These healthy stuffed sweet peppers are the perfect snack or meal. They take almost no time to make and can be a great addition to any meal! Servings 4 Stuffed bell peppers are a delicious and healthy meal. They’re also really easy to make. You just need a few ingredients that you probably already have at home. This dinner is perfect for when your’ are strapped for time and want something homemade.
Healthy Stuffed Peppers Recipes That Are Perfect for Weight Loss
We’ve updated this old-fashioned dish with some modern, healthier ingredients.
Stuffed peppers are that old-fashioned dish that will never die for one reason: They are delicious! Whether packed with traditional tomatoey beef and rice, Philly cheesesteak filling, or given a retro vegetarian spin, this versatile dish somehow always seems special. But it doesn’t need to be saved for a special occasion. The stuffed pepper can star in your meatless Monday or be a hearty low-carb go-to any night of the week. Here are 16 easy healthy stuffed pepper recipes that you need to add to your weekly rotation.
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Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
If you like cheese and spinach, then this is the recipe for you. In 45 minutes a handful of ingredients gives you these bubbly edible cups of flavor. Feel free to add protein or serve these over rice or pasta for a heartier meal.
White Bean, Spinach & Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers with Burrata
Lean turkey, creamy white beans, spinach, and rice combine with fresh basil in these edible pepper cups for an all-in-one meal. Burrata cheese is the luscious clincher that brings everything together.
3
Buffalo Tuna Melt Stuffed Peppers
For a low-carb meal that’s packed with flavor, stuff peppers with Greek yogurt tuna salad spiked with Buffalo seasoning. You won’t miss the bread when you top these with cheese and let it melt all over the sides of the sweet, tender pepper.
4
Black Bean, Sweet Potato, & Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
These peppers are packed with veggies, quinoa, black beans, and sweet potatoes. There’s so much texture and intriguing flavors here that you won’t miss the meat.
5
Cheesy Quinoa and Turkey Sloppy Joe Stuffed Bell Peppers
Make Sloppy Joes healthier by making them with ground turkey with heart-healthy quinoa. Then skip the buns and stuff the mixture into pepper cups instead for a hit of vitamin C and fewer carbs.
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Healthy Enchilada Chicken & Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
You can also go the enchilada route with stuffed peppers. Ambitious Kitchen uses ground chicken and quinoa to lighten up this dish and then stuffs everything in the peppers with enchilada sauce and tops it with cheese. You will not miss the tortillas!
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Taco Stuffed Peppers
Want to have taco night without breaking the calorie or carb bank? Try stuffing that spicy taco filling inside a pepper. As The Cozy Cook points out one pepper has 35 calories while a typical fried taco shell has 150 calories. Go easy on the cheese to save even more calories.
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Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
Instead of putting green peppers on your cheesesteak, stuff the thinly shaved beef, onions, and cheese inside of a pepper. You get all the flavors of a Philly cheesesteak without the bulky bread. Again, go easy on the cheese if you need to save even more calories.
9
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
If you love the traditional flavor of beef and rice stuffed peppers, you will love these turkey stuffed peppers. Sometimes the old classic just needs a slightly healthier spin.
10
Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
A hint of cream and fresh basil give these ground chicken and brown rice stuffed peppers a sophisticated spin.
Easy Stuffed Pepper Recipes
These healthy stuffed peppers are an easy choice for dinner. Full of protein and other nutritious vegetables, these stuffed peppers come together with just 35 minutes or less of active cooking time. Recipes like Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers and Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers make a balanced and flavorful meal.
Chicken Parmesan & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Chicken Parm gets a fun low-carb and gluten-free twist with these cheesy stuffed peppers with chicken and quinoa. Serve with a salad for a healthy dinner that’s easy to prep too.
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Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are a classic family meal–and they’re fun to eat, too. Instead of roasting the sweet peppers in the oven, use an air fryer to get them crisp-tender but not soggy.
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Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed bell peppers have a filling inspired by the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, but you don’t have to worry about working with phyllo, so they’re great for an easy vegetarian dinner.
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Moroccan-Style Stuffed Peppers
Aromatic savory-and-sweet stuffed peppers are a satisfying supper, thanks to lean beef, brown rice and bell pepper in each bite. Serve with rainbow chard sautéed with olive oil, garlic and parsley.
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3-Ingredient Bell Pepper & Cheese Egg Cups
Requiring just three main ingredients—bell peppers, eggs and shredded cheese—these portable baked eggs are simple to assemble and perfect for meal prep. Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days to reheat on demand.
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Mexican Beef and Corn Skillet Peppers
Sweet bell peppers are simmered to tenderness with ground beef, corn, and Mexican-style seasonings, stuffed, then topped with goat cheese for a hearty dinner that doesn’t need an oven.
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Shrimp-&-Grits-Stuffed Peppers
Shrimp and grits are stuffed inside bell peppers and baked in this healthy stuffed peppers recipe. Add the optional hot sauce if you want to give the filling some kick. Look for bell peppers–use any color–with even bottoms, so that they stand upright on their own when they’re cooked.
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Cheesy Egg Stuffed Peppers
Bake up omelets in a pepper for a healthy, veggie-packed breakfast. Sweet bell peppers are filled with a cheesy egg filling with all the fixings of a classic Denver omelet. If you’re cooking for a crowd, this recipe is easy to double!
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Stuffed Yellow Peppers
A turkey, vegetable and rice filling with a bread crumb topping make these peppers a satisfying, low-calorie meal.
