Veggies!
Excuse me while I run and hide.
Oh, hello there cream. I’ll come back since I love you.
On Wednesday I got a text from Mr. How Sweet: “Do you know what sounds good to me? Stuffed peppers made with ground turkey over mashed potatoes.”
I thought it sounded delicious. I’ve only made stuffed peppers once before — with ground pork and beef — and they were incredible. I offered to use that mixture again, but he replied, “No. We eat too much red meat.”
“We”? Since when does he worry about how much red meat he eats? Last I checked he wanted porterhouse on Sundays, burgers on Mondays, meatloaf on Wednesdays and filet on Fridays. It must be a phase.
At the market I spotted ground chicken breast and decided to go with chicken — even if it meant including more vegetables than usual. I grabbed the ingredients and got to work.
This version of stuffed peppers has a creamy tomato-basil sauce that complements the savory filling. It might even make you rethink your stance on veggies.
Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 red, green, orange or yellow bell peppers
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey breast
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 29- ounce can tomato sauce (I used Red Pack)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the tops off the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Set aside.
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In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute. Season the ground chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Brown the chicken completely, about 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce with the heavy cream and the remaining garlic clove in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat and stir in most of the basil, reserving a little for garnish.
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Stir the cooked brown rice and 1/2 cup of the parmesan into the chicken mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of the tomato–cream sauce and mix to coat. Remove from heat. Divide the filling evenly among the four peppers, pressing it in to fill to the top. Place the peppers upright in a baking dish, spoon some sauce over each, and pour the remaining sauce into the bottom of the dish. Place the pepper tops back on gently.
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Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parmesan and reserved basil. These pair beautifully with mashed potatoes.
Did you make this recipe?
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Break out your stretchy pants… gluttony week continues tomorrow.