Sweet Cubanelle peppers with just a touch of spice, stuffed with seasoned ground turkey and Manchego cheese, then baked. Here is the recipe. Great for any larger pepper, like bell peppers or poblanos.
Turkey Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers Recipe
It's stuffed peppers time again, my friends! Once again the garden is EXPLODING with chili peppers and it's just the BEST time of year for me because, guess what? I LOVE chili peppers!
I know. You're completely SHOCKED by this.
This year I grew a big variety of about 25 different peppers, one of which is the always awesome Cubanelle pepper. Cubanelles are great for cooking and frying, but they're seriously AWESOME for stuffing, and that's what we have today. Ready?
Turkey Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers!
YES!
I love these, and I hope you will to. They're Cubanelles stuffed with a mixture of seasoned ground turkey and flavorful manchego cheese, then baked until they're tender and delicious.
You LOVE stuffed peppers as much as I do, don't you?
About Cubanelle Peppers
The Cubanelle is considered a sweet pepper, although its heat can range from mild to very moderate. Cubanelles are usually picked before they ripen, while they are a yellowish-green color, but when ripe, they turn bright red.
Cubanelles are also called the Italian Frying Pepper, because they are great in a frying pan with a little olive oil.
I, however, LOVE to stuff them, as you can see. Learn more about the Cubanelle Pepper Here.
Let's talk about how we make them, shall we?
Turkey Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers Ingredients
- Cubanelle Peppers.
- Olive Oil.
- Jalapeno Pepper. Chopped.
- Yellow Onion. Chopped.
- Ground Turkey.
- Red Chili Powder.
- Corn Starch.
- Cumin.
- Garlic Powder.
- Dried Basil.
- Salt and Pepper.
- Water. Or chicken stock.
- Manchego Cheese. Shredded.
How to Make These Turkey Stuffed Peppers - The Recipe Method
First, heat your oven up to 350 degrees F, because we'll be baking our peppers, though you can cook them on the grill as well.
Next, get a pan good and hot and oil it up. Add some chopped jalapeno and onion and cook them until softened, just a few minutes.
Add the ground turkey and cook it through, breaking it up as you go along, about 8 minutes or so.
Stir in your seasonings and a bit of water or chicken stock. I used chicken stock here, as well as a number of seasonings, including chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and basil.
Simmer the whole thing to let the flavors mingle.
Next, slice the Cubanelle peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards. Set them onto a large baking sheet.
Seriously, don't they just look PERFECT for stuffing?
Scoop the seasoned ground turkey into the pepper halves then top them with Manchego cheese.
Bake them for 20 minutes for slightly crunchier peppers, or 30 minutes for softer.
Remove the peppers and sprinkle them with spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped herbs.
I served mine with a homemade zhug recipe that I made very recently and I LOVE it! I love zhug, but it’s also great with either a homemade pesto or homemade chermoula.
Heat Factor
Mild-Medium, though Cubanelle peppers can have a bit of spiciness to them.
The jalapeno peppers will add a slight kick for you. If you're looking to spice up this dish even more, incorporate hotter peppers and/or a spicier chili powder, and go heavy on the spicy chili flakes before serving.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Cubanelles are great for cooking and frying, but they're seriously AWESOME for stuffing!
- Cubanelles are also called the Italian Frying Pepper, because they are great in a frying pan with a little olive oil.
- I used manchego cheese for this recipe, which is a semi-hard Spanish cheese with a good, strong flavor. For similar cheeses, try Italian Roman or Parmesan cheeses.
- Or, try this with melty cheeses like mozzarella or even a pepper jack.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Turkey Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep them for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate your peppers promptly and then reheat properly.
Check Out Some My Other Popular Stuffed Peppers Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Ground Turkey and Manchego Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 5-6 Cubanelle peppers
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup water or chicken stock
- 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese
FOR SERVING
- Fresh chopped herbs spicy chili flakes, pesto or zhug (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the jalapeno and onion and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey and cook it through, stirring as you go, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the seasonings and water or chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors mingle and the moisture to evaporate. Remove from heat.
- Slice the Cubanelle peppers in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards. Set them onto a large baking sheet.
- Scoop the seasoned ground turkey into the pepper halves then top them with Manchego cheese.
- Bake them for 20 minutes for slightly crunchier peppers, or 30 minutes for softer.
- Remove and sprinkle with spicy chili flakes, fresh chopped herbs, and pesto, zhug or chermoula, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Joy Flury Brown says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is a great-tasting, easy recipe to use up the gazillion Cubanelle peppers! I know you love lots of heat, but some family members don't so I used smoked paprika instead of cayenne. Just right for us! I also didn't have manchego so I used smoked gouda. I'm freezing leftovers for the winter. I've used ground beef on my second batch and that was wonderful, too! Thanks again!
Mike H. says
You are very welcome! It's a JOY to hear that you are enjoying these! 😉
Lateya says
This was so good and flavorful. I made it with tostones- the meal turned out amazing. I really like that I can tailor the amount of heat.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Lateya! I'm glad you enjoyed them! Great meal for sure.
Jean Nash says
Love the recipe! I didn't use cheese since I'm not eating dairy, but they were still good.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Jean! Glad you enjoyed them!
Dawn says
Amazing recipe, super flavorful with right amount of heat. These will be on our menu permanently. Great for a quick weeknight meal.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Super happy to enjoyed this recipe, Dawn. I appreciate it!