You know those days when you have random stuff in the fridge and don't quite know what to do with it? Well this is how this recipe happened. I had some leftover quinoa, a bag of mini bell peppers that I planned on dipping into hummus (but I forgot to buy the hummus), and some cilantro that really needed to be used up in the next couple of days.
Sounds like a pretty sad food day, doesn't it? Not if you put on your creative cooking hat!
I was really pleased with how these stuffed mini bell peppers turned out. Roasted mini bell peppers are just so tender and delicious and sweet, so they were the perfect vehicle for delivering the delicious quinoa/queso fresco/cilantro stuffing. This turned out to be the perfect dinner for two, but of course the recipe can easily be doubled.
I love using quinoa in vegetarian recipes because it is packed with protein and all the essential amino acids, which totally balances out the meal.
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Vegetarian Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini bell peppers
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 oz queso fresco - (feta will work too), chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves - , chopped
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a medium sized baking dish with olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Remove the cap of each bell pepper and use a knife to carve out the pith and seeds on the inside. Rinse the bell peppers to remove the remaining seeds.
- In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Stuff each bell pepper with the quinoa mixture. It is easiest to do this with your hands, pushing the quinoa mixture into each bell pepper.
- Carefully place the stuffed bell peppers on the baking dish. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes, or until the peppers are done to your liking. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, and serve hot. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Notes
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Hungry for more mini bell pepper recipes?
Shrimp Rangoon Mini Bell Peppers. Get the recipe here.
Quail Eggs in Mini Bell Peppers. Get the recipe here.
BoJe
Sunday 26th of September 2021
My husband and I really liked this. I plan one meatless meal a week. My husband prepared these early in the day so all we had to do was pop it in the oven for a quick dinner. He did add a bit more lime juice and a little lime zest and the lime really shined through. He forgot the cilantro, but it was still very good. I would love to try this with feta. This makes two very generous servings. It could feed three with a side dish. I would make this again.
Little Cooking Tips
Monday 7th of March 2016
This is another example of your resourcefulness and it proves you're a frugal girl!:) Quinoa is a very new ingredient for us here. So we're very tempted to use it, but once that we did, it didn't turn out so good. Your recipe looks like a great excuse for us to give it a second try:) After all, we love gemista, and this is another yummy version! Thanx so much dear Kate! xoxoxo
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Sunday 14th of February 2016
Now this is my kind of food. Not fluffy, frilly or fancy but really good flavor and texture. Yum!
Ashlyn | Dollop Of Yum
Sunday 14th of February 2016
I love how easy and healthy these are! I have been trying to decrease food waste so I am also loving how you utilized leftovers for this recipe. Happy Valentine's Day!
Yelena Weinstein
Saturday 13th of February 2016
They look kind of like hearts - just in time for Valentine's Day!