I love a good twist on a classic, and this dish is the perfect twist on classic stuffed bell peppers. We aren’t huge pepper fans in our house. In fact, you won’t see me using peppers in most of my recipes! If I do, it will ALWAYS be a red pepper or orange pepper.
This recipe is perfect for meal prep because you can make it all ahead and reheat it easily in the microwave. Plus, with the addition of the spinach, you’re getting all food groups in one meal! So, you cook once, and eat all week!
I like to pair this with a green salad or corn fritters, because it may not be enough all on its own.
What I love about poblano peppers
Poblano peppers are the best peppers, if you ask me. They are just a little bit spicy, which adds so much flavor to any dish. BUT, they aren’t going to burn your mouth like a jalapeño or habañero pepper.
When measuring the heat of peppers, there is a scale called a Scoville scale. Poblano peppers measure at about 1,000-2,000, which is about half as spicy as a jalapeño pepper, and habañero peppers are rated at 100,000-350,000! So, as you can see, poblano peppers are mild in comparison!
Why do you “burn” the skin first?
Confession time. I don't really enjoy the texture of peppers. It almost feels like plastic to me, so I sometimes feel like I’m eating my kids’ play food from their play kitchen….not a fun experience!
By blackening the skin on the gas stove or under the broiler, you not only soften the overall texture of the pepper, but you also loosen the skin from the pepper, which makes it much easier to eat.
Simply “blackening” or “blistering” the skin and placing it in a ziptop bag makes it super easy to remove from the rest of the pepper before preparing the dish.
Why mix turkey and quinoa?
Simply put, I really like the texture of mixing the two ingredients. You get nutrients from both, including a lot of protein. The quinoa, though, adds a bit of extra fiber as well as iron, manganese, and magnesium.
So, why do we want iron, manganese and magnesium in our diet? Iron is super important for the transfer of oxygen in the blood. Manganese aids in the digestion of carbohydrates and cholesterol. Magnesium aids in nerve function. So, quinoa is clearly a superfood!
Can you leave out the turkey or quinoa?
You can definitely leave out the turkey or quinoa. If you decide to omit the turkey, I would double the quinoa. And if you leave out the quinoa, I would double the turkey!
If you decide to leave one of these main components out, you can also add in black beans and corn. It’s all personal preference, which is why I love cooking!
What do you need for these delicious stuffed poblano peppers?
- Poblano peppers – you can find these at most grocery stores!
- Avocado or grapeseed oil – I use avocado oil more than olive oil these days! That’s because it has a higher smoke point. Olive oil can burn easily, and you lose a lot of the nutritional benefits when this happens. Avocado oil and grapeseed oil have a much higher smoke point, which means that you can cook at a higher temp without losing the integrity of the oil.
- Ground Turkey – This is a great source of protein without a lot of fat and unnecessary calories.
- Quinoa – As stated above, this is a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
- Spinach – This is a great way to sneak extra veggies into your diet!
- Spices – Chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper give this dish allllll the flavor!
- Greek yogurt – I love Greek yogurt as a binder in this dish. Plus it adds just the right amount of creaminess
ENJOY! And as always, let me know what you think in the comments and over on Instagram @thesugarandsalt_co!
Quinoa and Turkey Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Ingredients
- 8 each medium poblano peppers
- 2 TBSP avocado or grapeseed oil
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped (about ½ of a medium onion)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
- 3 cups, packed spinach
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- If you have a gas stove, turn on 2-3 burners and place the peppers on the burners, rotating every 2-3 minutes, or until skin is blackened. Once the skin is blackened, place in a large ziptop bag and let sit for 10 minutes. If you do not have a gas stove, preheat the broiler in your oven. Place the peppers on the rack, 3-4 inches from the broiler, and cook, rotating every 3-4 minutes, until the peppers are blackened. Follow the same process, placing in a ziptop bag and letting sit for 10 minutes.
- Once the peppers have “rested” remove from the bag and use a paper towel to rub the skin off of the peppers. Cut a slit in the peppers to slightly open them, and use scissors to cut out the portion at the top of the pepper to remove the seeds. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir in the quinoa, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook the quinoa until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside.
- While the quinoa cooks, heat 1 TBSP of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and garlic until they are tender and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining oil and turkey and cook, stirring often, until the turkey is browned and cooked through. Stir in the salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Add the spinach, and stir until it is slightly wilted. Stir in the quinoa and Greek yogurt until combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the peppers, and top with the cheese. Place in the oven, and bae for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with cilantro.
