Stuffed Bell Peppers Quinoa (Printable Version)

Bell peppers filled with quinoa, herbs, and vegetables, baked for a nutritious Mediterranean-inspired dinner.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops cut off and seeds removed
02 - 1 small zucchini, finely diced
03 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

→ Grains

06 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Dairy (Optional)

15 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold peppers upright.
02 - Bring vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté 2 minutes until fragrant. Add zucchini and cook 4 minutes until softened. Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Mix cooked quinoa, sautéed vegetables, parsley, basil, mint, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Fold in feta cheese if using.
05 - Fill each bell pepper with quinoa mixture, packing lightly. Place peppers upright in baking dish.
06 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and tops are lightly browned.
07 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality food but comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving you feeling genuinely proud of what's on the table.
  • The herbs make everything taste brighter and more alive, so even eating the same thing the next day feels completely different.
  • It's the kind of dish that works beautifully for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, so nobody feels like they're eating something separate.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa—I learned this the hard way when my first batch tasted slightly bitter and I couldn't figure out why until someone told me about the saponin coating.
  • Underfill rather than overfill the peppers, because the filling expands slightly as it heats and wet filling can overflow into your baking dish.
  • If your peppers seem to tilt awkwardly in the dish, tuck small pieces of foil or vegetable scraps underneath to prop them upright.
03 -
  • Dice your vegetables as uniformly as small as possible so they cook at the same rate and distribute evenly throughout the filling, creating consistent flavor in every bite.
  • Toast your quinoa lightly in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding liquid—it brings out a subtle nuttiness that elevates the whole dish without calling attention to itself.
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