Whole30 Stuffed Peppers are an easy dinner. These paleo stuffed peppers are healthy, gluten free + dairy free and can be made in the slow cooker or oven. An Italian dinner made lighter with cauliflower rice!
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These Whole30 Stuffed Peppers are the perfect easy dinner! Made with only a few simple ingredients like ground meat, cauliflower rice, and veggies – the filling is naturally paleo, gluten free and Whole30 friendly!
Unlike other stuffed peppers that are often greasy and loaded with dairy, these peppers are light and fresh while still being totally delicious!
Plus, they’re made in the crockpot or slow cooker which makes them even easier to make! You can also make them in the oven or in your instant pot.
It’s no secret how much I love my crockpot, and clearly you all do too! This post where I listed the best Easy Whole30 Crock Pot Dinner Recipes has been so popular!
I’m not entirely surprised though – who doesn’t like throwing a bunch of ingredients in their crockpot, putting the lid on it, and calling it a day.
One of the things my mom used to make as a kid was stuffed peppers. They’re a classic Italian dish that is usually made with homemade sauce, ground beef, rice + bread crumbs – which can make them feel a little bit heavy.
I wasn’t always a huge fan of them, but now they’re one of my favorite meals! Sometimes we like to have the real deal – but other days we want a lighter option, which is where these Whole30 Stuffed Peppers come into play.
Let me show you just how easy they are to make!
P.S. – If you love crockpot recipes, check out these Healthy Crockpot Recipes! Or if you love the flavors of stuffed peppers, check out our healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup, Unstuffed Pepper Skillet, Taco Stuffed Peppers, or Stuffed Pepper Casserole!
Ingredients for Paleo Stuffed Peppers:
To make these delicious stuffed peppers, you’ll need:
- peppers
- carrots, onions, cauliflower rice
- ground turkey
- tomato sauce
- salt, pepper
- fresh herbs
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded substitutions box.
A food processor will make cutting your veggies SO easy.
We love to get our ground turkey from ButcherBox. Learn more about why we love it in this ButcherBox Reviews Post.
How to make Whole30 Stuffed Peppers:
Making healthy stuffed peppers is super simple.
- First, brown your turkey. Then – add your onion, garlic + carrots. Make sure not to add the cauliflower rice until the end – you don’t want to over cook it.
- Toss the cauliflower rice + sauce in the mixture
- While that is cooking, cut your peppers for stuffing.
- Make sure your filling is evenly tossed so everything gets coated!
- Stuff your peppers!
- Cook per the instructions below in the crockpot, oven, or instant pot.
We’ve also included instant pot instructions for these stuffed peppers too!
What makes these Paleo Stuffed Peppers Healthy?
- No Rice: We subbed cauliflower rice for regular rice to make these peppers whole30 friendly and lower in carbs
- No Breadcrumbs: We skipped the breadcrumbs that are often found in stuffed peppers because they really aren’t necessary!
- No Cheese: We left out the cheese, because while it’s delicious – dairy isn’t whole30 and many people can’t enjoy it due to dietary restrictions (although you can totally make them with parmesan cheese or mozzarella if you’d like!)
Cauliflower rice can be super finicky.. Sometimes it turns to mush and sometimes (in my opinion) it doesn’t taste great…I really won’t eat cauliflower rice unless it’s my Taco Cauliflower Rice Bowls or Greek Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowls.
But I swear, these do not taste like mushy cauliflower rice. Since you don’t cook the cauliflower ahead of time, it stays firmer like regular rice.
Can you make these whole30 stuffed peppers in the oven?
Yes! Instead of placing these in the crockpot, you can put them in an oven safe dish and bake at 375 for about 40-50 minutes. Make sure to cover the peppers with foil and try to baste them every 15 minutes or so to avoid them getting dried out!
See the recipe card for full oven instructions + instant pot instructions.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR WHOLE30 STUFFED PEPPERS
These peppers are pretty versatile. Here are a few ways you can customize them!
Meat– You can use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken in these stuffed peppers. I bet cooked shredded chicken would also be delicious! If you need other ideas for ground beef/turkey try our Homemade Hamburger Helper
Herbs: If you don’t have fresh basil or parsley, cut the amount by 1/4 for dried spices. 3 tablespoons fresh basil = 3/4 tablespoon dried basil. 2 tablespoons fresh parsley = 1/2 tablespoon dried basil.
Sauce: I prefer to use my own tomato sauce in this recipe (it’s so easy to make!) But you can also used jarred sauce.
