Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
A healthy, freezer-friendly, protein-packed dinner
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Servings: 4
Calories: 404kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounces pureed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup dried lentils
- 1 tablespoon honey optional, if tomatoes are too acidic
- 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese divided
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley divided
Instructions
- Heat a saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and turkey. Break up the turkey and then let it cook, undisturbed, for about four minutes or until it starts to brown on the bottom. Once it's evenly brown, break it up more and add the onions and garlic. Cook for about three more minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine and let this cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the pureed tomatoes, lentils, and 1/4 cup of water. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, and then bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils start to soften. If the sauce seems too thick or stiff, add another 1/4 cup of water.
- Taste the sauce as it cooks. If it's too acidic or has a metallic taste from the canned tomatoes, add up to one tablespoon of honey. When the sauce is nearly cooked, add about half of the feta cheese and half of the minced parsley to the pan. Stir well.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ when the sauce has about 10 minutes left to cook.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the peppers. Either cut the tops off or cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and white membranes. Lay the peppers in a 9x13 casserole dish or baking dish.
- Spoon the meat-lentil filling into the bell peppers.
- Pour about 1/3 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of bake time.
- Sprinkle the remaining feta cheese and minced parsley over the cooked peppers and serve.
Notes
Nutrition information is for one whole stuffed pepper.
To prep and freeze these stuffed peppers, prepare the sauce and stuff the peppers. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator and add about 10 minutes to the bake time. OR prepare the peppers according to the directions and freeze the cooked peppers. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1187mg | Potassium: 1529mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 6017IU | Vitamin C: 237mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 6mg
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