In my nesting phase I planned to make a ton of meals to freeze. Make Ahead Stuffed Bell Peppers can be prepped a day in advance and frozen for later.
If you read this post you know that my baby girl came three weeks early. Luckily, I had a good amount of prep work done! A friend had brought a batch of stuffed bell peppers when my son was born and they were both comforting and healthy. I decided to make them to have on hand for baby’s arrival.
This recipe can be altered to fit vegetarian and vegan diets; different spices can alter the menu to be more Italian or Mexican inspired. Keep reading to see how I make the recipe!
Gather ingredients.
I use ground turkey and set some aside for my son. Basically he eats all of the stuffing without the pepper.
Mushrooms help to keep the turkey moist. Bonus- when I dice them small enough, my son has no idea they are mixed in!
My friend used quinoa instead of rice like I had grown up with. Quinoa is high in protein and fiber, and a good alternative to rice.
Beans add more protein and when mixed with a taco seasoning, make this dish have a Mexican flavor.
Slice off tops of peppers.
Slice the tops of the bell peppers just enough to leave room for the filling.
Remove the seeds and insides of the peppers.
I grew up with green bell peppers in this recipe, but I much prefer the red, yellow, or orange peppers.
Dice mushrooms into small pieces.
As I mentioned, I dice them small enough for my son to miss them!
Sautee onion for mushrooms & ground turkey.
While sautéing the onions and mushrooms, boil the quinoa per package instructions. You can start this step bfore chopping as well.
I like to make turkey stuffed bell peppers, but you can substitute ground beef, or skip meat altogether.
Brown ground turkey, then add beans and quinoa.
Add the taco seasoning as you brown the turkey.
Corn or tomatoes would also be good options to add.
Fill bell peppers with ground turkey mix.
Top with cheese.
You can cut calories and skip the cheese. You can also double down on cheese by mixing some in the filling as well as on top.
I’ve made these a day ahead, stored them in a baking pan covered with plastic wrap or foil, and then baked the next day.
This dish is an easy way to pack in lots of veggies, save time, and feed a crowd.
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