Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
Submitted by ktesch
Quinoa stuffed bell peppers loaded with black beans, sweet corn, and two cheeses, then baked in a garlicky tomato sauce. A naturally gluten-free, vegetarian dinner that packs protein and fiber into every colorful pepper.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minHearty enough to anchor a meatless dinner, these peppers pack quinoa, black and red beans, corn, and two kinds of cheese into one tidy, colorful package. The protein and fiber count is real, which is why this recipe lands in both the vegetarian and gluten-free camps without trying.
A couple of moves make the difference. Cook the quinoa in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water and it picks up savory depth before it ever reaches the filling. Give each pepper a quick three-minute boil so it softens just enough to turn tender in the oven without collapsing. Salt the insides and drain them upside down so they do not weep water into your filling.
Stir the cubed Monterey Jack in last so it stays in melty pockets rather than disappearing into the mix. Save a little of the tomato-water sauce to spoon over the top with a shower of parmesan before baking.
Kitchen Tips
- Choose peppers that stand flat on their bottoms, or shave a thin slice off the base so they do not tip over in the pan.
- Cook the quinoa in broth, not water. It is the easiest upgrade in the whole recipe.
- Leftovers reheat well. Cover loosely and warm in the oven so the tops do not dry out.
Variations
- Add a pinch of cumin and chili powder to push the filling toward Tex-Mex.
- Swap the beans for cooked ground turkey for a non-vegetarian version.
- Use a smoky cheddar or pepper jack in place of the Monterey Jack for more bite.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F.
Cook quinoa according to package instructions. (Usually entails placing quinoa with 4C of water in a pot, and bring it to a boil. Then simmer quinoa, until water is absorbed. I used chicken or vegetable broth sometimes for flavor!)
Add all ingredients (except water and spaghetti sauce) in a bowl; mix. Add cubed cheese last.
Add water and sauce together, and pour over the quinoa mix (BUT: save about ½ cup of mixture for the end of the recipe).
Boil each bell pepper for 3 minutes (after de-seeding).
When done boiling, sprinkle each pepper inside with a touch of salt, and turn over to drain.
Stuff each bell pepper with quinoa mix.
Top each bell pepper with some of the leftover water/sauce mixture and top with parmesan cheese (or other cheeses that you have in the fridge are good, too!)
Bake for about 15 minutes.
ENJOY!!!
Comments
Substitute roasted poblano a instead of green peppers if you like spicier food. I have also added olives to the stuffing.