Unstuffed Peppers bring the same deliciousness of stuffed peppers, but faster! In 30 minutes, this low-carb, one-skillet meal will become a family favorite.

Unstuffed peppers, a pan full of delicious savory ingredients, including meat and peppers, topped with fresh herbs.
chelsea

author’s note

The Quick And Flavorful Dinner You Need!

After doing a poll on Instagram, it was clear you all wanted more low-carb recipes, and while I’m not someone who follows a low-carb diet (I couldn’t live without my honey whole wheat bread!), I do love finding ways to make my favorite dishes more veggie-packed and better for me.

Zucchini boats are a go-to lower-carb dinner in my house, so I had a feeling Unstuffed Peppers would be a hit—and I was right! These are bursting with flavor and so easy to make. It’s definitely a dinner that will be on repeat at my place!

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Adding veggies, meat, seasoning, marinara, and cheese to the skillet and cooking until done.

Ingredients In Unstuffed Peppers

A few ingredients to discuss:

  • Ground turkey: Choose ground turkey in a carton for better texture and flavor.
  • Beef bouillon cube: Crumble it before adding to ensure it dissolves quickly.
  • Diced tomatoes: Grab fire-roasted for tons of extra flavor without extra work.
  • Bell peppers: Use a mix of peppers for extra color and flavor, or whatever you have on hand.
  • Marinara sauce: Use a high-quality marinara like Rao’s for extra flavor.

Quick Tip

To avoid tomato sauce stains on reusable plastic containers, put any leftover Unstuffed Peppers in glass containers, disposable plastic, or dark-colored reusable plasticware that won’t show the red.

A plate of delicious and savory unstuffed bell peppers served with cauliflower rice alongside.

How To Make Unstuffed Peppers

The full recipe is below but here are some tips while making it:

  1. Cook veggies: Keep veggies moving in the pan to avoid burning.
  2. Turkey: Don’t stir immediately; let the turkey brown for a minute to get a flavorful sear.
  3. Add liquids: Let the sauce cook slowly to intensify the flavors before adding cheese.
  4. Top with cheese: If your pan isn’t oven-safe, cover it and let the cheese melt using residual heat.
  5. Serve: For extra flavor, pour a little olive oil over the rice before serving.

Storage

Leftovers?

  • Storing: Cool completely and transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  • Reheating: Microwave until hot, stirring occasionally, or reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
  • Freezing: For longer storage, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

More Low-Carb Recipes:

4.79 from 19 votes

Unstuffed Peppers

If you love stuffed peppers, try this quick 30-minute skillet version! All the comforting flavors, but faster and lower in carbs. Nutritious and sure to become a family favorite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Oven-safe pan 12-inch

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion 1 large onion
  • 2 cups chopped bell peppers 2 large peppers; I use 1 red and 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey 93/7, see note 1
  • 1 large beef bouillon cube
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup marinara sauce I love Rao’s
  • 1-1/4 cup freshly shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley for garnish
  • Cooked rice or cauliflower rice, for serving, see note 2

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an oven-safe 12-inch pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add finely diced onion and chopped bell peppers. Sauté 6–8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and seasonings: chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and optional red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Move veggies to the sides of the pan. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the center and add ground turkey. Let cook without stirring, until golden brown on bottom, about 1–2 minutes, then break up into chunks. Continue to cook and crumble ground turkey until browned, incorporating veggies as you cook, about 5 more minutes.
  • Add in fire-roasted diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and crumbled beef bouillon cube. Stir to incorporate and cook off most of the liquid from the tomatoes. Add in marinara sauce and stir to heat through.
  • Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and immediately transfer the pan to the oven. Bake 4–8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with fresh parsley. (If this dish wasn’t cooked in an oven-safe skillet, cover the pan, remove from heat, and allow the residual heat to cook the cheese while it stands.)
  • Serve over cooked cauliflower rice or regular rice.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I recommend ground turkey that is sold in a carton, rather than in a chub (the plastic tube). The chub ground turkey tends to be overly watery and less flavorful.
Note 2: Riced cauliflower is my favorite way to serve Unstuffed Peppers; I simply purchase two bags of frozen cauliflower rice and add both bags, straight from the freezer, to a very large nonstick pan and cook, stirring every once in a while, until tender and slightly charred.
Storage: Cool completely and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.2g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 11.4g | Cholesterol: 0.7mg | Sodium: 290.8mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 9.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.79 from 19 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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35 Comments

  1. Jessi says:

    5 stars
    This is one of my โ€œgo toโ€ recipes. And is made at least a couple times a month. I use ground turkey since hubby doesnโ€™t do beef. We have had it with Jasmine rice and riced cauliflower. I like to add more garlic powder to mine and use fire roasted tomatoes.

    1. Chelsea says:

      I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jessi!

  2. Minnies Mixologist says:

    3 stars
    We thought it was a bit sweet and the flavors were very muddled.

    1. Chelsea says:

      Thanks for your feedback! Iโ€™ve never heard that the flavors were muddled before. Did you change the recipe at all?

  3. Sherie says:

    5 stars
    I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! I served it over mashed potatoes. I think it would be good on a baked potato too. I will definitely be making this again!

    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Sherie!

  4. Jackie says:

    Could I make this is a crockpot?

    1. Chelsea says:

      I haven’t tested this in the crockpot so I can’t tell you exact timing, but if you give it a try let me know how it turns out!

  5. Trudy says:

    5 stars
    I think I have made this like 5 times now.
    I improvise if I am missing something (like the roasted tomatoes or the marinara). No Matter. Turns out lovely. – not quite the best. Still very, very good

  6. Angie H. says:

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! We substituted ground beef for turkey and used rice (of course a little less healthy!) and it tasted great and all who ate it loved it!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am os thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Angie! ๐Ÿ™‚