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Your family will love this Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers recipe! They are a flavorful, protein-packed dinner that’s easy to make and full of Tex-Mex flavors. Made with lean ground turkey, black beans, rice, and plenty of cheese, these stuffed peppers are one of my favorite dinners. Plus, they’re a great way to sneak in extra veggies!
When I can get a healthy homemade dinner on the table in an hour and a half and it also tastes amazing? That’s a major win. You can’t do much better than this Stuffed Pepper recipe. Lightened up with ground turkey instead of ground beef or sausage, and loaded with vegetables and a touch of spice.
Try this next: If you love stuffed peppers, try my Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers or Stuffed Mini Peppers for another tasty twist.
Pin this recipe for later!Why I Love This Recipe
- Healthy & Hearty – Made with lean ground turkey, black beans, and veggies for a nutritious meal.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – Prep the peppers in advance and bake when ready.
- Customizable – Swap out the rice, beans, or cheese to fit your family’s preferences.
- Kid-Friendly – Mild flavors with a cheesy topping appeal to little ones.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Ingredient Notes
- Bell Peppers – Any color works! Red, yellow, and orange are sweeter, while green is slightly more bitter.
- Salsa – Use a smooth salsa, not chunky, for a better texture in the filling.
- Cheese – A mix of Pepper Jack and cheddar perfectly balances spice and creaminess.
- Chicken Broth – Helps steam the peppers while they bake, making them tender.
How To Make Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
- Prepare the Filling – Sauté onions, then cook the turkey and garlic. Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, and water. Let simmer, then mix in rice, black beans, corn, and half the cheese.
- Prep the Peppers – Slice in half lengthwise or cut the tops off, remove seeds, and season.
- Stuff and Bake – Fill peppers, top with salsa and cheese, and add broth to the pan. Cover and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Garnish & Serve – Sprinkle with green onions or parsley and serve with sour cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to boil peppers before stuffing them?
This recipe does not require pre-cooking the peppers before they are assembled. We add broth to the baking dish and it is cooked covered, which helps cook the peppers right along with the filling mixture.
What toppings go on turkey taco stuffed peppers?
Sour cream, hot sauce, and crushed up tortilla chips would make excellent toppings for taco stuffed peppers.
Can I use ground beef instead of turkey?
Yes! Ground beef works just as well in this recipe. You can also use ground chicken for another lean option.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Absolutely! Just omit the cheese or use a dairy-free cheese alternative.
Can I use quinoa instead of rice?
Yes, cooked quinoa is a great substitute for rice and adds extra protein.
What if I don’t have taco seasoning?
You can make your own by using my recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
- Make it Spicy – Add diced jalapeños or use a spicier salsa.
- Low-Carb Option – Swap the rice for cauliflower rice.
- Extra Toppings – Avocado slices, hot sauce, or a drizzle of ranch for additional flavor.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: These stuffed peppers actually freeze quite beautifully for up to 6 months. Allow baked peppers to cool, then place in a Ziploc freezer bag or airtight container. To eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 350 degrees until heated through (10-15 minutes).
Recipe Tips
- Pick the Right Peppers – Look for large, sturdy peppers that can hold plenty of filling.
- Make Ahead – Assemble the peppers a day in advance and bake when ready.
- Prevent Soggy Peppers – Pre-bake them for 10 minutes before stuffing if you like a firmer texture.
More Ground Turkey Recipes
- Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
- Burrito Bowls with Ground Turkey
- Homemade Turkey Meatballs Recipe
- Turkey Meatball Subs
- Easy Ground Turkey Tacos
- Ground Turkey Casserole
- Ground Turkey Taco Salad
Turkey Taco Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground turkey
- 1 Small onion diced
- 2 Cloves of garlic minced
- 2 cups Salsa not chunky, divided
- 2 tablespoons Taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup Water
- 1 cup Shredded Pepper Jack cheese divided
- 1 cup cup Shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 6 Bell peppers any color
- 1 cup Cooked rice
- 1 can Black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup Chicken broth or water
- Thinly green onions or minced parsley for garnish
- Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onions until soft; 3-4 minutes. Add ground turkey and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink; about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid and return meat mixture to the pan.
- Stir in 1 cup of salsa, taco seasoning and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until sauce is thickened and reduced. Stir in rice, black beans and corn. Stir in half of the cheeses until melted.
- Meanwhile, prepare the bell peppers. Slice the pepper in half lengthwise, or cut off the tops of the peppers, depending on whether you want them to lay flat or stand up. Remove and discard seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. Arrange in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. (Note – the size of the baking dish will depend on how you plan to cut the peppers. I recommend slicing them, then fitting them into the pan you think would be the best fit.)
- Stuff peppers with the meat mixture. Top each pepper with a spoonful of salsa and remaining cheese.
- Carefully pour 1 cup of chicken broth or water around the peppers.
- Cover with nonstick foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and peppers are tender.