Rice: If you want to use regular rice instead of cauliflower rice, just sub cooked rice in for cauliflower rice. Rice is not paleo or whole30. You could also use quinoa. We have a Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers recipe that is super easy to make!
Cheese: If you’re not doing a whole30- go ahead and sprinkle some parmesan and mozzarella on these peppers. It’s delicious!
If you’re feeling lazy – you could also try these Healthy Unstuffed Peppers! They’re just as yummy!
Storing/Serving Whole30 Stuffed Peppers:
Storing: These stuffed peppers store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
Can you freeze stuffed peppers?: Yes! Whole30 Stuffed Peppers freeze well. I put them in individual containers after they have cooked + completely cooled.
They do get a little watery when defrosting, so I would recommend reheating in the toaster oven instead of the microwave.
Whole30 Stuffed Peppers
Red or white wine both pair well with red peppers, but we would recommend red (Merlot). If you’re doing a Whole30- water or seltzer!
If you don’t want watery stuffed peppers, here are a few tips! Sauté any veggies (onion, garlic, celery) ahead of time so that the water is released before baking. Bake the stuffed peppers uncovered so moisture can escape.
Yes! We always cook our ground beef (or turkey/chicken!) before making the filling for the stuffed peppers. It ensures it is completely cooked and browning the meat gives it flavor.
Yes, bell peppers are paleo!
Try these other healthy whole30 crockpot meals:
If you love ground turkey, check out these Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes! Otherwise check out these healthy crockpot dinners:
Whole30 Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 large bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow have best flavor)
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup onions minced finely
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced finely
- 1 cup carrots minced finely
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 2 cups tomato sauce (leave 6 tablespoons off to the side!)
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped finely
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions
- In a large pan, heat olive oil. Sauté turkey for 5-10 minutes.
- While the turkey is cooking, slice the tops of the peppers off + remove the seeds.
- Stir in onion, garlic and carrot mixture with turkey. *Make sure to leave the cauliflower rice off to the side – you do not want it to cook!*
- Sauté until veggies are soft. When everything is cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in raw cauliflower rice, tomato sauce + spices.
- Stuff the peppers with the mixture and top each pepper with remaining tablespoon of tomato sauce. You can use a spoon or your hands to fill the peppers + press the mixture down to fit all of it inside.
- Add peppers to crockpot and 1/4 cup water in the base. Cook the peppers on low for 4-6 hours.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. In a large pan, heat olive oil. Sauté turkey for 5-10 minutes.
- While the turkey is cooking, slice the tops of the peppers off + remove the seeds.
- Stir in onion, garlic and carrot mixture with turkey. *Make sure to leave the cauliflower rice off to the side – you do not want it to cook!*
- Sauté until veggies are soft. When everything is cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in raw cauliflower rice, tomato sauce + spices.
- Stuff the peppers with the mixture and top each pepper with remaining tablespoon of tomato sauce. You can use a spoon or your hands to fill the peppers + press the mixture down to fit all of it inside.
- Place peppers in a 9×13 oven safe dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes until peppers are easily pierced with a fork. Make sure to cover the peppers with foil.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Note: You will only be able to fit 4 peppers in the instant pot. You can cook these in 2 batches OR set the small amount of extra filling off to the side to use for other meals/snacks. It is great on it's own!
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode for 15 minutes. Heat olive oil. Sauté turkey for 5-10 minutes.
- While the turkey is cooking, slice the tops of the peppers off + remove the seeds.
- Add in onion, garlic, carrots to Instant Pot and salt/pepper with turkey. *Make sure to leave the cauliflower rice off to the side – you do not want it to cook!*
- Sauté until veggies are soft. Stir in raw cauliflower + tomato sauce. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and top each pepper with remaining tablespoon of tomato sauce.
- Make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will may a burn notice during cooking. Add trivet to bottom of Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup of water.
- Place stuffed peppers onto trivet. Set the pressure release to sealing (on older models) Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 5 minutes. Release pressure immediately. Use tongs to remove from Instant Pot and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to scrape off any pieces of food on the bottom of the Instant Pot or you will may a burn notice during cooking.
- Make sure your Instant Pot pressure is set to sealing.
Kelly says
Why does your recipe say 6 hours 15 minutes but st the bottom it says cook for 4 hours on low?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Kelly, I think that was a typo.. it’s updated now!
