Quinoa Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

One of my favorite quick, easy and yummy meals is stuffed red bell peppers. There are a million recipes out there for stuffed bell peppers, but it took me a few tries to figure out my favorite recipe. I received so many questions on Instagram that I decided to write out the recipe to share.

 
Stuffed red bell peppers
 

In my opinion, not all peppers are created equally. The first time I made this for dinner, I used red, yellow and orange bell peppers. The red peppers by far imparted the best flavor.

 
 

Quinoa Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
Total Time: 50-60 minutes
Servings: 3-4 people

Ingredients:

  • 5 red bell peppers

  • 15.5 oz chickpeas (1 can)

  • 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel brand or similar)

  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

  • 1 tsp chili powder

  • Top with Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Wrap a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  2. Slice off the tops of the peppers, and remove the ribs and seeds inside.

  3. Half the peppers lengthwise and place on baking sheet.

  4. Place 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water into a pot on medium heat. Cook until there is no water remaining and the quinoa is soft and fluffy.

  5. Remove the quinoa from heat.

  6. Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes w/ green chilies, and sharp cheddar to the quinoa and stir until mixed and cheese is melted.

  7. Scoop the mixture into each pepper.

  8. Top with Parmesan cheese.

  9. Cook for 35-45 minutes.

  10. Poke the pepper with a fork to test if cooked. If tender and the fork inserts easily, they’re all done!