Enjoy Caribbean flavors with habanero chilies, adobo-seasoned ground turkey, quinoa stuffed with red bell pepper, and poblano peppers topped with creamy pepper jack cheese.
Served with a refreshingly simple and surprisingly complimenting salad of salsa verde sauce with mixed greens, red onions, and crunchy radishes making this an irresistible ground turkey stuffed peppers meal.
Table of Contents
Jump to:
- Every Layer Counts
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Origin
- What's Adobo Seasoning?
- Ingredients with Steps
- Un Chin! Adobo Caribe Blend
- Instructions with Pictures
- How to Chop Habanero Peppers
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Cooking Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Poultry Recipes
- Latin-Inspired Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
- Have a Comment or Question?
Every Layer Counts
Experience a restaurant-quality meal at home with these Healthy, Spicy Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers. Infused with the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean, these peppers feature a tantalizing mix of habanero chilies, adobo-seasoned ground turkey, and protein-rich quinoa, all nestled within red bell peppers and poblano peppers.
Topped with creamy pepper jack cheese, these stuffed peppers are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. Paired with a simple yet refreshing salad of salsa verde, mixed greens, red onions, and crunchy radishes, this dish offers a delightful contrast of flavors and textures that will satisfy everyone.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Origin
The origin of stuffed bell peppers can be traced back to various culinary traditions worldwide, where vegetables are filled with delicious mixtures of grains, meats, and spices. In the Latin Caribbean community, stuffed peppers are popular due to their versatility and ability to incorporate local flavors and ingredients.
Inspired by the bold heat of habanero chile peppers and the aromatic depth of adobo seasoning, this recipe pays homage to these vibrant culinary influences, creating a dish that combines traditional elements with a modern twist.
What's Adobo Seasoning?
Adobo seasoning is a flavorful spice blend rooted in Spanish and Latin American culinary traditions. Historically used as a marinade or dry rub for meats, it typically consists of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper, with variations including cumin and chili powder.
This seasoning mix is a staple in Caribbean cooking, particularly in regions influenced by Spanish cuisine, where it is used to enhance the taste of meats, stews, and sauces, adding a rich, savory complexity that elevates the flavors of any dish.
More Great Dinner Inspirations
- Italian Chicken Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Burrata
- Best Air Fryer Habanero Adobo Salmon and Yellow Risotto
- Curried Ground Turkey Vegetables and Olives
- Harissa Carrot Salad
- Quick Harissa Sauce
Ingredients with Steps
To prepare the stuffed peppers, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then sauté chopped red onion and minced fresh garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks.
Stir in cooked quinoa, chopped habanero peppers, adobo seasoning, salt, and pepper, and cook for a few more minutes until well combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Arrange halved red bell peppers and/or poblano peppers in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and fill each with the turkey-quinoa mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with shredded pepper jack cheese, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Meanwhile, prepare a mixed greens salad by combining greens, sliced red onion, and radishes in a bowl and toss with salsa verde.
Culinary Glossary
This section provides concise definitions of key ingredients and techniques to enhance understanding and improve cooking skills related to this recipe.
- Adobo Seasoning - A spice blend typically made of garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, and other spices used to flavor meats and vegetables. I recommend Un Chin! Seasoning's Adobo Caribe Seasoning Blend. (support a small business!)
- Habanero Chili Pepper - A small, fiery pepper known for its intense heat and fruity flavor, commonly used in Caribbean and Mexican cuisines.
- Quinoa - A protein-rich grain that is gluten-free and high in fiber, often used as a substitute for rice or pasta.
- Salsa Verde - A green sauce made from tomatillos, green chilies, cilantro, and lime, used as a condiment or as a salad dressing like in this recipe.
- Poblano Pepper - A mild chili pepper originating from Mexico, known for its dark green color and rich, earthy flavor, often used roasted or stuffed in various dishes.
- Pepper Jack Cheese - A semi-soft, creamy cheese that combines the buttery flavor of Monterey Jack with spicy peppers and herbs for a zesty kick.
See the recipe card for quantities below.
1 cup raw will yield 3 cups cooked.
