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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Healthy Stuffed Poblano Peppers

    Published: Jul 1, 2019 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This healthy stuffed poblano peppers recipe is packed with turkey, black beans, and southwestern flavors for a satisfying, not-too-spicy main dish. Leftovers make a great lunch!

    Healthy stuffed poblano peppers on a metal baking sheet.

    This healthy stuffed poblano peppers recipe has been a long time coming.

    Originally I had planned for this dish to yield four servings. When it came time to stuff the four poblanos I had prepped, there was enough filling for five peppers.

    So the next time I made it I prepped five peppers. Would you believe the same amount of the same filling ingredients this time around made enough for six peppers? I felt like there was some Strega Nona magic pasta pot kind of magic going on around here.

    Thankfully attempt #3 held strong at six peppers, so that's where we landed. Six stuffed poblano peppers packed with a mix of turkey and other healthy southwestern flavors. This poblano peppers recipe seriously doesn't taste 'healthy' at all.

    Stuffed poblano peppers on a metal baking sheet before being topped with cheese.

    Are poblano peppers spicy?

    Quick answer: Not especially!

    Longer answer: The poblano pepper rates between 1,000 and 2,000 units on the Scoville scale (per epicurious). Considering the scale goes up to 3,000,000 (YIKES) and popular jalapeno peppers fall between 3,500 and 8,000 units, you don't have much to worry about with poblanos.

    That said, you'll still want to remove the seeds and pith before filling, and do so carefully. I highly recommend wearing disposable gloves for this as you'll be handling six poblano peppers here and burning fingers are no joke. Plus the risk of accidentally touching your eyes with capsaicin on them?

    NOOO GOD. NO GOD PLEASE NO. NO. NO.  à la Michael Scott on that one.

    Raw poblano peppers halved and lined up next to one another on a metal baking sheet.

    How to make stuffed poblano peppers

    "To pre-roast the poblanos, or not to pre-roast the poblanos, that is the question."

    And as I've found, it's a question that doesn't have a right or wrong answer.

    It all comes down to your tolerance for the poblano pepper skin. Roasting the poblanos before filling them gives you the opportunity to remove the skin, leaving you a slightly-charred and softened pepper vehicle for all this filling goodness. You know that I'm all about how to roast poblano peppers in the oven.

    That said, it takes longer to remove the seeds once the peppers are roasted because they're slippery. And with six peppers to de-seed, the extra time can add up. The poblanos are also very tender, which can lead to tearing. Not a big deal here since they're just sitting on a baking sheet, but some filling can spill out. Just FYI -- a worthwhile trade-off for some of you, maybe not all.

    For those that would rather not bother, you don't have to pre-roast the peppers. After halving them and filling them raw, I find they soften sufficiently during a longer (45-50 minute) cook time. And with all of the elements and textures going on in the filling, I didn't find the skin to be too bothersome in the finished dish.

    A roasted poblano pepper on a metal baking sheet split open.

    If you pre-roast the poblanos (like the photo directly above) you're front-loading your cook time or can save some time by prepping them ahead. The filling ingredients are fully cooked so they'll just need 10-15 minutes or so for the cheese to melt and everything to heat.

    It really comes down to your preference.

    Now let's talk filling. No matter how you prep the poblanos, you'll start by browning up ground turkey, then onion and garlic. Season everything with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper, then add in black beans, corn, and a jar of salsa (or leftover quick chipotle salsa).

    Turkey, black beans, corn, salsa, cilantro, and cotija cheese stirred together in a pan with a wooden spoon.

    The salsa adds a great flavor and ensures the turkey filling isn't dry whatsoever. Plus you can use your preferred variety - mild, spicy, low-sodium, etc.

    All that's left is to stir in some fresh cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese (or queso fresco). This filling is ready to roll. Into the poblanos it goes, topped with sharp cheddar and baked until heated and the cheese is melty.

    An overhead shot of roasted and stuffed poblano peppers on a metal baking sheet.

    What makes this stuffed poblano peppers recipe healthy?

    There are several elements that help keep this poblano pepper recipe on the healthier side of things.

    • Ground turkey is used instead of ground beef or chorizo to lower the fat content.
    • Black beans add fiber and some heft...
    • ...and rinsing and draining canned beans removes much of their sodium, too.
    • Using strong varieties of cheese means you can use less of it but still have an impact. Crumbled part-skim cotija cheese lends a salty/tangy element, while sharp/extra sharp cheddar brings it on flavor. Many southwestern/Mexican inspired dishes automatically qualify as comfort food due to alllll that cheese, but this stuffed poblano peppers recipe as written yields 1.17 ounces of cheese per portion -- just about the one ounce listed serving size on the cheese packaging. And who ever manages to stick to that? 😉
    Two stuffed poblano pepper halves on a plate.

