Stuffed Peppers

This is my first experience making stuffed peppers. I’d only had stuffed peppers once, that I can remember, and even that dish wasn’t all that memorable. But, since I was in the mood to try something new, I decided to go ahead and experiment with this dish. However, being who I am, I have to make everything difficult and decided to use ground turkey breast instead of ground beef in order to make it healthier (and more figure-friendly).

I also decided to serve with a vodka sauce instead of a red sauce. I think the creaminess of the vodka sauce really adds a gread depth of flavor and brings it all together. It was a definite winner! This is a dish I wouldn’t mind having a few times a week.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: About 60 minutes, total
Difficulty: Easy
Notes: This is an easy “make ahead” dish. You can also freeze the meat/rice mixture and just thaw right before stuffing the peppers.

Ingredients:

4 green peppers
1 cup cooked white rice (about 1/2 cup uncooked)
1/2 lb ground turkey
6 oz tomato sauce
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp feta cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each ground cumin and smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp toasted bread crumbs
1 cup vodka sauce

Procedure:

Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and a pinch of salt, then saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Stir in the ground turkey, along with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika, making sure to break it up with the back of the spoon. Cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and the chicken stock, then allow to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and allow to cool to room temperature (or refrigerate/freeze until ready to use).

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees when you’re ready to make the peppers. Cut the tops off the peppers and set aside while you remove the seeds from the inside. Stuff the peppers about half-way up with the turkey/rice mixture, then place one Tbsp of feta into each pepper before topping off with the turkey/rice mixture. Place the tops back on the peppers (this will prevent the rice on top from drying out) and cook in the oven for 35 minutes. Once the peppers are cooked, place 1/4 cup of vodka sauce on the bottom of the plate, then place the pepper on top, and top with some toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately.

Buen Provecho!