Making satisfying and healthy dinners can be tricky. Oftentimes I find myself hungry 45 minutes later, and then I feel like it defeats the whole purpose! But not with these vegetarian stuffed peppers.
These are easy vegetarian stuffed peppers with beans
Who says you can't get a hearty serving of protein without all the meat? You hardly notice they're not full of meat, and the ingredients are clean. I like to put cheese on mine, but simply omit the cheese if you are adhering to a vegan diet.
Making vegetarian stuffed peppers with quinoa
I prefer quinoa over rice because it is:
- more satisfying and better for your health than rice
- one of the best sources of plant-based protein
- full of fiber
- a great source of iron and magnesium
Also, you can easily make quinoa in a few minutes in the Instant Pot. Click here to get my pressure cooker quinoa recipe.
Here's a fun fact about bell peppers (that I learned from my 5-year-old after he took a field trip to Trader Joe's)
- Male bell peppers have only three bumps at the bottom and are usually more tall and thin. They are firmer and better for cooking in stews and soups.
- Female peppers have four bumps, tend to be shorter, wider, and more sweet.
Why does it feel like I'm providing a description of myself and my husband? Haha. Sound like your life, too? I know what you're making for dinner tonight in honor of your relationship! 😉
Grab the recipe for these vegetarian stuffed peppers below. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers
- 4 cups quinoa cooked
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup Italian tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cook the quinoa per the directions on the package, if it's not already prepared. Cut off the tops of the peppers, and wash out the insides, making sure to remove all of the seeds. Dry thoroughly and set aside in a glass dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until fragrant. Add in the garlic, and cook for one more minute. Then, pour in the quinoa, black beans, corn and tomato sauce. Stir over low heat until warmed and mixed well.
- Stuff each pepper with one cup of the quinoa mixture, or until the mixture is brimming at the top of each pepper. Then, add ¼ cup of cheese on top of each pepper. Next, pour about ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish to help the peppers soften while baking. Cover with foil and bake on 350°F 30 minutes. Lastly, remove the foil and bake the dish for another 15 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and brown. Serve while warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Jo- Ann Donnelly says
Enough to stuff 8-10 peppers! Seems to be way too much quinoa- I used 2 cups to make 4 cups cooked!??
Abbey Rodriguez says
Thanks for the comment. I like to make extra so it can be on hand for other recipes or leftovers!