Servings
Font
Back
4.7 from 36 votes

Healthy Italian Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey

The savory turkey stuffing in these peppers is really moist and flavorful.  Top with your favorite marinara sauce or try the recipe on this site.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 305 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups kale tough stems removed, finely chopped
  • 3 bell peppers sliced vertically through the stem, seeds and ribs removed
  • 1 medium zucchini grated on large holes of a box grater
  • 1 medium onion finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup old fashioned oats
  • ½ cup part skim mozzarella cheese grated, plus additional for serving
  • 1¼ pounds lean ground turkey breast
  • ⅓ cup chicken stock from rotisserie chicken or low-sodium canned broth
  • 3 cups marinara sauce for serving
  • 1 cup mozzarella for serving optional
  • Parmesan cheese for serving grated, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and onion and cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed red pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for one minute more. Add the finely chopped kale, toss well and cover for 1-2 minutes or until the kale is wilted to still vibrant in color. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the oatmeal, egg, onion mixture, turkey and shredded cheese. Mix with your hands. Add the chicken broth and mix again so that the broth is incorporated into the meat mixture.
  4. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place bell peppers, cut side up onto the baking sheet. Liberally fill peppers with turkey stuffing, making sure to tuck the stuffing into the crevices of the pepper. There should be enough stuffing to mound it atop the peppers. Wet your hands with water and even out the turkey mixture with your fingers -- the water prevents your hands from sticking to the turkey mixture.
  5. Place the stuffed peppers into the oven and roast the peppers for 30-35 minutes, until the turkey is cooked through.
  6. Serve peppers with marinara sauce and additional mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese or for a bubbly baked "casserole" pepper -- spread ⅓ cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the peppers in the dish and spoon marinara on top of each pepper. Top with a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan cheese and heat under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve.

Notes

  • You could use a spatula or spoon to mix this, but I find that my hands are the best tools for mixing raw meat into other ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Calories 305kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 34g (68%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 68mg (23%) Sodium 1389mg (58%) Potassium 1092mg (31%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 4920IU (98%) Vitamin C 119.5mg (133%) Calcium 284mg (28%) Iron 3.2mg (18%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 305

% Daily Value*

Calories 305kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 34g 68%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 1389mg 58%
Potassium 1092mg 23%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 4920IU 98%
Vitamin C 119.5mg 133%
Calcium 284mg 28%
Iron 3.2mg 18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.