Un Chin! Adobo Caribe Blend
I used Un Chin! Seasoning Adobo Caribe Blend for this recipe. When you have the chance, please try it out and give her a shout-out! She's an amazing person, and I had the chance to meet with her while I was in New York! And this is not a paid partnership. I just love what she is doing!
Image: Also, I used it another day for a simple sauteed chicken in adobo sauce with bell peppers and onions.
Instructions with Pictures
Follow the instructions and cooking tips below using the step-by-step picture guide.
Make the Stuffing
A cast iron skillet offers the benefit of excellent heat retention and even cooking, making it ideal for searing, browning, and achieving a crispy texture on various dishes.
The chopped onion and garlic are cooked until translucent and fragrant.
Immediately after adding the ground turkey, chop it up with a utensil that has a flat tip like a wooden spatula.
Combine the ingredients as you continue to chop the meat into small crumble pieces.
To crumble the ground meat quicker, use a meat chopper or, like I do, a potato masher.
Once the ground turkey has finally crumbled, the quinoa is added.
Then, the whole mixture is seasoned and fried to allow the spices to bloom, making the dish more flavorful and fragrant.
Bake the Stuffed Peppers
Any bell pepper and large hollow peppers are a great addition to this recipe.
Covering the stuffed bell peppers helps the vegetables become tender by steaming them during cooking.
Get the GIR: Get It Right | Heat-Resistant Nonstick Small Kitchen Spoon.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review: The Lodge 15-Inch Cast Iron Skillet with the signature teardrop handle is the perfect skillet to take you from stovetop to grill to campfire without skipping a beat. Its large size makes it ideal for everything from cooking a whole pizza with a crispy crust to whipping up a bunch of tacos or pancakes for a crowd at breakfast. The pre-seasoned surface gives it that unbeatable nonstick performance and rich flavor you can only get from cast iron. Whether you’re cooking indoors or outside, this skillet is built to last a lifetime. Just make sure you know how to care for it—check out my cast iron care guide to keep yours in top shape!
Freshly shredded cheese melts better since it does not have the starch on pre-shredded package cheese, which makes it difficult to melt.
The broiler can also be used to brown the cheese in the oven.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review: I absolutely love this simple and beautiful Pyrex Easy Grab Glass Baking Dish Set—the transparent design makes it easy to monitor your food, and it looks great going from oven to table. I always reach for Pyrex when I can because it’s a brand I trust and have used for years. The snug-fit, BPA-free lids are great for storing leftovers, and the dishes themselves are safe for the microwave, freezer, dishwasher, and even a pre-heated oven. The only reason this set gets 4 stars from me is because the lids aren’t truly dishwasher safe—despite what the label might say, they tend to warp from the heat, so I recommend hand-washing them to keep them in shape. Besides that, I use these dishes all the time, and you’ll see them featured often in my blog posts!
Prepare the Salad
Salsa verde is usually used as a condiment, but for this recipe, it is used as a convenient way to quickly dress a salad.
For a quick side dish, only three ingredients were used.
Combine the dressing well with the salad right before serving to prevent a wilted salad.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchased: December 10, 2023
My Review: I love the clean, classic look of this Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set—it’s a staple in my kitchen. Pyrex is known for its durability, and these bowls definitely live up to that reputation. I use them for everything from mixing batters to storing leftovers, and the fact that they’re microwave-safe makes them super multifunctional. They’re also easy to clean and stack nicely in the cabinet. The only reason this isn’t a five-star for me is because I always have that little fear of breaking them when I’m using or storing them, even though they’re made to last.
How to Chop Habanero Peppers
Habanero peppers are known for their intense heat, ranking high on the Scoville scale. So, it's important to protect yourself by wearing gloves and avoiding contact with your face; follow the step-by-step instructions with pictures below to prepare them efficiently and safely.
Habaneros are not only super hot but have a slightly sweet flavor profile.
You can use a small measuring spoon, such as a quarter teaspoon, to scoop out the seeds and pith from the narrow opening of the habanero pepper.
Use a sharp knife to slice the pepper thinly.
Wearing gloves helps prevent the transmission of the pepper's oil onto your hands, where it can eventually end up in your eyes when rubbing or other places when using the bathroom! Ouch!
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchased: 10/17/21
Update: 08/19/24
My Review: This knife is well-made. Super solid and multi-functional. It is made with high-carbon steel, so it will not rust. Slicing meat like fish is easier with the grooves. It doesn’t stick to the knife. The handle has an excellent grip, and it's not heavy. For some background, a Santoku is a versatile Japanese kitchen knife characterized by its straight edge and "sheepsfoot" blade, designed for slicing, dicing, and chopping with precision. Its name means "three virtues," referring to its ability to handle meat, fish, and vegetables efficiently, making it a staple in both professional and home kitchens.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free
- Pepper Jack Cheese - Replace the pepper jack cheese with a dairy-free cheese alternative, or omit the cheese for a lighter version.
Gluten-Free
- Yay! This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but ensure the adobo seasoning does not contain gluten additives.
Vegetarian
- Ground Turkey - To make this dish vegetarian, substitute the ground turkey with black beans or crumbled tofu, maintaining the same flavorful seasoning mix.
Convenience
- Ground turkey - Substitute with lean ground turkey or lean ground beef or chicken for a different ground meat protein option.
- Quinoa - Use brown or white rice or couscous as an alternative grain.
- Habanero chilies - Replace with jalapeños or red pepper flakes for a milder heat.
- Adobo seasoning - Make your own blend with garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, or replace it with jarred salsa or enchilada sauce, using whatever you have on hand.
- Pepper Jack Cheese - Substitute with cheddar cheese for a milder cheese flavor. Or use Queso Fresco for a tart, salty taste.
- Red Bell Pepper - Substitute with green bell pepper.
Change Heat Level - Modify the recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- Ground Sausage - Substitute ground turkey with spicy or sweet Italian sausage for a rich, savory flavor.
- Beans - Use fresh or canned black beans, chickpeas, black eye peas, or kidney or pinto beans instead of meat for a vegetarian version. If canned beans are used, make sure they are drained well.
- Tofu - Crumble firm tofu in place of ground turkey for a plant-based protein.
- Rice - Use cooked white or brown rice instead of quinoa for a more traditional filling.
- Cauliflower Rice - Substitute quinoa with cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Ground Chicken - Ground chicken is a leaner alternative to turkey.
- Sweet Corn - Add corn kernels to the filling for sweetness and texture.
- Mexican Cheese Blend - Use a Mexican cheese blend for a creamy and flavorful topping.
- Sour Cream - Perfect topping to add some creaminess to the dish and to compliment the fiery heat from the chili peppers.
- Fresh Cilantro or Parsley - Add it for a fresh kick to the ground turkey mixture.
- Air Fry - To cook ground turkey and quinoa stuffed peppers in the air fryer, set the temperature to 350°F and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender before the last five minutes, sprinkle on the freshly shredded cheese.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date: 04/10/24
Review: The Cosori Turbo Blaze Air Fryer has been an absolute big help in my kitchen! The large basket is perfect for cooking bigger portions, and cleanup is a breeze—just toss it in the dishwasher, and it comes out spotless with no damage. I also love the thoughtful design, with a flat grid basket and silicone feet that prevent scratching and are super easy to remove and reinsert. The big, clear display with multiple preset temperature and time options makes cooking so quick and hassle-free, taking all the guesswork out of the process. Honestly, I love it so much that I haven’t had to pull out my Ninja air fryer since getting this one!
Equipment
- Oven - Preheated to bake the stuffed peppers, ensuring they cook evenly and the cheese melts to a bubbly finish.
- Large Skillet - Used to sauté the onions, garlic, and ground turkey, creating a flavorful base for the stuffing mixture. I used the All-Clad D3 3-Ply Stainless Steel Sauté Pan.
- 13 by 9-inch Baking Dish - Holds the halved peppers and stuffing, providing ample space for even cooking. I used the Pyrex Easy Grab Glass Baking Dish.
