Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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You know when you don't intentionally do something but then it works out perfectly? That's exactly what happened with these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers because Meatless Monday!! Duh!

A rectangular deep baking pan with quinoa stuffed peppers, with molten cheese on the top, and three smal bowls of sour cream, guacamole and one with chopped onions and cilantro, on the side.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

Post Peru trip I've OBSESSING over these ricotto relleno peppers that we had at the Inkaterra property in Cusco and I haven't been able to get them out of my mind. So I've since made a few alterations to make them easier, because hi have you met me!, and now they are coming your way! There's a quinoa risotto type situation on the inside along with some corn and black beans, cheese on top because why not, and some guacamole on the side to round out the meal. It's perfection! These are also such a great dinner party dish, and you can pair it up with some Mexican Cobb Salad or a simple Green Monster Salad, and you're all set!

A rectangular deep baking pan with quinoa stuffed peppers, with molten cheese on the top, and three smal bowls of sour cream, guacamole and one with chopped onions and cilantro, on the side, along with a plate and fork with one stuffed pepper served.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Mise-en-place of all the ingredients required to make quinoa stuffed peppers.
  • Bell Peppers
  • Multi-colored Quinoa
  • Olive Oil
  • Yellow Onion
  • Cumin
  • Chili Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Black Beans
  • Pepperjack Cheese
  • Chipotle Salsa
  • Green Onions
  • Corn on the Cob kernels removed
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper freshly cracked
Toppings:
  • Guacamole
  • Sour Cream
  • Sliced Green Onions 
  • Cilantro
  • Finely Chopped Red Onions

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.

How to Make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

A small saucepan with cooked quinoa.

Step 1: Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.

A rectangular baking sheet with halved bell peppers of various colors.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Brush the halved peppers with vegetable oil and place them cut side up on the baking sheet.

A medium skillet with chopped onions being sautéed.

Step 3: Heat the olive in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

A medium skillet with chopped onions being sautéed, and topped with cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.

Step 4: Add the cumin, chili powder and garlic powder and stir to combine. Continue to cook for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.

A large glass mixing bowl with cooked quinoa and seasoned sautéed onions.

Step 5: Add the spiced onion mixture to the quinoa.

A large glass mixing bowl with corn, black beans, quinoa, shredded cheese, green onions and salsa, topped with salt and black pepper.

Step 6: Stir in the black beans, cheese, salsa, green onions and corn kernels. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add more salsa if you want more smokiness.

A rectangular baking sheet with halved bell peppers filled with the quinoa, black bean, corn mix, with a piece of aluminium foil on the side.

Step 7: Generously stuff halved peppers with quinoa mixture until all peppers are full, then cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Then remove foil, sprinkle a little extra cheese on top, increase heat to 400F.

A rectangular baking sheet with halved bell peppers filled with the quinoa, black bean, corn mix, and baked with cheese on the top, fresh out of the oven, with small bowls of sour cream and guacamole on the side, along with a plate of finely chopped green onions, onions and cilantro.

Step 8: Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are soft and slightly golden brown. Garnish with assorted toppings listed above.

How to Store Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

You can store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days. While it might stay longer, the texture won't stay very well. When its time to eat, I recommend popping it back in the oven, till its warmed through and the cheese is bubbly. You can also microwave it but the texture may not retain as well.

How to Freeze Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I do not recommend freezing this recipe or its components since they are best eaten and made with fresh ingredients.

Tips & Tricks

These are vegetarian and gluten-free. Feel free to leave off the cheese or pick up a vegan option to fit into a vegan diet. On the flip side, you can add a ground meat/chicken if you want to make these non-vegetarian.

A white plate with quinoa stuffed bell peppers, with a bowl of guacamole and a small bowl of finely chopped onions and cilantro.

FAQs

What else can I use instead of quinoa?

Rice! You can use white or brown rice instead of quinoa and it will be equally good. Also feel free to use pinto or other beans, if you do not have black beans or want to change it up.

How do I make sure the peppers are not soggy once baked?

