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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers 

These quinoa stuffed peppers are loaded with plant-based protein, lean ground turkey and flavorful seasonings! It’s a healthy and delicious way to eat more veggies that your family will love.

Quinoa stuffed peppers in a baking dish.
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Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I absolutely love when I find easy and healthy dinner ideas that my whole family will eat. Quinoa stuffed peppers are a favorite, as well as unstuffed pepper casserole and chicken stuffed peppers. We love them!

I have seen several recipes for stuffed bell peppers with cooked quinoa online and never found one I’ve liked. I finally came up with my own version and love how they turned out. The kids even ate these easy stuffed bell peppers…everyone loved them!

Cooking quinoa in a skillet.

How to Make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Showing how to make quinoa stuffed peppers in a 4 step collage.
  • Cook filling. Saute onion until translucent, then add meat and cook until browned. Drain any excess grease. Add in beans, tomatoes, green chiles, water, quinoa, cumin, taco seasoning, and S&P. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until quinoa is done about 10-15 minutes.
  • Stuff. Line the sliced pepper halves in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. Then evenly spoon the filling into the peppers and top with mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake. Cover pan with foil, then bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes, or until peppers are soft (but not mushy).
Quinoa stuffed bell peppers with shredded cheese on top.

 Favorite Toppings

Cooking Tips

  • Make these quinoa stuffed peppers a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat. You still get plenty of protein and fiber from the quinoa and beans!
  • Feel free to swap the ground turkey with ground beef or even chicken.
  • Don’t drain the canned tomatoes or chiles. The liquid helps to cook the quinoa.
  • You could swap the quinoa for rice if preferred.
  • Don’t forget to cover the pan with foil! This helps steam the peppers so they’re nice and tender.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to cook stuffed peppers?

These easy bell peppers take about 40 minutes to cook through. You want the peppers to soften, but not be too mushy. Depending on your oven, the timing could be a little more or a little less. I’d plan on keeping an eye on them after about 30 minutes.

How do you cut peppers for stuffing?

Instead of slicing off the tops, I like to cut my bell peppers in half. Then I’ll stuff each half with the filling mixture. It’s more of an “open-faced” approach and in my opinion, is easier to eat this way. Just make sure to remove the stem, seeds and ribs before stuffing.

How long will they keep in the fridge?

These peppers will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Make sure to store in an airtight container (preferably shallow). To reheat, I like to warm mine back up in the oven for about 5-10 minutes.

Should peppers be precooked before stuffing?

Pre-cooking or boiling the peppers before stuffing will make them more soft and tender. If you don’t have time, you can stuff them before precooking.

Quinoa stuffed peppers in a white baking dish.

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Quinoa stuffed peppers in a baking dish.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe

5 from 11 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
These quinoa stuffed peppers are loaded with plant-based protein, lean ground turkey and flavorful seasonings! It's a healthy and delicious way to eat more veggies that your family will love.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Video

Ingredients 

  • 4 bell peppers , halved length wise, ribs removed
  • ½ Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • ½ pound ground turkey (or ground beef)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can black beans , drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes , with liquids (plain is fine too)
  • 1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles , with liquids
  • ¾ cup water
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • ½ Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
  • Salt , to taste
  • Ground black pepper , to taste
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

For serving: Sour cream or Salsa

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place pepper halves in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in meat and cook until browned. Drain any excess grease.
    • Stir in black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, water, quinoa, cumin, and taco seasoning. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked.
    • Spoon in filling and top with cheese. Cover pan with foil and cook 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and peppers are wilting.
    • Remove from oven and serve with sour cream or salsa, if desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Variations: 
    • Make it a vegetarian dish by omitting the meat. You still get plenty of protein and fiber from the quinoa and beans!
    • Feel free to swap the ground turkey with ground beef or even chicken.
    • You could swap the quinoa for rice if preferred.
    Storage: These peppers will keep in an airtight container (preferably shallow) in the refrigerator up to 3 days. To reheat, I like to warm mine back up in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4303IU | Vitamin C: 156mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican

    Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

    Quinoa stuffed bell peppers on a white plate.

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