Hearty Couscous Turkey Stuffed Peppers

A light and delicious couscous turkey stuffed peppers recipe is just what you need for those post-Thanksgiving meals.  Not only does this so easily use leftover turkey, but it feels so much lighter after all of those heavy meals of the holidays.  Packed with tender couscous, zucchini, spinach, turkey, and tons of flavor, these tender peppers become an all-in-one meal that is ideal for busy weeknights. 

Couscous Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers always bring to mind a rich tomato sauce and ground beef  with rice, but these are the complete opposite!  Instead of beef and rice, the stuffing in this dish is made of a healthier couscous and shredded leftover turkey.  This makes the classic stuffed pepper a whole new savory meal that you are going to love. If you've never cooked with couscous before, this is the ideal choice to introduce you to making and using it in a recipe.

With this dish, you still get a hearty meal, but it is lighter and healthier overall.  The addition of extra vegetables and a whole wheat grain are excellent for added fiber in your diet, and the turkey is naturally lean.  With simple classic herbs mixed into this dish, you have a great variety of texture and flavor to serve up to your family.  You can still enjoy a bit of that leftover turkey salad or a great sunflower crunch salad with turkey for lunch, but this brings those leftovers to the dinner table with ease.

What is Couscous?

Couscous is a grain that is very common in African and Middle Eastern cuisines.  It's a less refined grain than others, and is an excellent alternative to rice, quinoa, or pasta.  This tends to have a nutty flavor and is ideal for lighter fare like salads or alongside a dish with a nice sauce. 

I tend to reach for whole wheat couscous for the nutrition, but you may also find traditional pearl couscous in your grocery store.  The Moroccan variety is much smaller than others and definitely the most common. It often comes in an instant version and is what you will likely reach for more often than not.  The whole wheat Moroccan couscous is usually what I pick up for dishes like this where I want to make them fast and easily without a lot of extra preparation.

If you haven't used it in your menu yet, you will love how it works with this recipe.  Other options I love are the skillet shrimp over whole wheat couscous and the taco soup with couscous and avocado.  Both are great introductions to using this on a regular basis.

Can I Use Chicken Instead?

If you don't have cooked turkey on hand, or just prefer using chicken, feel free to do so in this recipe.  It will be just as delicious and easy to make any time of the year.  Personally, I use turkey a few times a month for variety, but chicken is always in my freezer. 

While the nutrition calculated for this uses turkey breast, you can also switch this up with dark meat turkey or chicken if you prefer.  Both are equally tasty and fit naturally with the herbs and vegetables in this meal.

Can I Add Cheese?

While this recipe doesn't really need the cheese you often see in a stuffed pepper, you can add cheese if you want.  I think this would be best with Parmesan for a sharp salty accent.  If you want that melting cheese, then a mild mozzarella or provolone would fit well with this recipe.

What are the myWW Points for Turkey Stuffed Peppers?

Stuffed peppers are a great healthier option for your menu.  This recipe is excellent for all myWW plans, new and old, and is a fun way to add something new to your menu.  The nutritional calculations and points below are done using white meat turkey breast.  If you choose to use dark meat instead, you will need to recalculate the points on your own.

• myWW Blue: 3
• myWW Green: 4
• myWW Purple: 0
• Points Plus: 5

Ingredients

• Turkey broth or stock
• Whole wheat couscous
• Red onion
• Zucchini
• Cooked turkey
• Spinach
• Bell peppers
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Sage
• Thyme

How to Make Couscous Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a small saucepan, bring ⅔ cup broth to a boil over medium heat.

Once the broth is boiling, remove it from the heat and add the couscous to the liquid. Stir lightly and set aside.

Cut the tops off of each bell pepper and clean out the seeds and membrane from the center.

Place the peppers onto the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray then place over medium heat. 

Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-4 minutes until they are beginning to soften.

To the skillet, add the diced zucchini and season the vegetables with the salt and pepper then continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the zucchini is tender.

Add the shredded or chopped turkey, couscous, sage, and thyme to the skillet and stir to combine then mix in the remaining broth and cook for another 2 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the mixture is heated through.

Remove the peppers from the oven and fill each with ¼ of the couscous mixture then place back on the baking sheet and place back into the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Serve with fresh chopped parsley.

Hearty Couscous Turkey Stuffed Peppers

Katie Hale

Create a fast meal with leftover turkey in this hearty couscous turkey stuffed peppers recipe! Loaded with delicious flavor and lighter than a traditional pepper, it is a perfect weeknight meal.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 198 kcal

Equipment

• Speckled White and Blue Gray Stoneware Baking Dish with | Etsy
• Aphorism Purple & White Baking Dish 20 x 15 cm | Etsy
• Red Clay Pottery Baker from my Clay Studio | Etsy
• Personalized casserole pan Hand written lasagna recipe | Etsy
• Personalized Casserole Dish Pyrex Baking Dish Engraved Name | Etsy
• Made With Love Personalized Bakeware Loaf Pan Casserole | Etsy

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup turkey broth divided
• ⅔ cup whole wheat couscous
• ½ medium red onion diced
• 1 medium zucchini diced
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 6 oz cooked turkey shredded or chopped
• ½ tsp ground sage
• ½ tsp ground thyme
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 4 bell peppers
• Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a small saucepan, bring ⅔ cup broth to a boil over medium heat.
• Once the broth is boiling, remove it from the heat and add the couscous to the liquid. Stir lightly and set aside.
• Cut the tops off of each bell pepper and clean out the seeds and membrane from the center.
  4 bell peppers
• Place the peppers onto the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray then place over medium heat. 
  Non-stick cooking spray
• Add the chopped onion to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly, for 3-4 minutes until they are beginning to soften.
  ½ medium red onion
• To the skillet, add the diced zucchini and season the vegetables with the salt and pepper then continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the zucchini is tender.
  1 medium zucchini, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
• Add the shredded or chopped turkey, couscous, sage, and thyme to the skillet and stir to combine then mix in the remaining broth and cook for another 2 minutes.
  1 cup turkey broth, ⅔ cup whole wheat couscous, ½ tsp ground sage, ½ tsp ground thyme, 6 oz cooked turkey
• Stir in the spinach, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until the spinach is wilted and the mixture is heated through.
  2 cups baby spinach
• Remove the peppers from the oven and fill each with ¼ of the couscous mixture then place back on the baking sheet and place back into the oven for a final 5 minutes.
• Serve with fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

• myWW Blue: 3
• myWW Green: 4
• myWW Purple: 0
• Points Plus: 5

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 17gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 439mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5g

Keyword Couscous Turkey Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Peppers, Turkey Stuffed Peppers

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