Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Seasoned quinoa, black beans, and sweet corn are stuffed into bell pepper halves for a satisfying, healthy meal. Add your favorite toppings before serving!

AuthorKaitlin - The Garden Grazer

Prep Time:25

Cook Time:50

Total Time:1 15

CourseMain Dish

CuisineGluten-Free, Mexican-inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan

Servings pepper halves

Ingredients

3/4 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
4 large bell peppers
15 oz. can black beans
1 cup cooked sweet corn (I use frozen, thawed)
2 green onions
2/3 cup salsa (I like homemade blender salsa)
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder

Toppings of choice (optional):

Guacamole, salsa, vegan cheese or sour cream, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, etc.

Instructions

Cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa well. In a small pot over medium-high heat, add quinoa with about 1 1/4 cups water. (Or vegetable broth for more flavor.) Bring to a light boil. Then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has absorbed.
Meanwhile, halve bell peppers and remove stems, seeds and ribs.
Rinse and drain black beans, thaw corn, and slice green onions.
In a large mixing bowl, add cooked quinoa and all other ingredients except bell peppers. Stir to combine, and adjust taste if necessary (salt, more seasonings, nutritional yeast).
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a 9"×13″ baking dish, place pepper halves, and generously stuff them with the quinoa filling. Lightly press down to compact and fill all the crevices.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 10 minutes more. (Or longer for softer peppers.)
Serve with any desired toppings.

Notes

Diced tomatoes: To make them a bit “juicier” add a can of diced tomatoes to the quinoa mixture before stuffing – I love this addition. (Or top with your favorite salsa, guacamole, or dairy-free sour cream before serving.)

Cheesy version: Top them with dairy-free shredded cheese during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)