This vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is a colorful and delicious healthy dinner, full of Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley and feta.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe

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When I was in kindergarten, I entered a coloring contest. It was about eating healthy foods. I drew a bunch of different “healthy” foods that I knew of from the food pyramid: little carrots, carrots of milk, pork chops, and so forth. My drawing ended up winning the kindergarten division, and it was displayed for all the school to see. But the thing was, I was totally uninspired with the whole thing. I drew it because it was an assignment. I did not feel creative about it in the least. The food pyramid seemed like a limiting set of rules set forth by the school and government. Cooking and eating healthy foods in my mind was B-O-R-I-N-G.

To this day, I have the same feeling about programs that try to tell me how to eat healthy. Lists and check boxes don’t work for me. What does work? Creative freedom. I love eating beautiful, colorful, delicious food. And that’s what this quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is all about. Keep reading for more about creativity, and the recipe.

Vegetarian stuffed peppers

A creative approach to the kitchen

To us, food is all about creativity and fun. That’s why Alex and I learned just enough about whole foods eating to inform ourselves. Then we put our main focus on making things fun and inspired. We cook together and try to find the tastiest things we can dream up, like colorful vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers.

Our kitchen is our workshop. After a long day at work, making something beautiful to eat is personally satisfying. We don’t do it because we have to or an app on our phone tells us it’s important. We do it because we love it, and it’s endlessly joy-filled. Does taking a creative approach to food instead of a have-to approach speak to you? Let us know in the comments below.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe

How to make this quinoa stuffed peppers recipe

This quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is a spin on classic stuffed peppers we created as a creative way to eat your veggies. Multi-colored bell peppers are sliced open and roasted, then stuffed with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Roasting peppers is quite easy: it takes just 30 minutes and you can do it while preparing the remainder of the recipe.

To make the quinoa filling in this vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe, we sauteed shallot and garlic, then added the quinoa, chopped pistachios, parsley, paprika, oregano and lemon. We then stuffed the filling into the peppers and sprinkled everything with a healthy dose of feta cheese.

Related: Healthy Dinner Recipes | Easy Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Looking for more easy Mediterranean recipes?

Aside from this vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers recipe, here are a few more of our favorite Mediterranean recipes and bell pepper recipes:

Vegetarian stuffed peppers

This vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, vegan, and dairy-free, omit the feta cheese.

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Bell pepper recipes

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe


  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 4 to 6 1x

Description

This vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers recipe is a colorful and delicious healthy dinner, full of Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley and feta.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 multi-colored bell peppers
  • 1 cup SimplyNature Organic Quinoa
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 medium shallots (1 cup chopped)
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • ¾ cup chopped Southern Grove Shelled Pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons SimplyNature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus zest from ½ lemon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise; remove the stems and seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the peppers on top. Bake with the cut side down for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip to cut side up, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake another 15 minutes until tender.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa (or use our Instant Pot quinoa method): Rinse the quinoa and drain it completely, then place it in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer where the water is just bubbling for 17 to 20 minutes until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.) Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to steam for at least 5 minutes.
  4. Mince the garlic, shallot and parsley. Chop the pistachios. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 to 2 minutes until the shallot is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from the heat, then stir in the cooked quinoa, pistachios, ¼ cup parsley, paprika, oregano, lemon juice and zest, sea salt and black pepper. Taste and add another few pinches of salt to taste. Spoon the filling into the roasted pepper halves. Garnish with a small sprinkling of remaining parsley and feta cheese crumbles. Serve any additional filling on the side.
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keywords: quinoa stuffed peppers

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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31 Comments

  1. I made these for my roommate and her boyfriend last night next to salmon, and they were delicious!!! Very easy too, which I love.

  2. I really took liberties with this one. I Sautéed kale with the vegetables. Then added finely chopped ripe olives and hard salami. They were amazing.

    1. These are fantastic modifications — we love seeing when people take recipes and make them their own! Love it and we’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  3. This recipe was so simple and so yummy. I didn’t have any paprika but it was still really tasty. I added corn just because I had some and it was so good. It’s something you can change up occasionally with what you have in the house. I will definitely make this again.

  4. Wow! I made these and LOVED them! I am new to being a vegetarian and have been challenged to find recipes that I think are actually not just OK, but really good in this one will be in my rotation. The only problem is, I can’t just eat one as the serving size suggests! I ate two as a main course. I will definitely be teying more of your recipes.

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