- Mixing Bowl: - Combines the salad ingredients, allowing for an even coating of salsa verde over the greens. I used the Pyrex Glass 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set.
Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, place it in a shallow 2-inch container to cool down quickly. Then, store it in an airtight container. The meal will last up to three days before the peppers begin to break down and get soggy.
- Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.
Airtight Food Containers
I interchange glass food storage containers with plastic clipping lids or wooden push-ins. I always suggest glass storage containers because they can be microwaved, they hold food without staining, and the glass keeps the food at a more stable temperature, keeping it fresher and longer.
Try the OXO Good Grips Smart Seal Glass Rectangle Food Storage Containers or the Pyrex Freshlock Glass Food Storage Containers.
Get the Freshware Meal Prep Containers 15 Count.
Cooking Tips
Your Cooking Tips Resource Guide - Become a better home cook with tips to help you cook more efficiently on the Cook's Notebook tab. Learn how to Cut Peppers for Stuffing.
- Browning the Cheese - If the cheese is melted but not browned, turn on your broiler for a couple of minutes while keeping a close eye on the dish since it will brown quickly.
- Better Cheese Melt - Freshly shredded cheese from a cheese block melts more easily due to the lack of starch preservatives that coat prepackaged shredded cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare the peppers and stuffing in advance, then assemble and bake them when ready for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Reduce the amount of habanero, remove the seeds for less heat, or substitute with a milder pepper like jalapeño.
A mixed greens salad with salsa verde or a side of steamed vegetables complements the flavors of the peppers beautifully.
Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Yes, you can freeze them before or after baking. Wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Poultry Recipes
Looking for other poultry recipes like this? Try these:
- Jerk Fajita Trio: 3 Must-Try Recipes for a Spicy Weeknight Cook-Up
- Air Fryer Chicken and Pork Belly Tacos | Easy & Crispy
- Easy Sheet Pan Jerk Chicken Fajitas | Oven-Roasted Yum
- Quick Spicy Potstickers | Chili Momo Tibetan Style
Latin-Inspired Recipes
Looking for other Latin-inspired recipes like this? Try these:
- 4 Must-Try Tacos Recipes to Inspire Your Next Craving
- Homemade Cholula Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
- Homemade Pico de Gallo | Fresh Salsa in 10 Minutes
- Quick & Easy Food Chopper Guacamole with Jalapeño Kick
📖 Recipe
Healthy Spicy Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers with Salad
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Peppers
- 4 medium tri-color bell peppers or poblanos, halved vertically and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 habanero pepper finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese freshly shredded
For the Mixed Greens Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens e.g., arugula, spinach, and lettuce
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
- ½ cup salsa verde store-bought or homemade
Equipment
Instructions
- Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
- Important: Before starting the recipe, ensure you already have the cooked quinoa or are starting it.
- Prepare the Stuffed Peppers: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and minced garlic, sauteing until fragrant and translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up with the cooking utensil as it cooks, about 7 to 10 minutes. Then, stir in the cooked quinoa, chopped habanero peppers, adobo seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, ensuring everything is well combined and heated through.
- Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
- Stuff and Bake the Peppers: Arrange the halved red bell peppers in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Spoon the turkey-quinoa mixture evenly into each pepper half. Then, cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Add Cheese Topping: Remove the foil and sprinkle the shredded pepper jack cheese over the stuffed peppers. Then, return the skillet to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly. While the stuffed peppers bake, make the salad.
- Prepare the Mixed Greens Salad: Combine the mixed greens, sliced red onion, and radishes in a mixing bowl. Then, drizzle the salsa verde over the salad and toss to combine.
- Serve: Place a bed of the mixed greens salad on each plate. Then, top each salad with two stuffed red bell pepper halves and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Chef Maika Frederic
Chef and Educator
Haitian-American chef and educator Maika Frederic blends bold flavors with approachable recipes. With a background in both professional kitchens, classrooms, and children therapy—as a trained chef, former teacher and technician—she brings a thoughtful, inclusive touch to every dish. Through her platform, Just Maika Cooking, she shares diverse meals and practical tips to empower home cooks of all ages and levels.
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