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Tofu-Pesto Stuffed Peppers
Tofu, cooked chicken breast, and navy beans pack these colorful peppers with lots of low-fat protein.
Healthy Stuffed Peppers
Total 1 hr
Cook Time 45 mins
Serves 8 servings
These Healthy Stuffed Peppers are divine. Sweet bell peppers stuffed with a cheese covered ground beef and black bean mix – juicy peppers literally loaded with flavor! So easy to make and so satisfying.
Healthy Stuffed Peppers are loaded with ground beef, black beans, brown rice, cheddar cheese and a host of other goodies. Simple to make, they’re as delicious as they are gorgeous. Classic stuffed peppers with a healthy twist make for the ideal weeknight meal.
Why you’ll love these Healthy Stuffed Peppers
- A super flavorful filling. Perfectly seasoned ground beef, mixed with melty cheddar filling brown rice and loads of other yummy goodies – hearty and delicious!
- Healthy. Black beans, tomatoes, corn and lean ground beef mean this a tasty and guilt free weeknight meal.
- Easy. Prep is a total breeze for these Healthy Stuffed Pepper. The stuffing comes together in a flash then stuff the pepper and slam in the oven for 45 mins – simple delicious.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Ground Beef
- Veggies – bell peppers, onion, corn, tomatoes.
- Black Beans
- Garlic
- Brown Rice
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Cheddar Cheese
- Cooking Spray
- Herbs – cilantro, parsley.
How to make these Healthy Stuffed Peppers
- Prep your bell peppers – Cut the top of the peppers and core them, then bake for 10 mins.
- Make the filling – In a skillet, cook the onions, meat and add the spices. Then add the corn, rice (cooked), black beans and tomatoes. Mix in the cheese.
Stuff the peppers – Stuff the peppers with the filling and top with cheese.
- Bake – Bake for 10 mins.
- Remove, garnish, serve and enjoy!
Recipe notes and tips
- Use a preheated oven.
- For the ground beef, use 85/15 or higher.
- You can also swap the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey.
- To make vegetarian omit the ground beef. The mix is still super hearty and flavorsome.
- Look for bell peppers that are large and round, as they are the easiest to stuff!
- Use microwave rice, to make life even easier.
- Look for no-salt-added diced tomatoes, then you can control the saltiness of your pepper.
- If you want a kick of heat, add some crushed red chili flakes.
- Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley.
FAQ’s
Can I make these Healthy Stuffed Pepper ahead of time?
You can bake these Healthy stuffed peppers fully, then reheat in the oven at 350F for 15-20 mins. Or you can reheat in the microwave.
To maintain the integrity of your bell pepper’s texture, I suggest you pre-stuff them no more than 2 days ahead of time.
How to store these stuffed pepper
Cooked stuffed peppers will be fine in the fridge for 3-5 days. Place in shallow airtight containers or resealable plastic bags then reheat and eat when ready.
Can I freeze them?
These Healthy Stuffed Peppers freeze well. Just cook the stuffed peppers as directed then allow to cool fully down to room temp.
Place in a pan or container and wrap well. They should store in the freezer for 2-4 months. When ready to eat, allow to thaw then bake.
What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Bell Peppers
Crunch on these healthy side effects of eating more of this vegetable.
Stuff ’em, slice ’em, dice ’em—whichever way you like to eat them, bell peppers are a versatile and delicious addition to any diet, especially since they come in at least four different colors (yes, there are also mixed color versions), each with its own unique flavor profile and health benefits. Other than gas or the rare allergic reaction to eating nightshade foods, there aren’t many downsides to consuming more bell peppers. So because this vegetable-like fruit has few negative side effects, their bounty of health pluses are likely enough to encourage you to keep eating them. So, pick up a peck and start gaining these body benefits.
Better vision
You’re aware that eating carrots is good for the eyes. Well, bell peppers are, too, for many of the same reasons: peppers contain the carotenoid compounds beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, plus vitamin C, which are all critical to eye health, according to the National Eye Institute. An Australian study published in 2019 in Proceedings of the Third International Tropical Agricultural Conference found that orange bell peppers contain the highest levels of zeaxanthin while yellow peppers are high in lutein.
Less inflammation
“Peppers are an anti-inflammatory superfood—but go red to reap the most benefits,” says Mike Zimmerman, author of The 14-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet. Of all the colors of bell pepper, red peppers contain the highest amounts of beta-carotene, quercetin, and luteolin, according to research in the Journal of Food Science. Luteolin has been found to neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation.
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Reduced cravings
If it has been more than three to four hours since your last meal, eating a balanced snack by combining a serving of carbs with a protein can fend off hunger until mealtime, says certified diabetes educator Lori Zanini, RD. “I eat red bell peppers nearly every day,” she says. “One medium pepper actually contains more vitamin C than an orange, and the vegetable is extremely versatile.” Zanini suggests dipping slices of red bell pepper in hummus for the perfect hunger-busting carbohydrate and protein snack.
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Weight loss
Here’s another thing about bell peppers no matter which color you choose: they are low in calories, just 31 per medium bell pepper. That’s because, like a lot of vegetables, they are made up of mostly water and dietary fiber. Filling up on low-calorie density foods like bell peppers is a proven weight-loss strategy, one based on decades of research by Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and author of The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet. Rolls’ studies found that by reducing calories per bite of food by 30% (by eating low-calorie foods like peppers) and cutting serving size by 25%, participants ate 800 calories less per day and didn’t feel hungry.