    Recipe notes:

    • I highly recommend wearing disposable gloves when handling the raw poblano peppers, seeds, and pith.
    Healthy stuffed poblano peppers on a metal baking sheet

    Healthy Stuffed Poblano Peppers

    This healthy stuffed poblano peppers recipe is packed with turkey, black beans, and southwestern flavors for a satisfying, not-too-spicy main dish. Leftovers make a great lunch!
    4.63 from 16 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Southwestern
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 59 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 19 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 322kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • 6 poblano peppers
    • 1 lb ground turkey
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
    • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
    • ½ cup corn kernels
    • 1 16-oz jar salsa
    • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
    • 3 oz cotija cheese, crumbled
    • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Slice each poblano pepper in half lengthwise. Discard the seeds and trim away the white pith. Place each poblano half on a large rimmed baking sheet skin side down. Set aside for now. **Highly recommended to wear disposable gloves when handling peppers.**
    • Add ground turkey to a large skillet set over medium heat. Break turkey up into crumbles and cook for 5-6 minutes before adding the diced onion and minced garlic. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until everything is browned and the turkey is fully cooked (no longer pink). Sprinkle chili powder, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and salt over top and stir until the turkey is coated evenly.
    • Stir in the black beans, corn, and salsa and stir to combine. Let everything cook for another 1-2 minutes.
    • Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.
    • Spoon filling into each seeded poblano pepper half, situating them side-by-side on the baking sheet.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over top of each poblano, then return to the oven to bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted then serve.

    Notes

    If you would like to roast the poblanos before filling them in order to remove the skin:
    1. Follow these instructions on how to roast a poblano pepper.
    2. Cut a slit through one side of the poblano pepper and carefully remove and discard the seeds and pith. Place poblanos next to one another on a baking sheet.
    3. Fill each of the six peppers with the turkey filling and top with shredded cheese.
    4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
     
    Nutritional info is an estimate, which is based on the usage of lean ground turkey, 2% cheddar, part-skim cotija cheese, and rinsed and drained low-sodium black beans. Amounts will vary based on which variety of ingredients you use, such as salsa, cheese, etc.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1stuffed poblano | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.8g | Protein: 34.8g | Fat: 10.1g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1088mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 8.6g | Sugar: 4.6g | Calcium: 340mg | Iron: 6.1mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
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    Comments

    1. Barb says

      October 16, 2022 at 11:20 am

      4 stars
      I didn’t think I would like this recipe but I knew my husband would and the fact that it was healthy made me try it. I’m so glad I did. It was actually very good and I’ll definitely make it again.

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        October 18, 2022 at 12:59 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it, Barb!

        Reply
    2. Cami says

      September 19, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect healthy week night meal! I used shredded pepper Jack cheese and it was very good! Thank you for the great recipe!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        September 24, 2022 at 3:18 pm

        You're very welcome, Cami! So glad you like it.

        Reply
    3. K says

      June 11, 2022 at 10:08 am

      This recipe is awesome! I triple the filling and freeze in containers for meal prep. I put it into poblanos for my husband and I and feed it by itself to my toddlers with a little cheese on top. This is such a versatile recipe that could be used to stuff a number of vegetables or even in taco shells or over rice. It's a big family hit! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        June 12, 2022 at 3:05 pm

        You're very welcome - I'm so happy your family really likes this recipe!

        Reply
    4. Nikki says

      March 29, 2022 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      Loved these!!! It’s nice to have a good meal that also makes for nice leftovers so I can bring quick and healthy lunches for work for the rest of the week. Thanks for sharing this fun and easy recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        April 05, 2022 at 10:11 pm

        You're very welcome. 🙂 I'm so happy you liked them, Nikki!

        Reply
    5. Anne Shapcott says

      January 10, 2021 at 8:08 pm

      5 stars
      These stuffed peppers are absolutely fabulous. No changes, perfect! Served with sour cream and cilantro. YUM!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        January 11, 2021 at 10:35 am

        I'm so glad you liked them! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

      July 17, 2019 at 10:15 am

      5 stars
      Love how easy and delicious this recipe is. It's perfect for a gathering or a party.

      Reply
    7. Tanya Schroeder says

      July 17, 2019 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      I think poblanos have such a great flavor, this is such a great recipe!

      Reply
    8. Alyssa@ Wine a Little, Cook a Lot says

      July 02, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      These sound amazing Alyssa! Never made roasted poblanos, I’ll have to switch it up from my usually bell peppers

      Reply

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