Santa Fe Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (2024)

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Looking to spice up your weeknight menu?These Santa Fe Quinoa Stuffed Peppers will do just the trick.

Savory, smoky, subtly sweet and satisfying!

Oh, and mildly spicy too! What more can we ask for in a meal? These Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are gorgeous to look at,and they're packed with mouth-watering flavors that'llmake dinnertime funagain!

Seriously though, these stuffed peppers really are the cat's pajamas.

In the beginning

You may have seen these StuffedPeppers before when Vegan Huggs just started out. I love the original recipe, but I wanted to simplify things and cut down the cooking time.

Less time in the kitchen sounds more appealing these days. Don't you agree? Less time doesn't mean less satisfying, and these stuffed peppers are just as enjoyable. Trust me!

I really wanted to update the photos, too. I've come a long way in that department, so I gave these stuffed peppers a complete makeover.

Oh-so satisfying!

You won't be leaving the table hungry...that's for sure. The best thing is you won't feel overstuffed either. These Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are light, yet hearty and filling.

Did I mention how healthy they are too? They are fiber-rich, protein-packed, and gluten-free.

Yep, they're healthy, but they aren't lacking in the flavor department at all. The mildly spicy and bold-flavored filling, melds together with the smoky-sweet roasted peppers, to create the most magnificent aroma and taste.

Your taste buds will dance!

If you love bell peppers as much as I, you also might like this Roasted Pepper Salad. It's fresh, colorful, sweet, tangy, and smoky.

Table of Contents

Customizable

I made the stuffing by sautéing onions, garlic, and meaty mushrooms together. Then I added protein-rich black beans, fluffy quinoa, sweet corn, savory broth, and smoky spices.

Holy moly, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! This recipe tastes fabulous to me the way it is, but maybe mushrooms or quinoa aren't your thing.

No problem, just swap them out for your favorite grain and vegetable. They are practically fool-proof, so don't worry about the rest.

Have fun with it!

Easy to prepare

There's really not a lot to this recipe. It seems fancy and time-consuming, but it's actually quite simple and takes about 35 minutes to make. You can even prep the fillingthe day before, and pop it in the fridge.

That will cut the time down even more, and make life easy. The hardest part is refraining from eating the filling until then. I never win that battle.

How to make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Cut and roast the peppers
While the peppers are roasting, cook the quinoa
Now sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms until tender
Add the seasonings, broth, quinoa, beans, and corn to the pan
Stuff the peppers and roast to perfection.
Top with your favorites and enjoy!

Easy peasy!

All-in-one-meal

These Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are as complete as it gets, so you won't need to dirty any more pots and pans. However, it does pair nicely with a simple salad if you want something extra.

Or you can skip the salad, and go for a nice cold vegan beer, or margarita. It all works!

Perfect forhungry house guests

They'll be nice and quiet after a meal like this, so you can thank me later. If they're staying the night, they can have one in the morning too, with a side of tofu scramble.

Now that's hosting done right. No-fuss!

Alright, let's do this!

I’d love to hear from you

If you make these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, I’d love to get your feedback. You can leave a commentbelow and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me onInstagramand share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

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Santa Fe Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Looking to spice up your weeknight menu? These Santa Fe Quinoa Stuffed Peppers will do just the trick. They are savory, smoky, subtly sweet and satisfying!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 336kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup dry quinoa , rinsed well
▢ 6 large bell peppers , assorted colors
▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or preferred oil) + more for brushing
▢ 1 medium onion , diced
▢ 8 ounces mushrooms , chopped
▢ 3-4 cloves garlic , minced
▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
▢ 2 teaspoons chili powder
▢ ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt , more to taste
▢ fresh cracked pepper to taste
▢ 2 cups vegetable broth , low sodium
▢ 1 cup corn , fresh or frozen
▢ 15 ounces canned black beans , rinsed and drained

Instructions

To Prepare Peppers:

Preheat oven to 400 °F.
Wash and cut each pepper in half. If the pepper has a stem, try to leave it intact. Just carefully cut it down the middle, leaving a piece on each pepper halve (this helps the pepper keep its shape). Remove membranes and seeds.
Brush a little oil inside each pepper, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place, cut-side up on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until peppers are slightly tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

To Prepare Stuffing:

While the peppers are cooking, start making the stuffing. In a medium pot, add the quinoa to 2 cups of low-boiling water (add a pinch of salt). Put lid on top. Cook until liquid is gone and quinoa is fluffy. This usually takes about 15 minutes to cook. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and sauté until they are tender and slightly browned, about 4-6 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, garlic and spices, sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add cooked quinoa, beans, and corn. Combine well. Taste for seasoning and add more as needed. Cook for another 5-8 minutes, uncovered, until liquid has cooked down. Stir often. Remove from heat and set aside.
Divide stuffing mixture evenly among peppers, gently packing it down and making sure to fully fill each pepper. Place them upright on the large rimmed baking sheet. Leave 1-inch between each pepper. Bake until quinoa is lightly browned and crispy on top, about 15-20 minutes.

Notes

Topping Ideas: vegan sour cream, fresh-cut cilantro, squeeze of lime, hot sauce, salsa, avocado, and diced red onion.
If you'd like the peppers to be more tender, let them cook 10 minutes longer. Cook less if you'd like a crisper texture.
You may have filling leftover and this all depends on the size of the peppers you used. You can save it for wraps, burritos, tacos, salads, a breakfast side, or for more stuffed peppers. It will last in the fridge for 5-6 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!