peppers (seeds, membranes, and tops all removed). We didn’t need a full 6 stuffed peppers, so I just put a ramekin into the loaf pan to keep the other peppers upright.
Then, bake those babies at 375 for 25-30 minutes until the peppers are just beginning to get tender. Garnish with, what else… more cheese! Add on chopped basil and parsley, too, if you’d like.
If you don’t need to use all of your ground turkey mixture right away, just freeze the leftovers for an easy dinner next time. Just thaw in the fridge overnight, prepare your peppers, and bake!
Corey wanted his stuffed pepper mixture over rice, so I kindly obliged with a lil’ salad on the side. Also we love these plates from Target for the kids.
Brooke opted for her Italian Stuffed Pepper mixture to be served atop some small, cooked pasta shells.
No matter how you serve ’em, these are sure to make everyone in your crew part of the Clean Plate Club!
And they sure are purty to look at, too, ain’t they?
Liked these? Try this recipe for Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers or Creamy Ground Turkey Soup.
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 bunch fresh spinach cleaned and chopped (about 8 oz.)
- 2 tbs. tomato paste
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 cup water pour water into empty tomato sauce can
- 4 oz. mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan shredded or grated
- ½ cup ricotta cheese low fat
- 6 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers tops and membranes removed
- Chopped basil and/or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- In a large Dutch oven or skillet, sauté the turkey until browned over medium-high heat (about 8 minutes). Add in the fresh spinach; stir to combine.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the 2 tbs. of tomato paste. Stir and sauté the mixture for another 3 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
- Sprinkle on the seasonings, add in the tomato sauce, pour in 1 cup of water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to meld together.
- Spray a loaf pan (or 2) with cooking spray. Set the bell peppers in the pans, cut side up.
- Remove the Dutch oven from heat, and stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan, and ricotta cheeses. Spoon some mixture into each of the bell peppers.
- Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, until bell peppers have started to soften.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.