Thanksgiving Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers with Sweet Potato — 34g Protein

This thanksgiving beef stuffed bell peppers recipe is the Thanksgiving dinner to make when you want all the holiday flavours without cooking a whole turkey. Sweet bell peppers are filled with lean ground beef, roasted sweet potato, onion, garlic, fresh sage and dried cranberries, topped with cheese, then baked until the peppers are tender — 34g of protein per serving, and dinner on the table in 45 minutes.

The trick is to par-cook the filling before it goes into the peppers. The beef browns properly in the skillet, the sweet potato softens enough to finish in the oven, and the sage and cranberries give the whole dish that unmistakable Thanksgiving taste. The cheese on top does the rest of the work: it melts, browns at the edges, and holds everything together.

Why you’ll love it

• 34g protein per serving, about 380 calories
• All the Thanksgiving flavours — sage, cranberry, sweet potato — in a single dish
• Serves 4, in 45 minutes total, with no whole turkey needed
• Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day

Ingredients

• 4 large bell peppers (any colour), tops cut off, seeds and ribs removed
• 500g (about 1.1 lb) lean ground beef
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 300g), peeled and diced small
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped, plus leaves to serve
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (cheddar or mozzarella), for topping
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Equipment used

• A 9×13 ceramic baking dish, for baking the stuffed peppers
• A large skillet with a lid, for browning the beef and softening the sweet potato
• A box cheese grater, for grating the cheese topping fresh
• A sharp knife, for hollowing out the peppers cleanly

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly oil a 9×13 ceramic baking dish and stand the hollowed peppers upright in it.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the ground beef and cook for 6–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned all over. Drain off any excess fat.
4. Stir in the diced sweet potato, sage, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sweet potato is just tender.
5. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the dried cranberries. Taste and adjust the salt.
6. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it in gently, then sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of each one.
7. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and golden at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with sage leaves, and serve.

Tips

• Dice the sweet potato small — about 1 cm cubes — so it cooks through in the skillet before the peppers go in the oven.
• Don’t overfill the peppers. Leave a little room at the top so the cheese stays put instead of sliding off in the oven.
• Use peppers that sit flat. Trim a thin slice off the base if one wobbles, so it stands upright in the dish.
• The stuffed peppers keep 3 days in the fridge. Reheat covered in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 15 minutes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

These are estimated macros based on standard ingredient values, not lab-measured results.

More high-protein recipes to try

• Healthy Ground Beef Shepherd’s Pie with Mashed Cauliflower
• High Protein Beef Stroganoff Lighter Alternative for Thanksgiving Week
• High Protein Thanksgiving Beef Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Crust

FAQ

Can I use a different filling for these peppers? Yes — ground turkey or ground chicken both work, and you can swap the sweet potato for butternut squash. Keep the sage and cranberries; they are what make it taste like Thanksgiving.

Are these thanksgiving beef stuffed bell peppers good for a small Thanksgiving? Yes. They are built for one: four peppers serve 4 generously, and the recipe doubles easily — use a larger baking dish and add 5 minutes to the bake.

How do I know when the peppers are done? The peppers should be tender when pierced with a knife but still holding their shape, and the cheese on top should be melted and golden at the edges. If the peppers are still firm, give them 5 more minutes.

Can I make the filling ahead? Yes. Cook the beef and sweet potato filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then fill the peppers and bake when you are ready — add 5 minutes to the baking time if the filling goes in cold.

Thanksgiving Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers with Sweet Potato — 34g Protein

Sophia Martinez

Bell peppers stuffed with lean ground beef, sweet potato, sage and cranberries, baked under melted cheese. 34g protein — 45 minutes, serves 4.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

• 9×13 ceramic baking dish for baking the stuffed peppers
• Large skillet with a lid for browning the beef and softening the sweet potato
• box cheese grater for grating the cheese topping fresh
• Sharp knife for hollowing out the peppers cleanly

Ingredients

  

• 4 large bell peppers any colour, tops cut off, seeds and ribs removed
• 500 g lean ground beef about 1.1 lb
• 1 medium sweet potato about 300g, peeled and diced small
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp fresh sage finely chopped, plus leaves to serve
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated cheese cheddar or mozzarella, for topping
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Lightly oil a 9×13 ceramic baking dish and stand the hollowed peppers upright in it.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add the ground beef and cook for 6–7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned all over. Drain off any excess fat.
• Stir in the diced sweet potato, sage, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sweet potato is just tender.
• Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the dried cranberries. Taste and adjust the salt.
• Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it in gently, then sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of each one.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and golden at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes, garnish with sage leaves, and serve.

Notes

Dice the sweet potato small so it cooks through. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Keyword beef stuffed bell peppers, dinner, high protein, sweet potato, thanksgiving

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