I alluded to this recipe when recapping my trip to NYC. These quinoa stuffed peppers are one of my very favorite meals and the first thing I recommend to people looking for vegetarian recipes that will satisfy meat eaters. It’s so filling you won’t think twice about the missing meat, perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner.
Although this recipe is a little time-consuming, it’s not hard. It’s a one pot meal and unbelievable delicious. However, I can’t take credit as the creator, the recipe comes from here. If you’re looking for better pictures you should also visit Christie’s site, mine were taken late last night and I am still trying to figure out how to take photos that don’t look so yellow in the evening darkness.
The thing I love most about this recipe is its versatility. I stuffed peppers with the mixture last night but when my sister and I made it, we stuffed kabocha squash and it was equally as amazing. I’ve also used this as filling for tacos in corn tortillas or eaten it on its own simply topped with salsa and avocado. The flavors only get better overnight so it’s great for lunch the next day as well.
Here is the recipe and the slight changes I made:
1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 10-ounce box of cooked spinach, thawed in a bowl, reserve the liquid from the thawed spinach, you’ll use it later
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, I don’t drain the can as Christie does, I just add less water at the end, no need to toss all that extra flavor
2 cups cannellini beans, I used dried but canned will work here as well
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 ears fresh corn, I boiled the corn for a few minutes before removing the kernels and then reserved 1/2 cup of the liquid for use at the end
1 grated carrot
1 grated zucchini
salt to taste
2 bell peppers, halved
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Find your biggest pot, you’ll need it. Chop onion and celery. Saute in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft.
Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic, saute for another 2 minutes.
Add spinach, although frozen kale or collard greens would be really nice here as well.
Add tomatoes, beans, quinoa, corn, carrot, zucchini.
Then include 1 cup of reserved liquid from the spinach and the corn.
Simmer on the stove for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375.
Halve the bell peppers.
Once the liquid has evaporated fill the bell peppers with the quinoa mixture. Cover with tin foil and cook for 30 minutes or until the peppers are soft but still have a slight crunch.
I added cheese to Michael’s peppers at the very end and cooked for a few minutes uncovered until golden brown.
The original recipe will fill two bell peppers and two zucchini. But, as I mentioned above, we use our extra filling in a bunch of different ways, like for lunch, now 🙂
If you have spare time, make these quinoa stuffed peppers this weekend, you won’t regret it.
Enjoy!
quinoa, kale & exhale 