Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers With Quinoa And Black Beans
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These vegetarian stuffed peppers are loaded with quinoa and black beans for a delicious and healthy family meal. Made with a handful of simple ingredients they only require 5 minutes prep time and make a great family weeknight meal when served with your favorite sides.
These delicious stuffed peppers make for a colorful and easy vegetarian weeknight meal. Meat free and loaded with Mexican inspired flavors, this is a great recipe to include in your weekly meal rotation.
These stuffed bell peppers are vegetarian, gluten-free and loaded with protein, thanks to the quinoa and black beans. You can easily make them vegan by substituting the cheese with your favorite dairy-free alternative.
Ingredients to make quinoa and black bean stuffed peppers
You only need a few pantry staple ingredients for this recipe, most of which, I’d guess, you will already have.
- Quinoa
- Canned black beans
- Cheddar cheese
- Tomato sauce
- Chili powder
- Olive oil
- Bell peppers
Equipment to make the vegetarian stuffed peppers
These stuffed peppers are super simple to make and you don’t need any fancy equipment. You will need:
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How To Make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers With Quinoa And Black Beans
These stuffed peppers come together so quickly and easily, they are one of my go to’s for a family weeknight meal after a busy day. They are so delicious, you just have to try them!
Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet.
Cook the quinoa (see my recipes for cooking quinoa on the stove, quinoa in a rice cooker or quinoa in the Instant Pot) and bake the pepper halves in the oven.
Stir in the shredded cheese and remove from the heat.
Put the stuffed peppers with the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
What do you serve with stuffed peppers?
These vegetarian stuffed peppers are a great option for a meat free Monday. I love to serve them alongside a vegetable and potato side for a filling and nutritious family meal. Try them with:
- Air Fried Roasted Broccoli
- Mushrooms in the Air Fryer
- Oven Roasted Veggies
- Easy Roasted Potatoes
- Pressure Cooker Twice Baked Potatoes
Can you make stuffed peppers ahead of time?
There are several ways you can make these peppers ahead of time, they are a great option for meal prep!
- You can make the filling ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. It will keep well for up to 5 days.
- You can stuff the cooked peppers and keep them covered in the fridge the day before you plan to cook them.
- Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (click here for my favorite storage containers).
Can you freeze quinoa stuffed peppers?
Yes! You can freeze the unbaked stuffed peppers. Stuff the bell peppers with the quinoa mixture and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid you can transfer the to a freezer bag or safe container.
Can you bake stuffed peppers from frozen?
Yes, you can bake the peppers right from frozen without having to defrost them in advance! Just put frozen stuffed peppers in the pre-heated 350F oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Can you use any colored bell peppers for this recipe?
Of course! I prefer to use red or yellow peppers as they are sweeter, but if you prefer the slight bitterness of green peppers you can use those. You can also use this filling to stuff mini peppers for a fun and colorful appetizer!
Can you add meat to these bell peppers?
I wanted to keep these stuffed peppers as a vegetarian main, but if you prefer you can add in some ground meat to the filling. Turkey, beef and lamb all work really well.
Cook the ground meat in the skillet until it is cooked through and then add in the beans, tomato paste and chili, and continue on with the rest of the recipe.
More Vegetarian Main Meals
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers With Quinoa And Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 15 oz canned black beans drained
- 8 oz shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 bell peppers
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cook quinoa according to package directions (or see my recipes for cooking quinoa on the stove, quinoa in a rice cooker or quinoa in the Instant Pot).
- While quinoa is cooking, cut bell peppers in half and remove the seeds and stem. Put bell pepper halves on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
- Once quinoa is done cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add black beans, tomato sauce and chili powder and mix until combined. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add quinoa and 1 cup of shredded cheese to the bean mixture and mix until combined. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Divide the mixture between bell pepper halves. Sprinkle stuffed peppers with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Put stuffed peppers with the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Notes
Nutrition
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