Description
These Stuffed Poblano Peppers are a vibrant, flavorful dish featuring poblano peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground turkey, corn, black beans, rice, and Mexican spices, topped with melted cheese. Perfect as a wholesome and satisfying main course, they combine tender roasted peppers with a hearty, cheesy filling for a delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 6 large (about 1 3/4 lbs) poblano peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
Filling
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, well drained
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup (slightly packed) cooked white rice
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and bake peppers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the poblano pepper halves on a 13 by 9-inch baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 15 minutes until the peppers are tender crisp.
- Prepare filling base: While the peppers bake, heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more.
- Cook the turkey: Push the onion and garlic mixture to one side of the skillet. Add lean ground turkey, season with salt and pepper, and cook while breaking apart and crumbling the meat until nearly cooked through.
- Add corn and finish cooking: Stir in the corn and continue cooking the turkey mixture until it is fully cooked through.
- Combine filling ingredients: Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked rice, black beans, chili powder, ground cumin, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
- Add cheese and cilantro: Stir in half a cup of the shredded Mexican cheese blend and the chopped cilantro into the filling.
- Fill the peppers: Spoon the filling mixture into each roasted poblano pepper half, packing them heaping full. You can press down slightly to fit more filling if needed.
- Top with cheese and bake: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese blend evenly over the filled peppers. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are softened to your liking.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, use diced tomatoes with hot green chilies instead of mild.
- White rice can be substituted with brown rice or quinoa for added fiber and nutrition.
- To make this dish vegetarian, substitute the ground turkey with crumbled tofu or additional black beans and omit cheese or use a plant-based cheese.
- Allow the peppers to cool slightly before serving to prevent burns from the hot filling.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
