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Stuffed peppers

Stuffed Red Peppers

Chef Dawn Ludwig
These individual portions are easy to serve. Plus they look great on a tray! Make them ahead and reheat for a quick dinner after a summer day out. We’re using our Meatball recipe from Always Delicious (page 149), but feel free to experiment with other fillings, such as the Meatloaf with Smoked Paprika Ketchup (Always Delicious pages 152 – 153).
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 large red bell peppers
  • 2 cups No Sugar added Marinara Sauce or for a spicy option use Ranchero Sauce (Always Hungry? pg. 272)
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping (about 1 tbsp per pepper)
  • 1 recipe Beef, Bison, or Turkey Meatballs

Recipe: Beef, Bison, or Turkey Meatballs

  • 1 small onion
  • 1 small carrot
  • 18-20 sprigs cilantro (about 1 ounce), coarsely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1-2 tsp All Purpose Seasoning Salt (Always Delicious pg. 283) OR ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ cup Chickpea Bread Crumbs (Always Delicious pg. 196), OR 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • lbs ground beef (90% lean), ground buffalo, or ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp Sugar-Free Worcestershire Sauce (Always Delicious pg. 284, or store bought if no sugar added)
  • 3 tbsp neutral tasting oil, such as avocado oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Cut the tops off the peppers about 1/2 inch from the top. Remove the stem and scoop out the seeds to create a pepper cup to hold the fillings. Set aside.
  • Place the onion, carrot, cilantro, garlic, seasoned salt, pepper, and Chickpea Bread Crumbs (if using) in a food processor. Process until the vegetables are finely minced.
  • Place meat in a large bowl. Stir in the minced vegetables and the Worcestershire until well combined.
  • Fill each pepper with an equal amount of meat mixture, using all of the mixture. If using Smoked Paprika Ketchup, add it on top of each pepper. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Top with Marinara Sauce or Ranchero Sauce and cheese in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Serve warm or refrigerate and reheat before serving.

Notes

 

Dairy-Free Variation

Substitute 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast and 1/2 tbsp almond flour for parmesan cheese.

 

Nutrition (Stuffed Peppers Only)

Fat: 14g
Carbohydrates:26g
Protein: 26g
Calories: 340

 

Nutrition (Full Meal - Phase 1)

Phase 1: Serve with a side salad of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes and 1 – 2 teaspoons Mustard Vinaigrette (Always Hungry page 264) and a Fruity Coconut Ice Pop (Always Delicious page 310), Phase 1 Variation.
Fat: 30g (52%)
Carbohydrates: 34g (26%)
Protein: 28g (22%)
Calories: 510

 

Nutrition (Full Meal - Phase 2)

Phase 2: Serve with 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, a side salad of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes and 1 – 2 teaspoons Cashew Balsamic Vinaigrette and a Fruity Coconut Ice Pop (Always Delicious page 310).
Fat: 31g (44%)
Carbohydrates: 55g (35%)
Protein: 32g (21%)
Calories: 620
Keyword Dairy-Free, Meat, Phase 1, Phase 2