Description
Easy Mini Stuffed Peppers are a delightful and savory dish featuring mini bell peppers filled with a flavorful mixture of ground turkey, rice, and fresh herbs, cooked gently in a rich tomato and chicken broth sauce. Perfect as a comforting meal, these stuffed peppers are baked to perfection and served with a dollop of sour cream and dill for added freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
For the Stuffed Peppers:
- 2 pounds mini bell peppers
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For Serving:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the stuffed peppers.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a heavy-bottomed braiser pan that can be transferred to the oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion, grated carrot, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the flavors meld.
- Add Tomato Paste and Broth: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes to develop its rich flavor. Then pour in the chicken broth, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
- Prepare Peppers: While the sauce is simmering, trim the stem ends off the mini bell peppers and scoop out the seeds carefully using a small spoon or your fingers to create a hollow cavity for stuffing.
- Make Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, cooked rice, finely chopped green onions, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the seasonings.
- Stuff Peppers: Transfer the meat mixture into a ziplock bag and cut a corner off to create a piping bag effect. Gently squeeze the filling into each hollowed mini pepper until all are stuffed evenly.
- Assemble and Bake: Place the stuffed peppers into the sauce in the braiser pan, making sure they are nestled comfortably. Cover the pan with foil or a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Check the peppers at 25 minutes for tenderness and bake longer if the peppers are larger.
- Serve: Remove the peppers from the oven and serve warm, spooning some of the tomato and broth sauce over them. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle freshly chopped dill on top for a refreshing finish.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken or lean beef, depending on preference.
- For a vegetarian version, replace ground turkey with cooked lentils or crumbled tofu.
- If mini bell peppers are not available, use small sweet peppers and adjust baking time accordingly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
- Adjust salt quantity to taste based on your dietary needs.