The peppers should be fork-tender when done, make sure you do not overbake as that might cause them to lose the crispness. You want the oven to be at the right temperature when you put them in. Also make sure your fillings, the quinoa, beans and corn, do not have excess liquid/water that can seep into the peppers and make them soggy.

Similar Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Author: Gaby Dalkin
4.9 from 19 votes
These are delicious! You can use leftover quinoa to make it easy.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large bell peppers halved (from top to bottom), seeds removed
  • 1 cup multi-colored quinoa
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 15- ounce can black beans drained
  • 2-3 cups shredded pepperjack cheese plus more as needed
  • ¾ cup chipotle salsa
  • 4 green onions finely sliced
  • 2 corn on the cob kernels removed
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Toppings:

  • Guacamole
  • Sour Cream
  • Sliced Green Onions Cilantro, Finely chopped red onions

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Brush the halved peppers with vegetable oil and place them cut side up on the baking sheet.
  • Heat the olive in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder and garlic powder and stir to combine. Continue to cook for 1 minute and then remove from the heat. Add the spiced onion mixture to the quinoa. Stir in the black beans, cheese, salsa, green onions and corn kernels. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add more salsa if you want more smokiness.
  • Generously stuff halved peppers with quinoa mixture until all peppers are full, then cover the dish with foil.
  • Bake for 30 minutes covered, then remove foil, sprinkle a little extra cheese on top, increase heat to 400 degrees F, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are soft and slightly golden brown.
  • Garnish with assorted toppings listed above.

Notes

These are vegetarian and gluten-free. But feel free to leave off the cheese or pick up a vegan option to fit into a vegan diet.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1140mg | Potassium: 1234mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4764IU | Vitamin C: 164mg | Calcium: 526mg | Iron: 6mg
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62 Comments

    1. you can totally freeze them - I would make then through, let them cool, freeze, and then remove from the freezer and let sit at room temp before popping them into the oven to reheat them. I'd probably add more cheese to re-heat

  1. 5 stars
    I make these stuffed peppers about once a month. It's a very delicious way to use fresh peppers from the garden in the summer and I modify it sometimes to use fresh tomatoes and more hot peppers if I don't have salsa. The best part of making these is that my husband still doesn't know there's no meat in them. The filling of the quinoa, beans and cheese makes a very filling and satisfying dinner.

  2. 5 stars
    Easy, delicious and so filling! Its delicious to eat just the filling, served over a bed of raw spinach with lime juice, plain greek yogurt, and avocado. It makes for an easy meal for dropping off to someone as well!

  3. 5 stars
    OMG! I just put these in the oven but I had a good amount of leftover stuffing since I only had three peppers. I can’t stop eating it. Absolutely delicious. If I don’t eat all the extra stuffing, I’ll mix it with some shredded chicken and stuff a burrito (and my face). Thanks for the great recipes, Gaby. So looking forward to your next book.

  4. 5 stars
    OMG! I just put these in the oven but I had a good amount of leftover stuffing since I only had three peppers. I can’t stop eating it. Absolutely delicious. If I don’t eat all the extra stuffing, I’ll mix it with some shredded chicken and stuff a burrito (and my face). Thanks for the great recipes, Gaby. So looking forward to your next book.

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely loved these stuffed peppers! They were very satisfying, and we did not miss the meat at all. The filling is so tasty that I’m thinking of other ways to use it in other meals. I could eat it by the spoonful !

  6. These look fantastic! I intended to make them tonight but, just like the intro says, “when you don’t intentionally do something but it turns out perfectly?” I ended up turning this recipe into a taco bake for less cooking time. Still turned out delicious as all your recipes do!

  7. 5 stars
    Loved it but I added some lime into the stuffing while mixing it. It turned out great. Perfect flavor! I think I might need to leave the peppers in the oven maybe 10min longer to have them be more tender. My oven might not be the greatest.
    Can’t wait to try one of the fish tacos recipe next

  8. 5 stars
    This was sooooo good! I made my family traditional stuffed peppers (deconstructed) and then made my vegetarian dinner. Next time, we are all eating this dish. The flavor is perfect, all blend together so well, and I topped mine with a little sour cream and a good amount of guacamole. Holy moly, my belly is happy tonight!

4.90 from 19 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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