Healthy Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Turkey & Cauliflower Rice
These healthy stuffed poblano peppers are perfect to serve when you got lots of guests over. Check out the simple recipe here.
Equipment
Rimmed baking sheet
Aluminium foil
Medium saucepan or pot
Sharp chef's knife
Cutting Board
Spoon for stuffing
Ingredients
- 4 large poblano peppers
5 ounces ground turkey - 99% lean, about 140g- 6 ounces frozen riced cauliflower - about 170g, approximately half a standard 12 oz bag
2 ounces yellow onion - chopped, about 55g (half a small onion)- 4 ounces tomato sauce - about 115g (passata or plain tomato purée — not ketchup)
- 1 can diced tomatoes - 14.5 oz / 400g, drained
3 oz corn kernels - about 80g
1 tablespoon lime juice - fresh ; 15ml
½ cup cilantro - fresh ; roughly chopped, about 8g
1 oz mozzarella cheese - low-fat, about 28g- 2 tablespoons salsa verde - green salsa
3 tablespoons vegetable stock (vegetable broth or vegetable bouillon) - 45ml (broth or bouillon)- 1 can non-stick cooking spray - such as olive oil or avocado oil spray
¼ teaspoon salt - adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper - adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon garlic powder - adjust to taste
½ teaspoon chili powder (chilli powder in British English) - adjust to taste
½ teaspoon taco seasoning - adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon paprika - adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon cumin - ground ; adjust to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced). Wash your poblano peppers and cut them in half to open them up. I like to place them with the widest stem end flat down on my cutting board and then cut straight down starting from the narrow end. Remove seeds and stem.4 large poblano peppers
- On a baking sheet lined with aluminium foil, sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray, place all your pepper halves open side facing up on your sheet. To ensure they don't overlap, you may need two sheets. Place in the oven. Bake for 5–10 minutes until slightly softened but still holding their shape — check at the 5-minute mark to avoid over-softening. Set aside.4 large poblano peppers, 1 can non-stick cooking spray
- Sauté the onions in a medium pot lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.2 ounces yellow onion, 1 can non-stick cooking spray
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the ground turkey and chilli powder, and cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a spoon, until no pink remains and the internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C. Add the broth and stir to deglaze the pot.5 ounces ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (chilli powder in British English), 3 tablespoons vegetable stock (vegetable broth or vegetable bouillon)
- Add the frozen riced cauliflower, drained diced tomatoes, lime juice, chopped cilantro, tomato sauce, corn kernels, and salsa verde. Add the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, taco seasoning, and cumin. Stir everything together over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until the cauliflower rice is heated through and has absorbed most of the liquid.6 ounces frozen riced cauliflower, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 cup cilantro, 4 ounces tomato sauce, 3 oz corn kernels, 2 tablespoons salsa verde, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Next is the fun part. Take a spoon, start stuffing your poblano peppers. Some of the "deeper" peppers will need more filling than the "shallow" ones.4 large poblano peppers
- Return the stuffed peppers to the oven at 400°F / 200°C and bake for 8–10 minutes until the filling is bubbling at the edges. Remove, top each pepper half with mozzarella cheese, and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Plate and enjoy!1 oz mozzarella cheese
Notes
Storage: Fully assembled stuffed peppers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350°F / 175°C for 12–15 minutes or microwave on medium power in 90-second bursts until the centre reaches 165°F / 74°C.
Freezing: Freeze the filling only (not the baked pepper shells) in a zip-lock bag laid flat for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, pre-bake fresh pepper halves, then assemble and bake as directed.
Make-Ahead: The filling can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated separately from the peppers to prevent soggy shells.
Substitutions: Ground chicken works as a direct swap for turkey. Ground beef (80/20) adds more fat — drain excess before adding vegetables. For dairy-free, skip the mozzarella or use a plant-based shred.
Pro Tip: Cook the cauliflower rice directly in the filling rather than separately — it absorbs the tomato and broth liquid, binding the filling so it stays in the pepper instead of crumbling out.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 13gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 907mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1291IUVitamin C: 168mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 3mg
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