Slow Cooker Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with Tahini Drizzle
This slow cooker dish is the “bell pepper of the ball!” Stuffed with whole grains, ground turkey, feta, veggies and herbs, this dish hits the mark.
Ingredients
Stuffed Peppers
- 6 medium sweet bell peppers, any combination of red, orange and yellow, tops, and seeds removed
- 1 lb 90-94% lean ground turkey, chicken or beef
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice, or cooked quinoa
- 1 small red onion, finely diced (about ½ to ¾ cup)
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or basil, more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Tahini Sauce
- ⅓ cup tahini paste*
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 3 + tablespoons water, until reaching desired consistency
- Optional extras: Herbs, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes
- * Be sure to stir the container to create a smooth paste before measuring.
Instructions
For the Peppers:
- Liberally mist a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick oil spray.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground turkey or beef, can of diced tomatoes with juice, cooked rice or quinoa, onion, garlic, dried spices, and fresh herbs. Add feta cheese crumbles. Mix with a rubber spatula or clean hands until well incorporated.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the peppers and place the peppers cut side up in the prepared slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low or until the filling is cooked through and the peppers are tender.
- Serve immediately with a tahini drizzle.
For the Tahini Sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk or blend all ingredients (except the water) until smooth and thick. Mix in 2 tablespoons water, and assess texture. Add in additional water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. You want it creamy and thick but easy to drizzle. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste, and any additional preferred seasonings if desired. Drizzle sauce over stuffed peppers right before serving.
*To make peppers in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, add your peppers on top (cut side facing up), and set aside.
- Mist a large skillet with nonstick oil spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add the meat and onions, and cook for 7-9 minutes, crumbling the meat with a large wooden spoon as it cooks. Then add the canned diced tomatoes, rice, herbs, cheese, salt and combine.
- Add the cooked filling evenly into the 6 hollowed peppers and bake in oven for about 20 minutes until peppers are softened and meat mixture is piping hot. Garnish with fresh herbs and drizzle tahini sauce over the top.
Notes
Nutrition provided per pepper. Add 50 calories per tablespoon Tahini Sauce.
• This recipe can also be made in the oven by following the oven directions at the bottom of the page. The main difference is that you will need to cook the filling (meat, onion, etc.) on a hot skillet before stuffing it into peppers and finishing off in the oven. It’s super simple, but unlike the slow cooker, it does require cooking the meat beforehand.
• Unfortunately, you cannot make this recipe in the Instant Pot as it doesn’t perform like a classic 6-quart slow cooker. An Instant Pot is a smaller container and seals in the moisture even more than a slow cooker.
• You may notice a small pool of water at the bottom of your slow cooker when the peppers are finished. Just be super careful when lifting the peppers out of the slow cooker as the water will be piping hot.
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories: 240Carbohydrates: 22gProtein: 24gTotal Fat: 7g— Unsaturated Fat: 3g— Saturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 820mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 7g— Natural Sugar: 7g— Added Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.