Creamy tuna-stuffed bell peppers

A delicious and nutritious weeknight dinner option, this recipe is made with a combination of flavorful ingredients, including fresh bell peppers, herbs, and canned albacore caught with trolling lines or pole-and-lines—an affordable, environmentally sustainable, and healthy seafood option.

Recipe by Andrea Mathis, MA, RDN, LD for Food + Planet
(Serves 8, 1 stuffed bell pepper each)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

To make these creamy tuna-stuffed bell peppers, you will need: 

• 4 large bell peppers, any color
• 4 (5-ounce) cans of albacore caught with trolling lines or pole-and-lines, drained
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (additional for garnish, if desired)
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Wash the bell peppers. Using a knife, carefully cut the peppers in half vertically, and scrape out the ribs and seeds. Place the peppers open-faced on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
4. While the peppers are baking, prepare the stuffing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tuna, cooked brown rice, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, green onions, rosemary, and parsley. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to combine.
5. Remove the peppers from the oven, and carefully stuff them with the tuna mixture. Sprinkle approximately 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each stuffed bell pepper. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
6. Sprinkle with chopped green onions, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

Note: Leftovers should be stored in a covered food-safe container in the refrigerator up to four days.

Nutritional information (per serving): 170 calories, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 126 mg sodium, 8 mg cholesterol, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g total sugar, 27 g protein

Meet the dietitian

Andrea Mathis

Andrea Mathis, MA, RDN, LD (also known as Andy), is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the nourishing food blogs, Beautiful Eats & Things and Little Eats & Things. She is also the author of The Complete Book of Smoothies: 115 Healthy Recipes to Nourish, Heal, and Energize. Find Andrea on Instagram @beautifuleatsandthings.

Food + Planet is a collective, visionary 501c3 organization aimed at empowering health professionals to be leaders in sustainable food systems.