Stuffed Pepper Bake (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Main

01 - 185 grams uncooked brown rice, give it a rinse and drain it well
02 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
03 - 227 grams canned tomato sauce, no salt added
04 - 425 grams canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes with the juices
05 - 480 milliliters water
06 - 1 green bell pepper, take out the core and dice it up
07 - 1 red bell pepper, core it and cut into pieces
08 - 340 grams frozen spinach, chop it up if not already, then thaw and squeeze super dry
09 - 3 garlic cloves, minced (roughly 1 tablespoon)
10 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
13 - 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
14 - 1 medium yellow onion, chop it up fine
15 - 450 grams ground turkey, or try ground chicken or lean ground beef
16 - 15 milliliters extra virgin olive oil

→ Cheese Topping

17 - 60 grams shredded pepper jack cheese (or Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or just more cheddar if you want it mild)
18 - 60 grams shredded cheddar cheese

→ To Serve

19 - A handful of fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped up
20 - Spoonful of Greek yogurt if you're feeling fancy (totally optional)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Let the dish hang out with the lid on for 10 minutes off the heat, so the cheese turns all melty and the rice softens up. Craving a crispy cheese top? Take off the lid and toss it under the broiler for about 1 or 2 minutes—just don’t walk away, as it browns quick. Dish it up hot, topped with some leafy herbs or a big spoonful of Greek yogurt if that’s your vibe.
02 - Now, pull the pan off the heat and take off the lid. Taste and fix the seasoning if you need to. It might look a little soupy—don’t stress, the rice will drink up more sauce as it chills out. Sprinkle the cheeses all over the top, then cover it back up.
03 - Turn the heat down until your pot's just gently bubbling. Put the lid on and let it cook for 30 minutes. Take the lid off, give everything a good stir if any rice is clinging to the bottom, pop the lid back on, and keep simmering for another 10–15 minutes so the rice gets fully soft.
04 - Pour in the water. Then add the tomatoes with all their juices, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, rice, both bell peppers, and that drained spinach—break up any clumps. Stir everything together so it’s all evenly mixed.
05 - Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, cumin, salt, and pepper. Let it all sizzle until you can smell the garlic—about a minute or so.
06 - Drizzle the olive oil into a big heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Drop in the ground meat and onion. Break the meat up small as it cooks, and leave everything in until the onion softens and the meat gets nice and brown—should take about 7 minutes.

# Additional Tips:

01 - If you want everything to stay thick and not turn watery, really squeeze every drop out of your thawed spinach before tossing it in.
02 - Pop leftovers in a sealed container and stick them in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for 3 months—it's meal prep friendly.
03 - Don’t be surprised if the brown rice is a bit chewy even when finished; that’s just how it is.

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