Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
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Dinner just got easier with this Unstuffed Pepper Skillet! It's a flavorful, high-protein twist on classic stuffed peppers that comes together in just 30 minutes and cooks entirely in one pan.
Quick Look: Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
- 🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: 339 per serving
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Be sure to check out my Cheeseburger Orzo Skillet or my One Pan Southwest Skillet for another healthy one pan skillet recipe!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 Minutes: This quick and easy skillet dinner is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something homemade without spending hours in the kitchen. I love it for a quick and healthy meal for my family!
- All the Flavor of Stuffed Peppers, Without the Work: Skip the stuffing and baking. Can I get an amen?! This skillet captures the same comforting, classic taste in a faster, easier format.
- Family-Friendly & Meal Prep Approved: Kids love it, adults love it, and leftovers heat up beautifully, making it ideal for weekly meal prep or make-ahead lunches.
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Select Ingredients
- Ground Turkey - I like to use 97% lean for a good lean protein option. You can use 93%-99% in this recipe.
- Diced Tomatoes - I've used both fire roasted and petite diced and it really just depends on how much of a kick you're looking for. Petite diced work great for kids.
- Rice - This recipe calls for brown rice but you're welcome to swap it for cauliflower rice if you prefer!
- Bell Peppers - use any colors you'd like or whatever you have on hand.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Tips & Variations
➡️ Protein swaps - Replace ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles for a vegetarian-friendly version.
➡️ Swap the carbohydrate - You can swap the brown rice with white rice or even cauliflower rice if you're looking to lower the carb content. You can also put this inside a tortilla to make it a sandwich style!
➡️ Change the tomatoes - This recipe calls for fire-roasted tomatoes but I've used petite diced tomatoes for my kids and it makes the flavor slightly more mild. It's really delicious both ways!
How to Make Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and chopped bell peppers, and sauté 6-8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Step 2: Stir in the tomato paste and the seasonings: the chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Move veggies to the sides of the pan. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the center of the pan and add ground turkey. Let cook without stirring, until golden brown on bottom, about 1-2 minutes and then break up into chunks. Continue to cook and crumble the ground turkey until browned, incorporating veggies as you cook through the ground turkey, about 5 more minutes.
Step 4: Add in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes and beef bouillon. Stir to incorporate and cook off most of the liquid from the tomatoes. Add in the marinara sauce and stir to heat through.
Step 5: Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and immediately transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 4-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with sliced green onions.
Step 6: Serve over cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! It stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave for a quick lunch or dinner.
Yes! Swap ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or even a plant-based alternative to suit your preference.
Yes. This recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free broth or seasonings.
Check out my meal planning app Wholesome Meals Made Easy for more easy, healthy recipes your whole crew will actually love. It's like having a dietitian in your back pocket - quick, balanced, and family-approved!
More Healthy Skillet Meals
If you tried this Unstuffed Pepper Skillet or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! Thanks for visiting today!
Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil divided
- 1 Yellow onion small, diced
- 1 Red bell pepper chopped
- 1 Orange bell pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 serving Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb 97% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon Beef bouillon
- 14 ½ fl oz Can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- ½ cup Marinara
- ½ cup Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- 3 cup Brown rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the finely diced onions, and chopped bell peppers. Saute for 6-8 minutes or until softened. Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and the seasonings: the chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Move veggies to the sides of the pan. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the center of the pan and add ground turkey. Let cook without stirring, until golden brown on bottom, about 1-2 minutes and then break up into chunks. Continue to cook and crumble the ground turkey until browned, incorporating veggies as you cook through the ground turkey, about 5 more minutes.
- Add in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes and beef buillon. Stir to incorporate and cook off most of the liquid from the tomatoes. Add in the marinara sauce and stir to heat through.
- Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and immediately transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 4-8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with sliced green onions.
- Serve each serving over ½ cup cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice. Enjoy!
I just had this for dinner this week and loved having leftovers for lunches! I love how this is not only delicious but can be made lower carb if you need!