Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers

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A delicious spin on the stuffed peppers your momma used to make. These turkey taco stuffed peppers are perfect for your Taco Tuesday menu.

I am a sucker for an easy weeknight meal. I mean, who isn't? As a busy mom of 3, I need easy, healthy and delicious on the table. These amazing taco stuffed peppers meet all the criteria above.

The first time I had stuffed peppers I was not impressed. They were made with greasy beef. Yuck! But these turkey taco stuffed peppers are not only made with lean meat but have that zesty taco flavoring to them. They make a full meal although you could serve with a side salad or chips. My kids love them!

Looking for more easy weeknight meals, check out my Asian Beef Skillet, Whole 30 Italian Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan Meal or Slow Cooker Chicken with Vegetables. These meals are filling and the whole family will enjoy!

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Quick and Easy. These stuffed peppers come together so easily making them a great dinner option during those hectic weeks.

• Customizable. I love that you can totally make these stuffed peppers how you want them. You can add toppings to them and change out any of the ingredients you might want to switch up. Check out the variations section for ideas.

• Meal-prep friendly. Did you know peppers freeze really well? They do! You can make a batch up for the week and freeze them. Take them out when ready to enjoy. They are a great option to have on hand when you don't know what to make or have forgotten to take out some meat.

INGREDIENTS + NOTES

• Bell Peppers- Any color can be used.

• Ground Turkey- I'm using 93/7 lean ground meat but you can use whatever you prefer.

• Taco Seasoning- Use my Homemade Taco Seasoning that's so easy to make and you can have more for later or you can also use a taco seasoning packet from the store.

• Salsa- Store bought or homemade. You can also use canned tomatoes if you don't have salsa on hand.

• Black Beans-An additional protein to the mix. If using canned, make sure to drain before using in mixture.

• Corn- Frozen or canned can be used.

• Cheddar Cheese- You can use any type of shredded cheese for the topping. We shred our own so it's not gritty like store bought.

• Avocado + Sour Cream- Optional topping for the peppers but my personal favorites.

Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements used.

HOW TO MAKE TURKEY TACO STUFFED PEPPERS

Step 1: Bake the peppers

Rinse out the peppers, remove the seeds and cut them in half lengthwise. Place them on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Make the taco mixture

Brown the ground turkey over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add in the taco seasoning, salsa, black beans and corn. Let simmer and stir.

Step 3: Fill peppers and bake

Take peppers out of the oven. Begin filling each pepper to the top with the taco mixture. Bake for additional 10 minutes.

Step 4: Garnish peppers and serve

Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven. Top with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, avocados or additional salsa.

VARIATIONS

Here are a few ways to customize these taco stuffed peppers to your liking.

• Change up the meat. Instead of ground turkey, you can use any ground meat such as chicken, beef or bison. As a vegetarian option, you can use meat crumbles, tofu or additional beans.

• Switch up the cheese. I love shredding cheddar cheese for these stuffed peppers but you can use a Mexican cheese blend, Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheeses.

• Add a grain. To bulk up these turkey taco stuffed peppers, you can add in some rice or quinoa. If keeping low carb, while not a grain, use cauliflower rice.

• Add your favorite topping. Sour cream, avocado slices, black olives, extra salsa, guacamole, jalapenos or cilantro are all excellent topping for these stuffed peppers.

• Use homemade taco seasoning. I'm biased on this but I do think homemade taste better than store bought packets. Homemade also guarantees it will be gluten free. No tricky ingredients to look out for.

EXPERT TIPS

• Pepper Prep. Make sure to remove any seeds, excess white skin that is mostly on the inside of the pepper and top before baking. Cut the peppers into half lengthwise.

• Pre-bake peppers. The peppers need to be pre-baked so they will not be too crisp. Baking them gives them a head start on cook time before adding in the meat mixture.

• Use parchment paper. Place a sheet of parchment paper down on your baking sheet before placing peppers on them. This will help with clean up and any spillage you might have from the peppers.

• Generously fill the peppers. Fill your peppers to the top with the meat mixture. You want these stuffed peppers to be nicely stuffed.

• Check for doneness. Pierce the pepper with a fork to check for desired tenderness. Place back in the oven to bake longer if you want the peppers softer.

• Add cheese before baking or after. I sprinkled cheese on after baking but if you want melted cheese, sprinkle before.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

These turkey taco stuffed peppers go great with a side of this Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn or with this Easy Cauliflower Mexican Rice.

They also pair well with a side salad if your looking for a lighter meal.

Chips and salsa or guacamole also go well alongside these stuffed peppers. They also would be delicious with an extra side of black beans or my favorite refried beans.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I make sure my peppers don't get too soggy?

There will probably be some excess water in the peppers after you initially bake them for the 20 minutes. Simply, remove any water before stuffing the peppers.

How do I make sure my peppers are not too crisp?

Pre-baking them should ensure they will not be too crispy. You can go a step further and blanche them before baking. This should help soften them up.

Can these turkey taco stuffed peppers be made in advance?

Yes! Just pre-bake them then assemble the peppers ahead of time. Place them in the fridge until ready to bake. Bake them on 350 F degrees for 15 minutes.

STORAGE

To store leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To freeze, allow peppers to cool, then place in a freezer safe container or bag. They should be go for 2-3 months.

To reheat from frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake at 350 F degrees for 10-15 minutes or until heated to desire.

I hope you give these Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers a try! If you do give this recipe a try, please let me know!

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