- Garnish with fresh minced parsley or sliced green onions and serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Notes
- Prep these peppers ahead of time, store in the fridge and bake when ready!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Made this and it was amazing!!! Thank you for sharing it! Everything was on point. I did have to cook it to soften the pepper a little longer and may try your pre-softening tip next time!!! Seriously loved it!!
You are so welcome Madison! Awesome feedback, thanks for stopping by.
We love this recipe! After the first couple times we tried it and loved it, we ended up not having a couple ingredients on hand, so we used a black bean and corn salsa instead. Now that’s all we do. Brown the turkey meat with (homemade) taco seasoning, cook the rice in chicken broth, mix both with a small jar of salsa and put that into the peppers, topped with cheese. One of the easiest and most delicious recipes we do in our home. If we’re feeling extra healthy, we use cauliflower rice instead and drain the liquid as much as possible, then cook it down further to release the moisture once all ingredients are mixed otherwise it just gets soupy.
Wow! Awesome feedback Switz! Thanks for stopping by.
We loved this! Omitted the rice and made rice on the side! So good, thank you! It’s being added to our regular dinners!
You are so welcome Emma! Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome!
Incredible! Whole family loved this recipe. Thank You for posting!
You are so welcome Pat! Thank you for stopping by.
Made these lastnight for dinner and they were absolutely delicious!!!! My family loved them! Will definitely be making them again. Thank you!
You are so welcome Marcella! Thanks for stopping by.
We are out of school for two weeks due top the Coronavirus so eating a little lighter will help us stay healthy and still enjoy great flavor. The recipe was so easy to prepare and I substituted yellow rice for a bit more flavor.
That’s awesome Debbie! Great idea on being proactive. Thanks for stopping by.
Delicious!! Turned out perfectly. I did add cheese as I am cutting out dairy but still tasted delicious. I added a bit extra sauce. I also used a spicy tomatoe sauce instead of salsa.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Amy.
Tasty recipe! Great twist on stuffed peppers! Fun for the kids.
Thanks Darian! Thanks for dropping by.
Loved this!! Even my 8 and 10 year old kids loved it. They gave it a 10/10 and told me I needed to go on a “chef show.” Lolol
Nice 10/10! Thanks for stopping by Jennifer.
What temp do I bake the peppers? Making tomorrow 🙂
They are baked at 350 degrees (Item 1 in the printable instructions :))
Is there calorie info on this recipe? Incredibly delicious by the way!! Will make again.
We are working on adding the nutritional information to each of our recipes. However in the meantime you can use a site like my fitness pal online.
Can you prep and freeze these? If so, do you follow same steps?
I haven’t tried prepping only and then freezing. I think it would be fine though; just be sure to thaw in the fridge before baking.
Awesome recipe!! I just found out I’m a diabetic about a month ago and finding something tasty and healthy to eat without sabotaging my sugar levels is nice. Keep the great recipes coming. I used whole grain brown rice instead of white and it was great. My wife even liked it.
So glad you enjoyed the recipes. Cheers to your health!
Hello I want to make 10 peppers so how more of all the ingredients would I need?
Thank you so much
Hi Maria, The recipe calls for 6 peppers; The easiest route would be to double the recipe and make 12. They freeze really well!
If I precook the peppers first to reduce the cook time… how long should I bake it all in the oven? Still 45 minutes?
You can probably cut 15 minutes off of the cooking time. I’m not sure how much you’re planning on pre-cooking them, but you don’t want them soft. They still need to be sturdy enough to hold up to the filling.
This recipe is amazing! Easy and delicious. I cut everything in half and still had enough filling for four peppers.
Thank you Rebecca for sharing your positive feedback!
Do you have the calorie count/nutritional info?
Not yet for this recipe, but myfitnesspal.com is a great resource.
Made them & they are amazing! My father used to make these & out of a family of 6, him & I were the only ones who loved stuffed peppers! Great memories & great recipe! Thank you for sharing!
I love when food can evoke memories like that. Thanks for sharing Lori!
Fantastic recipe. Easy and delicious. Lots of leftover
That’s great! Glad you enjoyed it!
This was delish! I made it for 5 people (5 peppers) and had just the right amount for a “taco bowl” for lunch the next day (I left out the rice though as I’m cutting back on carbs). I looked for peppers that stood up on their bottoms and cut around the stems. Most of the seeds stay attached and come out with the stem. I knew it was a winner because my 8 & 11 year old’s plates were scraped clean! I will definitely make again, thanks!
That is so awesome SunniJ! Thanks for stopping by!
What temperature the oven? Recipe does not mention. taco turkey stuffed peppers!
Actually it’s the first step in the instructions – Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 🙂
This is a solid recipe. The only issue I had with it was how to cut the bell peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise is kind of awkward, especially to eat, because then half of the bell peppers have the stem in the bottom. Also, there was much more filling here and could have accommodated more than three bell peppers. If I make this again, I will buy twice as many bell peppers and just cut off the tops.
Thanks Alex and thank you for sharing your experience.
I agree. I have so much stuffing left over. Maybe update the recipe to 6 bell peppers instead that way there’s an option to make half the recipe or the full amount.