Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

“The bell pepper is the star of this dish.”

SERVES: 8 Difficulty: Easy
PREP TIME: 20 min.
COOK: 40 min.

BY ERICA GAMBOA

I am all about putting dinner on the table in a flash, but I am not cutting corners on flavors here. This recipe is a perfect weeknight meal with big flavors for a quick and easy dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but, “Shhh,” nobody needs to know.

Taking my leftover, makeover approach; I have on occasion even used leftover ground Turkey from the night before. However, any meat will work great in this, I’ve used chicken, shredded pork and ground beef or you can skip the meat all together. I love the versatility of this recipe, from traditional to revamped, the possibilities are endless. From repurposing leftover meat, to not using any meat at all, I hope you’ll give these a try and perhaps put your own spin on this classic. These are the perfect little vessels for the flavors you crave!

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Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
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With southwestern spices, black beans, rice, and ground turkey, this stuffed bell pepper recipe is quick and easy to make and a classic, healthy dinner that the entire family will love.

BY ERICA GAMBOA

Ingredients

8 (about 4 pounds) medium bell peppers (red or any other color; the choice is yours; just remember that red is sweeter)
2 lbs ground turkey
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Spanish onion
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups of quick-cooking 10-minute rice (I prefer brown in this recipe but you can use any rice you like.)
1 (15 oz) can of Black beans drained and rinsed.
2 cups of cubed cheese (I use Mexican queso Menonita. Colby, Pepper Jack, or Cheddar cheese would work great also.)
1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
1 cup of shredded cheese for topping
2 tbsp Mrs. Dash Southwest (salt-free) seasoning (taco seasoning packet can also work if you don’t mind the added sodium.
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Each pepper should be washed, the top removed (but not discarded), and the seeds removed until the pepper is completely hollow and clean. They should be put in a casserole or baking pan. Set the dish aside.

3. Remove the stem from the peppers’ tops, then dice the pepper tops, onions, and garlic (nothing gets wasted) and set aside.

4. While you’re chopping, brown the turkey in 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium-high heat.

5. Meanwhile, cook instant brown rice according to the box directions. It usually only takes about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

6. Combine diced veggies with turkey and season with 2 tbsp. Ms. Dash Southwest (salt-free) seasoning. Add Salt & Pepper to taste (using a salt-free Southwest seasoning gives me control of the amount of sodium in the recipe).

7. Continue to cook until the turkey is thoroughly cooked, the temp. must reach at least 165 degrees.

8. In the meantime, cube 2 cups of cheese and set aside. By this point, all of your ingredients are ready to assemble.

9. In a large bowl, combine turkey, rice, black beans, and cubed cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.

10. Fill each bell pepper to the top but don’t overfill them and place them back in the casserole dish or baking pan.

11. Pour the can of tomato sauce around the bell peppers. This liquid will create a steam bath for the peppers to get soft and tender.

12. Bake covered for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

13. After 20 minutes, uncover and top with shredded cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

NOTE:
This recipe has all the ingredients of a delicious meal in itself. Accompanied by a cucumber salad or fresh greens would put the finishing touch on your dinner table.

Happy Eating!

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Nutrition

Serving size: 1 bell pepper

Servings: 8

Amount per serving

Calories……….576

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28.8g ……….37%

Saturated Fat 11.3g ……….57%

Cholesterol 160mg ……….53%

Sodium 732mg ……….32%

Total Carbohydrate 36.4g ……….13%

Dietary Fiber 6.5g ……….23%

Total Sugars……….10.1g

Protein 48.5g

Vitamin D 5mcg ……….25%

–Calcium 370mg ……….28%

Iron 11mg ……….60%

Potassium 1078mg ……….23%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Recipe analyzed by verywell

^{(photos by Erica Gamboa)}