I put together a simple, high-protein Ground Turkey and Peppers dish with ground turkey cooked alongside colorful bell peppers and bold seasonings, and I often reach for it when I’m browsing Turkey and bell pepper recipes for quick weeknight meals.
I love dishes that sneak up on you, and this Ground Turkey and Peppers recipe does exactly that. Ground turkey paired with bright bell peppers gives a punchy mix of savory and fresh flavors that somehow feels new every time I eat it.
It’s quick, high protein, and weirdly addictive, so I always double down for leftovers. I stash it for Healthy Turkey Meal Prep, and friends sometimes call it Ground Turkey Fajitas Recipes because the profile is so familiar yet not the same.
Try it once and you’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner, I know I did.
Ingredients
- Ground turkey: lean, high in protein, lower fat than beef makes dish light, filling
- Bell peppers: colorful, sweet, full of vitamin C and fiber add crunch and brightness
- Yellow onion: brings natural sweetness when caramelized, adds savory depth, bit of fiber
- Garlic: pungent, aromatic, tiny amount boosts flavor and offers immune compounds
- Tomato paste: concentrated umami and sweet notes, deepens sauce and adds richness
- Olive oil: healthy monounsaturated fats, helps carry spices and keep turkey moist
- Soy sauce: salty, savory punch, adds umami and some sodium, fixes blandness fast
- Lime and cilantro: lime adds acid brightness, cilantro gives herbal lift to bites, it’s great
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb ground turkey 93% lean or your choice
- 2 tbsp olive oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 bell peppers (red orange green), cored and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lime, optional but great for brightness
- Fresh cilantro and sliced green onions for garnish, optional
- Cooked rice, tortillas or large lettuce leaves for serving, optional
How to Make this
1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, add the diced onion and cook about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Toss in the sliced bell peppers, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until they start to char and soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Dont crowd the pan, let them get some color.
2. Push the veggies to the sides of the pan and add 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean) to the center. Break it up and spread it so it can brown, dont stir too much. Cook until mostly no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir the turkey and veggies together, then add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook 30 to 60 seconds, pressing the paste into the pan so it caramelizes a little for more depth.
4. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and the optional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and let the spices toast for 20 to 30 seconds so they bloom.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water and add 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze and stir everything together.
6. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly and coats the meat and peppers. If it looks too dry add another splash of broth.
7. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the skillet if you like a bright pop of acidity, stir to combine.
8. Serve hot over cooked rice, in warmed tortillas, or spoon into large lettuce leaves for wraps. Top with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if you want.
9. Quick hacks: use higher heat to get tiny charred bits for more flavor, brown the turkey well so it has texture, and caramelize the tomato paste for extra umami. If you want more saucy leftovers add 1/4 cup extra broth when reheating.
10. Storage tip: cool and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or broth until hot.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy skillet or sauté pan, about 12 inch, for browning the turkey and charring peppers
2. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to push veggies to the sides and stir
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for dicing onion and slicing peppers
4. Measuring spoons for the spices, tomato paste and salt
5. Measuring cup (at least 1 cup) for broth and oil
6. Tongs for turning peppers and scooping out servings
7. Small bowl or prep dish for minced garlic and prepped spices (mise en place)
8. Airtight container or freezer safe container for storing leftovers
FAQ
Ground Turkey And Peppers – Quick, Healthy & Full Of Flavor! Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground turkey: try ground chicken, lean ground pork, or 90% lean ground beef for a meatier flavor. For a vegetarian swap use crumbled firm tofu or cooked lentils — they’ll soak up the spices.
- Olive oil: substitute avocado oil, grapeseed or canola oil for a neutral option, or use a bit of butter if you want a richer finish.
- Bell peppers: swap with poblano or anaheim peppers for a milder smoky heat, or use sliced zucchini or carrots if peppers aren’t available.
- Soy sauce / Worcestershire: use tamari for gluten free, coconut aminos for a lower sodium sweeter taste, or extra chicken broth plus a splash of fish sauce for added umami.