Kelly R. says
I had NO idea you could make these in the crockpot!!! GREATEST INVENTION EVER! I am a huge fan of “set and forget” with my crockpot. I refuse to buy “meals in a box” so I find it difficult to think of new ideas other than soups. I can make ANYTHING into a soup. Which is why I appreciate posts like this. It really helps with my crazy work schedule. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Awesome!! I’m glad you liked it, Kelly! You should check out our Healthy Crockpot Pulled Pork recipe- it’s another easy ‘set and forget’ meal that isn’t a soup 🙂
Karen says
These are seriously one of our favorite dinners! They’re SO easy to make and we love that they are loaded with veggies! You really don’t even miss the rice
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like them, Karen!! We love that they’re veggie loaded too 🙂
Christina says
These are fantastic and way better than the ones in the Whole30 cookbook. The moistness is what took these up a couple of notches for me. My entire family loved them (teenagers included!) and since I’m on W30, I warmed one the next morning with an egg. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like them, Christina!! Good luck on your whole30 🙂 this paleo turkey chili is another one of my favorite whole30 friendly recipes if you’re looking for other meal ideas!
Mary says
What are the extra 6T of tomato sauce for?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Mary – they’re for topping the peppers with – see step 5 🙂
Siobhan says
I made these stuffed peppers tonight and they were a huge hit! My kids are picky eaters and they gobbled it up, which I loved since they are packed full of veggies!! We will definitely be making this recipe more often!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you + your kids liked them Siobhan!! It’s totally a delicious veggie packed meal – so easy and yummy!
Ann Weiss says
I made these this weekend they were easy to make and are so delicious. I’m following WW and each stuffed pepper is only 1 point.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked them!!
Michelle says
These were so delicious and easy to make!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Michelle! I’m so glad you liked them!
Lupe says
Easy to make and it’s a family favorite, thank you for all of your recipes they are always a hit and they are perfect for a healthier lifestyle and taste great!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much Lupe! I’m so glad your whole family enjoys them!
Nancy Duffala says
Made the #CleanEatingCouples stuffed peppers with ground turkey, substituting frozen riced cauliflower instead of making my own and used a jar of tomato sauce rather then tomato soup. Making these substitutions were easy and my family barely noticed. The tomato sauce vs tomato soup was the biggest taste difference. This recipe will definitely be in my rotation this winter! Thank you for sharing!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Nancy – The recipe actually calls for sauce, not soup so I’m glad you didn’t do that!! But I’m so glad your family enjoys them. They’re a delicious cozy meal!
Alicia says
This recipe did NOT disappoint! I’m a big fan of bell peppers, ground turkey and cauliflower rice. I added some red pepper flakes to spice it up a bit and also added pepper jack cheese at the end. It was delicious!! Thank you for making easy but healthy recipes we all enjoy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked them, Alicia! LOVE the addition of pepper jack cheese – that sounds so good! They’re also really yummy with mozzarella/parmesan cheese!
Christine says
Absolutely the best stuffed pepper recipe I have ever tried. Definitely did not disappoint. I make these often!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you enjoy them, Christine!
Lindsey Brown says
If using frozen cauliflower, would you just add frozen?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Lindsey – I’ve never tried this with frozen cauliflower, but if you are, I’d try to defrost it and squeeze the excess moisture out of it before stuffing them. If you put it in frozen I think it will get soggy. Please let me know if you try it – I’m super curious!
Gail says
I made it with frozen cauliflower rice tonight and added it frozen at the same time the recipe specifies to add it raw. I had no problems with it. Granted, I’ve never made it any other way, but I thought it worked great and I’d definitely do it again.
Anna says
These were AMAZING! I will say that I used grass fed ground beef instead of turkey and I substituted Whole30 approved marinara sauce (I always use Aldi’s Simply Nature Marinara Pasta Sauce) because I didn’t realize I was out of tomato sauce until the very end of the recipe! LOL These were super flavorful, moist, and just so delicious. They reheat very well too. Even my super picky husband liked these. Thanks for sharing!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Sounds so good, Anna! We love making these with ground beef too! Glad you liked them!
Amber says
Great flavor! So easy my husband made them himself during a cooking competition. Love a new Whole30 find!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you both liked them, Amber!
Emikt says
So yummy you wouldn’t even know it was healthy. Super easy too!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So Glad you liked them!
Heather says
Delightful. Flavourful peppers without a ton of calories. Very filling. Have had them as recipe indicates and have added quinoa. Delicious either way.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you enjoyed them!!
brittny giannetta says
These stuffed peppers are a STAPLE dinner in my house at least once a week. It is hard to get my boyfriend to like healthy alternatives, but he thought the cauliflower rice was actual rice when I first made them. There is always left over filling which is just great on its own. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like them, Brittny!! Thank you!
Gail says
This was delicious. I didn’t miss the dairy or gluten at all. The recipe was easy too. Thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Gail! Glad you enjoyed them!
