Unstuffed Peppers
If you love stuffed peppers, try this quick 30-minute skillet version! All the comforting flavors, but faster and lower in carbs. Nutritious and sure to become a family favorite!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $6.12
Equipment
- Oven-safe pan 12-inch
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion 1 large onion
- 2 cups chopped sweet bell peppers 2 large peppers; I use 1 red and 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound lean ground turkey 93/7, see note 1
- 1 large beef bouillon cube
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce I love Rao’s
- 1-1/4 cup freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley for garnish
- Cooked rice or cauliflower rice, for serving, see note 2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an oven-safe 12-inch pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add finely diced onion and chopped bell peppers. Sauté 6–8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and seasonings: chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and optional red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Move veggies to the sides of the pan. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the center and add ground turkey. Let cook without stirring, until golden brown on bottom, about 1–2 minutes, then break up into chunks. Continue to cook and crumble ground turkey until browned, incorporating veggies as you cook, about 5 more minutes.
- Add in fire-roasted diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and crumbled beef bouillon cube. Stir to incorporate and cook off most of the liquid from the tomatoes. Add in marinara sauce and stir to heat through.
- Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and immediately transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 4–8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with fresh parsley. (If this dish wasn’t cooked in an oven-safe skillet, cover the pan, remove from heat, and allow the residual heat to cook the cheese while it stands.)
- Serve over cooked cauliflower rice or regular rice.
Video
Notes
Note 1: I recommend ground turkey that is sold in a carton, rather than in a chub (the plastic tube). The chub ground turkey tends to be overly watery and less flavorful.
Note 2: Riced cauliflower is my favorite way to serve Unstuffed Peppers; I simply purchase two bags of frozen cauliflower rice and add both bags, straight from the freezer, to a very large nonstick pan and cook, stirring every once in a while, until tender and slightly charred.
Storage: Cool completely and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 4servings | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.2g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 11.4g | Cholesterol: 0.7mg | Sodium: 290.8mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 9.6g