Pro Tips
1) Use higher heat on the peppers and give them space in the pan so they can char a bit, dont stir them every 10 seconds. Those little browned bits add real flavor.
2) Let the turkey really brown before you stir, spread it into a thin layer and leave it alone so it develops texture, it makes it less mushy and more meaty.
3) Press the tomato paste into the hot pan till it gets a bit dark and sticky, then toss in the spices and toast them a few seconds. That caramelized paste plus toasted spices gives way more depth than just dumping stuff in.
4) Always deglaze the pan with a splash of broth or sauce and scrape up the browned bits, then taste and adjust salt after you add soy or Worcestershire. Lime at the end brightens everything up so dont skip it if you like acid.
5) For leftovers add a little extra broth when reheating so it doesnt dry out, or stir in a small pat of butter or a splash of oil for richness. If you want more texture next time try mixing half turkey half pork or adding grated veg to keep it moist.
Ground Turkey And Peppers – Quick, Healthy & Full Of Flavor! Recipe
I put together a simple, high-protein Ground Turkey and Peppers dish with ground turkey cooked alongside colorful bell peppers and bold seasonings, and I often reach for it when I'm browsing Turkey and bell pepper recipes for quick weeknight meals.
4
servings
323
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy skillet or sauté pan, about 12 inch, for browning the turkey and charring peppers
2. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to push veggies to the sides and stir
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board for dicing onion and slicing peppers
4. Measuring spoons for the spices, tomato paste and salt
5. Measuring cup (at least 1 cup) for broth and oil
6. Tongs for turning peppers and scooping out servings
7. Small bowl or prep dish for minced garlic and prepped spices (mise en place)
8. Airtight container or freezer safe container for storing leftovers
Ingredients
-
1 lb ground turkey 93% lean or your choice
-
2 tbsp olive oil or any neutral oil
-
1 medium yellow onion, diced
-
3 bell peppers (red orange green), cored and sliced
-
3 garlic cloves, minced
-
1 tbsp tomato paste
-
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
-
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-
1 tsp chili powder
-
1 tsp ground cumin
-
1 tsp smoked paprika
-
1/2 tsp dried oregano
-
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
-
Salt and black pepper to taste
-
Juice of 1 lime, optional but great for brightness
-
Fresh cilantro and sliced green onions for garnish, optional
-
Cooked rice, tortillas or large lettuce leaves for serving, optional
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering, add the diced onion and cook about 3 minutes until starting to soften. Toss in the sliced bell peppers, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until they start to char and soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Dont crowd the pan, let them get some color.
- Push the veggies to the sides of the pan and add 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean) to the center. Break it up and spread it so it can brown, dont stir too much. Cook until mostly no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir the turkey and veggies together, then add 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook 30 to 60 seconds, pressing the paste into the pan so it caramelizes a little for more depth.
- Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and the optional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and let the spices toast for 20 to 30 seconds so they bloom.
- Pour in 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth or water and add 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze and stir everything together.
- Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly and coats the meat and peppers. If it looks too dry add another splash of broth.
- Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the skillet if you like a bright pop of acidity, stir to combine.
- Serve hot over cooked rice, in warmed tortillas, or spoon into large lettuce leaves for wraps. Top with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions if you want.
- Quick hacks: use higher heat to get tiny charred bits for more flavor, brown the turkey well so it has texture, and caramelize the tomato paste for extra umami. If you want more saucy leftovers add 1/4 cup extra broth when reheating.
- Storage tip: cool and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or broth until hot.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 300g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 323kcal
- Fat: 15.8g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.45g
- Monounsaturated: 7g
- Cholesterol: 114mg
- Sodium: 230mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Carbohydrates: 13.8g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Sugar: 6.3g
- Protein: 25g
- Vitamin A: 3400IU
- Vitamin C: 95mg
- Calcium: 50mg
- Iron: 1.9mg