Korean-style turkey stuffed peppers (Print Version)

Sweet mini peppers filled with Korean-spiced ground turkey and melted cheese, baked to a golden finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 12 to 16 sweet mini peppers

→ Meat

02 - 1 pound ground turkey

→ Aromatics

03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus extra for garnish

→ Sauce and Seasoning

05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon gochujang
07 - 1 tablespoon honey
08 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Toppings

11 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking dish. Slice mini peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Arrange pepper halves cut side up on the prepared surface.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until just browned, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced green onions to the turkey. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Stir in soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
05 - Spoon the turkey mixture evenly into each pepper half, pressing gently to fill completely.
06 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the stuffed peppers.
07 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted and lightly golden.
08 - Garnish with extra sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The peppers get tender and slightly charred while staying bright and crunchy enough to feel fresh, not mushy like you'd worry they'd be.
  • Gochujang brings this addictive umami depth that makes people ask what that incredible flavor is, and you get to smile mysteriously while eating.
  • It's genuinely faster than ordering delivery, and your kitchen smells infinitely better than any takeout box ever could.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the peppers with filling or they'll burst open in the oven; a generous spoonful is enough, and less is actually more for structural integrity.
  • Gochujang can be salty, so taste the turkey mixture before adding extra soy sauce—you might not need it and salt-shocked food is impossible to fix.
  • The peppers will continue softening as they cool, so don't wait for them to be completely tender before pulling them out; slightly firm is the sweet spot.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes instead of buying pre-toasted; the smell is incredible and the flavor is noticeably better.
  • Make the turkey filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate it; just fill and bake when you're ready to eat, cutting your active cooking time in half.
  • If your peppers are uneven in size, arrange the smaller ones toward the center of the baking sheet and larger ones around the edges so everything finishes at the same time.
Go Back