Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Name: Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 large bell peppers ( red, yellow or orange, or a mix); 1 cup cooked brown rice, (or sub white rice, quinoa, freekeh, farro, or cauliflower rice); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small red onion, about 1 cup diced; 2 teaspoons garlic, minced; 1 pound of ground turkey or choice of protein ( ground plant-based meat, lamb, chicken, beef); 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons tomato paste; 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped; 10 kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise; 10 cherry tomatoes, quartered or chopped; 1 cup (4 ounces) feta cheese, diced or crumbled; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional); 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

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Filled with flavor, protein, and fresh ingredients, these Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers are completely adaptable, easy to make, and can be prepared ahead for a healthy weeknight dinner. Vegetarian-adaptable.

Mediterranean stuffed peppers with rice, ground turkey, olives, tomatoes, feta, and fresh dill in baking tray.

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

These healthy Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers are filled with your choice of ground meat (or plant-based meat) rice, kalamata olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and fresh herbs- such savory goodness! Tender, sweet bell peppers cradle the delicious filling, offering great flavor and texture!

Why You’ll Love This

Healthy! Packed with lean protein, whole grains, and fresh veggies. Vegetarian-adaptable.
So easy! Prep in under 30 minutes.
Meal prep. Make the stuffed peppers or filling in advance for busy weeknights!

Ingredients

Bell peppers: Red, yellow, or orange—or use a mix!
Cooked rice: brown rice, or sub white rice, quinoa, farro, cauliflower rice, black rice, or wild rice.
Red onion and garlic: Add a savory pungent bite that contrasts nicely with the other ingredients.
Ground turkey: Or your choice of protein—plant-based “ground meat” , ground chicken, ground lamb, or ground beef.
Seasonings: Sea salt, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar), tomato paste.
Fresh greens and herbs: Spinach, dill, and mint for fresh and herby flavor.
Kalamata olives: Add a nice tanginess and distinct Mediterranean flavor.
Cherry tomatoes: Add a bit of juiciness and sweetness.
Cheese: Feta cheese and parmesan cheese are optional, but take the dish up a notch and make it even more satisfying! You can use vegan feta.

How to make Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Preheat oven to 400F.

Step 1: Prep the bell peppers. Slice peppers in half from the stem down. Discard seeds and pith.

peppers sliced in half and core removed.

chopped ingredients for mediterranean peppers on cutting board- feta, tomatoes, olives, onion, herbs.

TIP: If you prefer a softer pepper, pre-bake the halved peppers on a tray, uncovered, cut side up, with a tablespoon of water on the casserole dish in a preheated oven at 400F for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2: Sauté aromatics. Sauté onion in extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir, and cook for a few more minutes.

sautéing onion, garlic and ground turkey with spices.

Step 3: Add protein and seasonings. Add ground turkey (or your protein of choice), salt, pepper, oregano, and chili flakes. Cook for 5 minutes until the turkey is cooked through. Add vinegar, tomato paste, and spinach. Turn off the heat. Stir until well combined and the spinach wilts.

filling for mediterranean stuffed peppers in pan- wooden spoon mixing everything together.

Step 4: Add remaining ingredients. Mix in cooked rice, olives, tomatoes, feta, parmesan, dill, and mint. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Step 5: Fill peppers. Scoop mixture into bell pepper shells.

Step 6: Bake. Bake for 20 minutes. If you prep the filling in advance, check to make sure the filling isn’t cold. If it is, allow for 10 more minutes.

Serve with a splash of fresh lemon juice and more fresh herbs!

Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with brown rice, ground turkey, tomatoes, olives, herbs, and feta in baking tray.

Recipe Variations

Adapt the filling as you’d like depending on what you have on hand and what is in season!

Vegetables: Add finely chopped zucchini, fennel bulb, mushrooms, or eggplant sautéing along with the onions.
Meat: Substitute the ground turkey with plant-based, ground “meat” (or your preferred ground meat alternative), ground chicken, lamb, or beef, or try finely chopped mushrooms, or even minced tofu like our sofritas
Grains: Quinoa, farro, wild rice, or orzo would all work great.
Cheese: Swap feta for chèvre or leave out the dairy and top with 1/2 cup of walnuts or pine nuts, or try this Vegan Cheesy Sprinkle.
Herbs: Swap out fresh herbs for some that you have on hand, such as fresh parsley or rosemary.

Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing

To meal prep this recipe, you can make the filling 1-2 days ahead of time.
Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a warm oven or in the microwave.
To freeze the peppers, let them cool completely, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating them in the oven. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth to the baking dish and cover the peppers while baking.

FAQs

Do I need to boil the peppers before stuffing them?

No, but if you prefer the peppers to be softer, simply place halved unstuffed peppers on a baking tray, open side down for 5-10 minutes at 400F. Add a tablespoon of water to help them soften. The softer texture can make them a little more pliant for stuffing.

Do I need to cover the peppers when I bake them?

Nope! Simply place the halved peppers on the tray as is. When reheating the stuffed peppers, you may want to cover them with foil to prevent them from drying out.

What goes well with stuffed peppers?

Any Mediterranean- style salad, like our Orzo Salad, Chickpea Salad, Classic Greek Salad , Caprese Salad or Mediterranean Swiss Chard Salad. You can also serve with Tomato Bruschetta or Basil Pesto.

a Mediterranean stuffed bell pepper on a baking tray, filling with rice, ground turkey, tomatoes, olives, herbs, feta, and spinach.

Enjoy the Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers, and let us know how you adapt them in the comments below!

xoxo

Tonia

Comments

Mike E says:

May 10, 2025 at 6:14 pm

The Kalamata olives and red wine vinegar were such a great flavor addition. Everything balanced so well, this will be my recipe after many versions. Now when looking for a meal I type “Feasting at Home” and the recipe name. Everything I’ve tried is full of great complex flavors. Very unique kitchen with fine restaurant flavors.

Reply
1. Tonia Schemmel says:
  
  May 12, 2025 at 11:32 am
  
  So nice to hear this Mike! Really appreciate you taking time to leave us a review.
  
  Reply