Her Tasty Life

Recipe quickie coming your way today! Get your forks out for some fabulous quinoa stuffed peppers.

quinoa stuffed peppers

I tried this ahhhh-mazing black bean and quinoa stuffed pepper recipe and needed to shout from the rooftops just how fabulous it was. In an effort to make vegetarian meals and “Meatless Monday’s” a regular thing in the Firdman household, I’ve turned to trusty Pinterest for help in the inspiration arena. Pinterest possesses a fantastic healthy recipe inventory, but I have to say, sometimes the recipes can be a bit of a bust. Yes, I’m looking at you paleo crockpot brisket. Luckily, you have me as your recipe-tasting, home-cooking, pin-navigator through what’s good and what’s just hype. I won’t steer you wrong.

These quinoa stuffed peppers seem to be regulars on the pin circuit so you may have seen them already in their bright and smothered glory. I did a lot of digging to try and find their original source and believe it was from the wonderful site One Lovely Life. Fingers crossed I’ve got that right.

The recipe is as simple as can be (love that!) and has a few elements that you can also prep ahead of time to make this a quick and fresh weeknight meal. TIME SAVING TIP: make the quinoa ahead of time. A larger batch to have on-hand throughout the week is a good thing; you can use it in salads, wraps and even dessert bites.

Now, for what you’ll need and how to assemble:

INGREDIENTS

Step 1: Pour 28oz can red enchilada sauce (I used La Preferida) into a baking dish, then take 4 bell peppers – any color is fine – sliced lengthwise, with seeds removed, and lay in a baking dish on top of sauce.

peppers halved on enchilada sauce

Step 2: Combine cooked quinoa, onions, black beans, tomato, green chilies, cilantro, salt and pepper into bowl. Mix well.

quinoa stuffing

Step 3: Divide filling mixture evenly amongst peppers. Use it all (there’s a lot), a pepper overflowing with the stuffing just looks bountiful and beautiful when served.

stuffed and ready to be topped

Step 4: Sprinkle generously with cheese. Yes, this is quite generous. But hey, I love the queso. You can also omit this step if you’re following a vegan or paleo diet.

ready to cook

Step 5: Cover peppers with foil and then pop these babies in the oven at 375° for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove foil and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes uncovered. Then, check your peppers for doneness. You want them to have a little softness and give while still being firm.

quinoa stuffed peppers complete

Now you’re ready to eat after only 5 simple steps. How easy was that? Top peppers with fresh chopped cilantro and enchilada sauce from the pan. Enjoy!