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.
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Why You’ll Love Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers
These healthy Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers are so delicious! are filled with your choice of ground meat (or plant-based meat), kalamata olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, rice, spinach, and fresh herbs- such savory goodness! Tender, sweet bell peppers cradle the delicious filling, offering great flavor and texture!
- Healthy and adaptable. Packed with lean protein (ground turkey or plant-based), veggies, rice, feta, and fresh herbs, this dish is easily vegetarian-adaptable.
- Easy to make! Prep in under 30 minutes, then let the oven do the rest.
- Meal prep it. Make the stuffed peppers or filling in advance for busy weeknights, or for company- they reheat beautifully in a 350°F oven.
Stuffed Pepper Recipe 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” ( like Beyond Beef), 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.
Stuffed Peppers 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.
How to make Stuffed Bell Peppers
Preheat oven to 400F.
Step 1: Prep the bell peppers. Slice peppers in half from the stem down. Discard seeds and pith. Place the peppers on a sheet pan, cut side up, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
Roast the peppers for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling. This will tenderize them.
Step 2: Make the filling. Sauté the onion in extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for an additional few minutes.
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.
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 roasted bell pepper shells.
Step 6: Bake. Bake for 20 minutes. If you prepare the filling in advance, check to ensure it isn’t cold. If it is, allow for 10 more minutes.
Serve with a splash of fresh lemon juice and more fresh herbs!
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
No, but if you prefer the peppers to be softer, simply place halved unstuffed peppers on a baking tray, open side up for 15-20 minutes at 400F. The softer texture can make them a little more pliant for stuffing.
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.
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.
Enjoy the Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers, and let us know how you adapt them in the comments below!
xoxo
More Recipes You May Enjoy
Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: main, vegetarian
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, dinner recipe, healthy dinner idea,
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Filled with flavor, protein and fresh ingredients these healthy Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers are completely adaptable, easy to make and can be prepared ahead for a healthy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow or orange, or a mix)
- 1 cup cooked rice, (or sub quinoa, freekeh, farro, or cauliflower rice)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, 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 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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Prep the peppers. Slice the bell peppers in half from the stem down. Discard seeds and pith. Place on a sheet pan, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake 15-20 minutes while you make the filling.
- Saute. In a large pan, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic stirring in cooking for a few more minutes. Add the ground turkey (or protein of choice), salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes until the turkey is cooked through. Add vinegar, tomato paste and spinach and turn the heat off. Stir until everything is incorporated and the spinach wilts.
- Combine. Mix in cooked rice, olives, tomatoes, feta, parmesan, dill and mint. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Fill—scoop and divide mixture into halved bell pepper shells. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes until hot through. Allow an additional 10 minutes of baking time if the filling is cold.
Notes
Roasting the pepper before filling makes the pepper softer and easier to eat.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350°F oven until the internal temp reaches 145°F.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 342
- Sugar: 9.7 g
- Sodium: 636.2 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 19.7 g
- Cholesterol: 57.6 mg
The ingredients have a conversion error – 1 cup (4 oz) feta. Not sure if this should be a half cup (4 oz) or the full cup.
Sorry about that- use the full cup!
Thought I’d try something different than traditional stuffed peppers. This combination of Flavors didn’t work for me at all. It was rather dry as well.
That’s too bad Hannah 🙁 Just curious if you followed the recipe exactly?
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.
So nice to hear this Mike! Really appreciate you taking time to leave us a review.