Cajun Turkey Stuffed Peppers with Pepper Jack and Hot Sauce Crema

These stuffed peppers bring a bold Cajun twist to a classic comfort dish. A savory filling of ground turkey, jasmine rice, celery and scallions is seasoned with a peppery Cajun spice blend, then stuffed into roasted bell peppers and topped with melted pepper jack cheese. A drizzle of hot sauce crema adds a cool, tangy finish.

Ready in under an hour, this recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special. The peppers are roasted until tender, then filled and baked briefly to melt the cheese. Serve with extra hot sauce on the side for those who like it hot.

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Ingredients

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground TurkeyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pepper Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Cajun Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce CeleryView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Wash and dry produce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add rice, 1¼ cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, halve bell peppers lengthwise; remove stems and seeds. Place peppers cut-side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle each half with oil and rub to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until browned and softened, 18-20 minutes.
3. While peppers roast, finely dice celery. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating white and green parts. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Add celery and scallion whites; cook until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Season with half the Cajun spice blend, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
4. Add chicken stock concentrate and ⅓ cup water to the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cooked rice until combined. Turn off heat. Remove roasted peppers from oven; carefully flip and stuff each half with filling. Place stuffed peppers in the pan with any remaining filling, nestling them in. If pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer to a small baking dish. Sprinkle pepper jack cheese over peppers.
5. Bake stuffed peppers until cheese melts, 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and hot sauce to taste. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until drizzling consistency.
6. Divide remaining filling between plates. Top with stuffed peppers. Drizzle with hot sauce crema and garnish with scallion greens. Serve with extra hot sauce on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground chicken or beef instead of turkey?

Yes, ground chicken or beef can be substituted for turkey. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I store leftovers?

Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

To make it dairy-free, omit the cheese and use a dairy-free sour cream alternative. The crema can be made with a plant-based sour cream.