Description
Flavorful stuffed bell peppers filled with protein-rich quinoa and fresh vegetables, offering a healthy and satisfying meal. This recipe is easy to customize and perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large bell peppers
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice off the tops of the bell peppers, about 1/2 inch down. Scoop out seeds and membranes. Chop the pepper tops and set aside. If peppers don’t stand upright, slice a thin piece off the bottom.
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer.
- Combine rinsed quinoa and vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté diced onion until soft (3-4 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chopped tomatoes, spinach, reserved pepper tops (if using), salt, pepper, and paprika to the pan. Cook until spinach wilts (about 2 minutes).
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with the sautéed vegetable mixture.
- Stuff each bell pepper cavity with the quinoa mixture, leaving about 1/4 inch at the top.
- Arrange stuffed peppers in a baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
Notes
- Choose peppers that stand upright on their own.
- Rinsing quinoa is crucial to remove its bitter coating.
- Vegetable broth adds more flavor to the quinoa than water.
- Customization is encouraged; swap vegetables based on preference.
- For a vegan option, omit cheese or use a vegan alternative like nutritional yeast.
- Cool the filling slightly before stuffing peppers to prevent sogginess.
- If cheese browns too quickly, tent peppers loosely with foil. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to the bottom of the baking dish for extra moisture and flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a microwave (1-2 minutes with a teaspoon of water and damp paper towel) or in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes, covered with foil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: stuffed bell peppers quinoa, quinoa stuffed bell peppers, healthy stuffed bell peppers, vegetarian stuffed peppers, bell peppers with quinoa, quinoa filling, vegetable stuffed peppers