Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe with Quinoa

This quinoa stuffed bell pepper recipe is the tastiest — and shockingly easy to make. A quinoa stuffing, seasoned with parsley, lemon, shallots, red pepper, and oregano fits perfectly into roasted halved bell peppers.

First, your roast the bell peppers in the oven for about 30 minutes. Then, create your stuffing by simply stirring all cooked ingredients together. Spoon the stuffing into the peppers, and you’ve created a beautiful and tasty appetizer.

This recipe is great for a dinner party appetizer or a party hors d’oeuvres. Plus, it’s vegetarian, making it appealing to all types of guests.

Helpful Tips

Use fresh peppers! Nothing tastes quite like fresh peppers do. The quality of your ingredients will greatly affect how your recipe turns out! Growing your own peppers will ensure the best flavor and nutritional value. If this isn’t an option for you, be sure to buy fresh at grocery stores and use quickly.
Try many colors! One of our favorite things about bell peppers is their variety of colors and flavors. Use a bit of all of the colors in this recipe — each pepper color will add a little different flavor to the mix.
Really rinse the quinoa. This may seem like a small step, but it really will make a difference in the taste of your cooked quinoa. Quinoa has a natural coating can give your cooked result a bitter and soapy taste. This coating is removed when rinsing.
Add your favorite toppings. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can add all sorts of things to the stuffing. If you feel comfortable, experiment with the types of toppings you add! From feta cheese to tahini, there are many delicious options.

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

Recipe by GardenuityCourse: AppetizersCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

This Mediterranean style appetizer is a delicious way to enjoy your freshly harvested bell peppers. Quinoa, seasoned with a touch of lemon and a bit of parsley makes a tasty stuffing for roasted peppers.

Ingredients

6 bell peppers
1 cup quinoa
4 garlic cloves
1 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
3/4 cup chopped shelled pistachios
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon rind
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Feta cheese crumbles, if desired

Directions

Prepare the peppers:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut bell peppers in half length-wise. Remove the stems and seeds.
Place peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake with cut side down for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with a [inch of salt and pepper, and bake until tender — approximately 15 minutes more.
Prepare the stuffing:
While the peppers are cooking, cook the quinoa. Rinse and drain completely. Place 1 cup quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let cook until water has completely absorbed — 17-20 minutes. Turn off heat and let steam for 5 minutes more.
Mince garlic, shallot, and parsley. Chop the pistachios.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until shallot is translucent and garlic is fragrant — about 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cooked quinoa, pistachios, parsley, paprika, oregano, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon the filling into roasted pepper halves. Garnish with remaining parsley and a bit of feta cheese, if desired.

Storage

To store these stuffed bell peppers, place in an airtight container and put in the refrigerator. Because of the lack of meat, they will store pretty well — up to two weeks — but we still recommend eating your leftovers within 5-6 days.

Pro tip: Before storing, coat the outside of the roasted pepper with olive oil. This will extend the life of your pepper and make them tastier when you go to reheat.

Add to It

If you’re hosting a party, you’ll need other hors d’oeuvres (and a signature cocktail, obviously). Stick with the Mediterranean theme and create this divine herby garlic flatbread. Serve it with an herb hummus — because there’s truly nothing better than flatbread and a dip. Don’t forget your star cocktail! This garden inspired sparkling gin and tonic recipe is a beautiful companion for the Mediterranean themed night.

If you’re looking for more plant-based recipes, like this stuffed bell pepper recipe, these 3 quick and easy plant-based recipes are absolute favorites and recipes you can return to over and over again.