Michelle says
These were delicious!! I loved the easy clean up 😊
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked them, Michelle! Thank you!
Joni says
This was delicious and husband approved! We actually had a pound and a half of ground turkey, so I upped all the other ingredients too. That turned out to be a good thing because our bell peppers were pretty big. The only suggestion I would make is in the instructions. I actually had hand minced all the ingredients ahead of time to assemble later because all the veggies and herbs said minced or chopped. However, the actual instructions say to do all that in a food processor while cooking the turkey. I think it would be less confusing to give the amounts of each veggie and herb needed and leave off the “minced/chopped” part. Maybe just say 2 medium carrots, half a medium onion, etc. When something says minced in the ingredients, to me it sounds like that’s how you need to have it prepped before cooking. Other than that, I found the recipe to be pretty straightforward and appreciated the oven instructions being included as that is what I opted to do. Thanks for another very satisfying recipe, Liz! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Joni – Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately a medium onion is different from person to person. In order to insure that the recipe comes out the right way we have to use measurements! But I can see how having that as an instruction would be a bit confusing. Glad you liked them regardless!
Heather says
I recently started cooking my stuffed peppers in the crock pot, on account of this recipe! They come out tender and flavorful.
I love that this recipe is paleo! Most times I add more veggies like mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and broccoli to get as many veggies as possible.
You don’t even miss the cheese at all, there’s so much flavor.
Laura Green says
These stuffed peppers are so delicious. Plus make in the crockpot was a game changer for us. Full of veggies and we make these quite often for evening meals after long work days.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you like them!
Lindsay says
So yummy! Made it tonight. Loved by whole family
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it!
Teresa Silva says
Delicious! Family loved them. Added shredded cheese on top for the kids. 🙂
Will definitely make these again.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy to hear this!
Kristen says
Hi, Can I use the easy cauliflower rice pouches in this recipe or does it have to be fully raw cauliflower?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m not sure – I’m not really familiar with that product so I can’t tell if it would work or not. It might be too mushy
ElizabethTaylor says
This was so delicious! I used frozen cauliflower rice because it’s what I had on hand and didn’t find it too watery for my taste. Also, mozzarella cheese on top was amazing!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it! Thank you!
Charlotte says
Have you tried these stuffed peppers with ground pork? It’s what I have on hand and think I’ll just give it a try!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I haven’t tried it but I’m sure it will work great!
Cheryl says
Another flavorful and easy recipe! Whole30 perfection and so easy for lunch leftovers! Used organic everything and I feel so satisfied!
Love the fresh herbs over dried as well! 10/10!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Makes me so happy to hear this!!
Nicole Plemmons says
The best stuffed peppers I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot -it’s my husbands favorite meal. I tried the quinoa method vs cauliflower or rice and didn’t have tomato sauce from the can so added marinara from the jar and about 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. I’m unable to use parsley and only had dried basil so I placed 4 tablespoons in my 1.5 lbs of beef. I blanched the peppers prior to stuffing as my peppers were very tough and crunchy. Absolutely delicious.
Catie says
These were delicious!! I ended up doing half cauli rice and half brown rice and they turned out great. Loved getting in so many veggies and will definitely be making these again. Thanks for sharing this yummy one!
Laura Lewis says
Phenomenal! I had poblanos and used to them instead of bell peppers. Lean ground beef, I added some nutritional yeast and a little bit of paleo powder.
I used about a cup and a half of cauliflower rice.
I used my instant pot to make the recipe, and just had some leftover reheated in the air fryer for breakfast. Delicious!
Linda McIntyre says
I haven’t made these yet, but thinking about it. My consideration is whether or not they can be frozen. I am the only member of my household. I like the idea of cooking something and having leftovers to freeze for another day. Can these be frozen??
The Clean Eating Couple says
This is covered in the blog post. pasting here: Can you freeze stuffed peppers?: Yes! Whole30 Stuffed Peppers freeze well. I put them in individual containers after they have cooked + completely cooled.
They do get a little watery when defrosting, so I would recommend reheating in the toaster oven instead of the microwave.
Rachel says
How long do I cook these for if I want to cook them on high in the crockpot? Thanks!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
It says it in the recipe 🙂 Cook the peppers on low for 4-6 hours.
Melissa says
So easy and yummy! I made the filling on the stovetop but used the instant pot to cook the peppers because I don’t love the way my IP sautés. Then I sprinkled parmesan on the peppers (dairy free for me and regular for the hubby) and popped them under the broiler for a couple minutes. I was worried that using frozen cauliflower rice would make the filling too watery but it turned out great!