Ground Turkey and Barley Stuffed Peppers Recipe
These Italian Ground Turkey and Barley Stuffed Peppers (without rice) deliver a savory,smoky, and slightly sweet punch, packed with bold Italian spices and nutty,wholesome barley.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon base, like Better Than Bouillon
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup pearl barley or red bulgur
- 1 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon olive oil, divided
- ¼ lb sweet Italian-style turkey sausage, casing removed
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 oz white mushrooms sliced
- 2.5 oz baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 cup store bought marinara sauce
- 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise
Instructions
Cook the Barley
- In a medium pot, bring 1 ½ cups water and chicken bouillon to a boil. Add barley, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 55 minutes or until tender. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.
Prepare the Peppers
- Preheat the broiler with the rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with foil. Halve the peppers lengthwise through the stem and remove the seed pods, keeping the stems intact. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and pepper. Place peppers cut side down on the prepared sheet and broil for 4–7 minutes, until slightly charred. Let cool and turn cut side up.
Cook the Sausage Mixture
- Heat ½ teaspoon olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook turkey sausage, crumbling with a spoon, until browned with some pink bits remaining. Add diced onion, 1 minced garlic clove, Italian seasoning, and black pepper. Cook until the onion is soft and sausage is fully cooked. Remove mixture and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook mushrooms until they release and reabsorb their liquid. Add spinach and cook until wilted but still bright green. Combine the cooked veggies with the sausage mixture. Stir in marinara sauce, cooked barley, and half the Parmesan cheese.
Stuff and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Fill pepper halves with the sausage-barley mixture, packing it in firmly. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, sprinkle remaining Parmesan over the peppers and press gently. Bake until heated through. Let the peppers cool for 10–15 minutes before serving. Pair with extra marinara for dipping or drizzling.