This ground turkey and pepper skillet is one of my absolute go-to meals for busy nights. Just one pan, about 25 minutes of cooking time, and you get a warm, satisfying dinner packed with colorful bell peppers, tender turkey, and hearty rice.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve thrown this together on nights when I’m staring at the fridge thinking what can I make without creating a mountain of dishes? It’s always a winner at home, especially because you can tweak it based on what you have on hand.
It’s honestly the kind of meal you make once and then keep coming back to because it’s just so practical.
What Makes This Skillet Dinner Such a Lifesaver
Ready in around 25 minutes. Perfect for those weeknights when you walk in the door starving. I’ve made this after long work days, during exam seasons, and even once while packing to move houses. Just chop, sauté, simmer—done. If I’m really pressed for time, I grab pre-chopped frozen peppers and onions. Convenience ingredients have saved my sanity more than once.
One pan = less cleanup. Honestly, I’d cook almost anything in one pan if I could. Less mess means more time to actually enjoy dinner (and less arguing about who’s doing the dishes). Sometimes I even add the leftover rice right in the pan, so there’s not even a pot to wash for that.
Super flexible. I love recipes that aren’t fussy about substitutions. Use ground chicken? Sure. Beef? Go for it. Add mushrooms or zucchini if you want more veg. I often raid the fridge for odds and ends of vegetables that need using up. This dish doesn’t care if your peppers aren’t perfectly uniform or if you use red onions instead of yellow.
Freezer-friendly. I like to make a big batch and portion it into containers for lunches or busy nights when cooking feels impossible. It reheats beautifully—just add a splash of water when warming it up if it’s looking a bit dry.
Ingredients You’ll Need (and My Notes on Them)
Ground turkey
I usually go with an 85/15 blend for better flavor and moisture. The leaner stuff can get dry. But honestly, use what you have. I’ve made this with ground chicken and beef too.
Bell peppers
Any color works. I tend to grab whatever’s on sale. Green, red, yellow, orange—each adds its own sweetness or sharpness. Once I even used a bag of frozen mixed peppers and it was still great.
Onion and garlic
The base flavor that makes everything smell so good while cooking. If you’re tired or short on time, pre-chopped frozen onions and garlic paste work fine.
Tomato paste and sauce
These make the dish feel a bit like stuffed peppers in a skillet. Don’t overthink the sauce. I’ve used the thin canned tomato sauce and even pureed canned tomatoes in a pinch. Tomato paste adds that extra body.
Worcestershire sauce
A dash gives a savory depth that always surprises people. It’s my secret for making budget-friendly meals taste like you spent longer on them.
Seasonings
I usually do dried oregano, a pinch of crushed red pepper for heat, salt and black pepper. If I’m feeling fancy I might throw in Italian seasoning. Don’t be afraid to taste and adjust.
Cooked rice
Leftover rice is a lifesaver here. I’ve used white, brown, even leftover biryani rice once—still good. Minute rice works if you’re in a hurry.
Cheese (optional but recommended)
Melty mozzarella or a sprinkle of sharp cheddar on top really makes it feel like comfort food. I’ve even used crumbled feta for a twist.
How I Make It Step by Step
Step 1: Warm a big skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté peppers and onion until they soften and the onions go translucent. The smell alone makes me hungry every time. I add the garlic last so it doesn’t burn.
Step 2: I push the veggies to one side and crumble in the ground turkey. It helps if the turkey isn’t ice-cold from the fridge—comes apart easier. Break it up with a spoon while it cooks.
Step 3: Keep stirring now and then until all the pink is gone. Don’t rush this part—it’s what gets you those tasty browned bits.
Step 4: Turn the heat down low. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, and the seasonings. The kitchen starts to smell like a pot of stuffed peppers.
Step 5: If you’re adding rice, stir it in now. Leftover cold rice works perfectly. I sometimes splash in a little water or extra sauce if it looks dry.
Step 6: Simmer for a couple of minutes to let everything blend. Top with cheese if you want. I love watching it melt in gooey strands. A little fresh parsley over the top makes it look like you tried really hard.
My Cooking Notes and Practical Tips
- Don’t worry too much about pepper colors. I use what’s cheap or what I have lying around. Once I ended up with all green peppers and it was still great—just less sweet.
- Swap the protein easily. I’ve done ground chicken, ground pork, even crumbled tofu. It’s forgiving.
- Use a big enough pan. I’ve crowded this into too-small skillets before and had peppers escape onto the stove. Annoying but fixable. A 10-12 inch skillet works best.
- If you want it spicy, add extra red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce. I usually make a mild batch and let people customize at the table.
- Pre-cooked rice makes life easy. I save leftover rice from takeout for meals like this.
Ways I Like to Serve It
Rice isn’t your only option. Here are some other ways I’ve served this when I want to change things up:
- Stuffed into baked potatoes or sweet potatoes. Makes them hearty and filling.
- Over cauliflower rice for a lower-carb version. I buy the frozen bags and zap them in the microwave.
- Over buttered egg noodles. A classic for a reason.
- As a sloppy Joe-style filling on toasted buns.
- Over quinoa when I’m feeling health-conscious.
It’s the kind of recipe you can tweak every time you make it, which is why it’s stuck around in my weeknight rotation for so long.
Storing and Reheating
This keeps well in the fridge for about 3-4 days. I portion it into containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.
It freezes really well too. I usually let it cool, then freeze in individual portions. When you’re reheating, add a splash of water or a little extra tomato sauce to loosen it up.
It’s saved me on more than one night when I didn’t want to cook at all.
Italian Ground Turkey with Peppers
Looking for something easy, hearty, and delicious that doesn’t leave a mountain of dishes behind? This one-pan ground turkey and pepper skillet is your answer.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced (feel free to swap in red or orange)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (or ¾ tsp garlic powder)
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 3 to 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ to 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ to 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or Italian seasoning)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 to 1½ cups cooked rice (optional)
- Shredded cheese, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the veggies: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Toss in the onions and both bell peppers, and cook until just softened—about 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute until fragrant.
- Brown the turkey: Push the vegetables to the edge of the skillet. Add the ground turkey to the center and break it apart as it browns. Once it's cooked through, stir the veggies back in.
- Build the sauce: Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Add rice (if using): If you’re using rice, fold it in at this stage. Add extra tomato sauce if needed to get the right consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Serve and enjoy: Spoon into bowls and top with a generous handful of shredded cheese. Fresh herbs like parsley are a nice touch if you’ve got them on hand.
Notes
- Make ahead: This skillet meal keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days. It also freezes beautifully—just let it cool before transferring to a freezer-safe container.
- Switch up the protein: Ground beef or chicken both work well if you don’t have turkey.
- Go big: Use a 10–12 inch skillet to give everything room to cook evenly—trust me on this one.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 488Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 127mgSodium 700mgCarbohydrates 31gFiber 3gSugar 6gProtein 34g
Dinnerfocus.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for something you can make on autopilot after a long day, this is it. It’s flexible, cheap, uses pantry staples, and feeds a crowd if you double it.
Cooking doesn’t always have to be complicated to be good. Sometimes all you need is a big skillet and a plan to make sure you don’t have to scrub too many dishes.
Try other Ground Turkey recipes:
