shawarma stuffed peppers Image by Chantell Quernemoen

I’ve made these a couple of different ways: one with rice and one with cauliflower rice. Rice absorbs the juices and binds the filling together nicely while the filling in the cauliflower version stays a bit loose and juicy. Juicy Lucy. I personally prefer the texture of the rice version but the cauliflower version is still super tasty and a great Passover dinner if you’re not going to be eating rice. For shawarma seasoning, I love NY Shuk’s, but here is a great easy homemade version too.

Serves: 4

2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons shawarma seasoning
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 pound ground turkey
Black pepper
1 cup cauliflower rice or 1 cup cooked basmati rice (from 60g dry rice)
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 large or 6 small bell peppers
¼ cup (50g) tahini
3 tablespoons cold water
1 lemon
Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, mint), for topping

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1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.

2. In a large skillet or pot, heat the oil over medium high heat and add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft, 5–7 minutes. Add the shawarma seasoning and turmeric and cook for another minute. Add the ground turkey and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few turns of pepper. Brown the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. When it’s all cooked through and no longer pink, reduce the heat to low. If you’re using cauliflower rice, microwave it (covered in a bowl or in the bag it came in if the package says that it’s ok) for 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower rice or basmati rice to the skillet and stir in the diced tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Cut off the tops of the bell peppers, core them, and place them in a casserole dish. Fill the peppers with the turkey mixture and then bake for 35 minutes.

3. To make the tahini sauce, stir together the tahini, water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth. When the peppers are done cooking, squeeze them with additional lemon juice, top with a nice big blob of tahini sauce, and a pile of fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Recipe reprinted from “Molly on the Range” by Molly Yeh, Rodale Books.

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