Description
Jack-O’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers are a festive and flavorful Halloween-themed dinner featuring carved orange bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground turkey, rice, black beans, herbs, and topped with melted cheese. This fun and delicious dish is perfect for fall celebrations and family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 8 orange bell peppers
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ¼ cups diced yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups white basmati rice, cooked according to package instructions
- 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400 F to prepare for baking the stuffed peppers.
- Prepare peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers. Using a small paring knife, carefully remove the ribs and seeds inside each pepper. Then carve jack-o-lantern faces on one side of each pepper to add a festive touch. Place the peppers upright in a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook aromatics: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the diced onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously to avoid burning.
- Cook turkey: Add ground turkey to the skillet. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is browned and cooked through.
- Make filling: Stir in cooked basmati rice, black beans, tomato sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the rice starts to absorb the sauce. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Stuff peppers: Spoon a heaping amount of the rice and turkey filling into each prepared bell pepper.
- Add cheese and water: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese evenly on top of the filling in each pepper. Pour 1 ½ cups of water around the peppers in the baking dish to help them steam and soften while baking.
- Bake: Bake the filled peppers uncovered in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the peppers begin to soften.
Notes
- Turkey substitution: Ground beef or ground chicken can be used instead of ground turkey for varied flavors.
- Rice alternatives: Long-grain white rice or jasmine rice may be used in place of basmati rice.
- Add vegetables: Sauteed mushrooms or zucchini can be added to the filling for extra texture and nutrition.
- Bean swap: Use any type of beans you prefer instead of black beans, such as pinto or kidney beans.
- Seasoning options: Italian seasoning can replace the oregano and basil for a slightly different herb profile.
- Cheese variation: Pepper Jack or mozzarella can be used as alternative cheese toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
