Korean-Style Turkey Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Print)

Sweet mini peppers filled with Korean-seasoned turkey and melted cheese, ready in 45 minutes.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 16-20 mini sweet peppers, halved and seeded
02 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small carrot, finely grated

→ Meat

05 - 1 pound ground turkey

→ Sauces and Seasonings

06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon gochujang
08 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
09 - 2 teaspoons honey
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
11 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Dairy

12 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Garnish

13 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange halved mini sweet peppers cut side up.
02 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green onions, sautéing until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet and cook while breaking apart with a spoon until fully cooked and no longer pink, 5-7 minutes.
04 - Stir in grated carrot, soy sauce, gochujang, honey, and black pepper. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
05 - Distribute turkey mixture evenly into each pepper half, gently pressing down to compact the filling.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese generously over each stuffed pepper half.
07 - Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden and peppers are tender.
08 - Remove from oven and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These peppers taste restaurant-quality but come together faster than ordering takeout.
  • The Korean-inspired filling strikes that perfect balance between savory, slightly sweet, and just a whisper of heat that keeps you coming back for more.
  • They're naturally gluten-free with one easy swap, making them versatile for different dietary needs without feeling like a sacrifice.
02 -
  • Don't skip seeding the peppers thoroughly because a stray seed will make every bite bitter, and you want only the sweet flesh and savory filling to shine.
  • The honey in the filling isn't optional sweetness, it's the ingredient that rounds out the gochujang heat and makes the whole thing taste balanced rather than one-dimensional.
03 -
  • If your peppers are on the large side, cut them into thirds instead of halves so you get better proportion of filling to pepper and everything cooks evenly.
  • Make the turkey filling up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate it, then stuff and bake right before serving for a meal that feels effortless.
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