Ground Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

These stuffed bell peppers are a colorful, protein-packed dinner that's completely low-FODMAP friendly without sacrificing any flavor. Lean ground turkey is sautéed with garlic-infused oil, fresh herbs, and a touch of smoked paprika, then combined with fluffy quinoa, diced tomatoes, and wilted spinach before being piled into tender bell pepper halves and baked until everything is warmed through and the peppers are just soft enough to hold their shape. This dish is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free (with an optional sprinkle of lactose-free or hard cheese on top), making it ideal for anyone following a low-FODMAP elimination plan or simply looking for a nutritious, gut-friendly weeknight meal. The recipe skips onion and garlic in favor of garlic-infused oil and chives, so you get all the aromatic depth without the fermentable fructans that can trigger digestive discomfort. Best of all, this is a true one-dish dinner: everything bakes together in a single sheet pan or baking dish, making cleanup a breeze. Leftovers reheat beautifully, so consider doubling the batch for easy lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients

• 4 largebell peppers, tops cut off and seeded, or halved lengthwise
• 1 lbground turkey, lean
• 1.5 cupsCooked quinoa, cooked in advance
• 1 cupcanned diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 cupsfresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tbspGarlic-infused olive oil
• 2 tbspfresh chives, finely chopped
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 cupLactose-free shredded cheese or hard cheese, optional, such as cheddar or parmesan
• 2 tbspfresh basil, chopped, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and ribs, or halve them lengthwise depending on preference.
2. Heat the garlic-infused olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. 8:00
3. Stir in the smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper, mixing well to coat the turkey evenly.
4. Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. 2:00
5. Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the turkey mixture to a mixing bowl. Fold in the cooked quinoa, diced tomatoes, and chopped chives until evenly combined.
6. Arrange the bell pepper halves or shells in the baking dish, cut side up, and spoon the turkey-quinoa filling evenly into each one, pressing down gently to pack.
7. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are tender, about 30 minutes. 30:00
8. Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of each pepper if using, and bake uncovered for an additional 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 9:00
9. Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and serve warm.