Stuffed Peppers {Freezer Friendly}
Modified just a smidgen, this gluten free and grain-free stuffed pepper recipe is credited to my mother and great for freezing. My mom really knows what she’s doing in the kitchen, and this stuffed pepper recipe proves it.
These freezer-friendly stuffed peppers can be made with any color of pepper (red, green, or yellow). You can also make them with ground beef instead of ground turkey if preferred. Make them dairy free by omitting the cheese or vegetarian by leaving out the meat. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
If ricotta is too strong of a cheese for you, half the ricotta amount and replace it with cottage cheese. Speaking of cheese, grated Parmesan was used in for this dish, but feel free to use shredded.
An egg helps to bind ingredients, making the mixture super easy to stuff into the peppers. If you don’t have an egg on hand, an egg white or egg beater equivalent will also do. Don’t feel the need to make an extra trip to the store if you don’t have any egg product available. The dish will be just fine without one, and the cheese also helps the stuffing stick together.
Be sure to thaw and drain frozen spinach before combining it with the meat and cheese. Doing so eliminates moisture from the dish when it bakes. The marina, peppers, and wet cheeses (i.e., ricotta and cottage) add plenty of moisture. I used a red onion for this dish; you can use green onions or white. Feel free to add some zucchini, too.
Turn the dish into a stuffed pepper freezer meal by letting it cool completely instead of baking right away. Once cooled, cover the dish with plastic wrap and lid, then place in the freezer.
Stuffed Bell Peppers {Freezer Friendly}
Equipment
- Food processor or blender helps
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 jar marinara sauce of choice
- 10 oz spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 1 c Parmesan
- 12 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 red onion
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder or garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Brown turkey, adding salt, black pepper, and garlic powder while cooking.
- Peel and chop red onion. Combine in food processor or blender with spinach. If using frozen spinach, thaw and let drain first.
- Combine turkey, onion-spinach mix, cheese, and egg.
- Coat baking dish with olive oil and add thin layer of marina sauce.
- Rinse bell peppers and cut in half to create bowls. Remove seeds and stem.
- Place peppers in dish and stuff with ground turkey mixture. Coat each peppper with marina sauce.
- Bake at 325°F for 45-60 minutes until peppers are tender and sauce is bubbly.
- To freeze: Do not bake first. Let dish cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and lid, and place in freezer. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before baking.