Looking for a filling dinner that’s healthy and vegan? Try these cheesy quinoa stuffed peppers!
After this weekend, and a few hairy nights of trying to get out the door to rehearsals and concerts, I’m trying to make a plan so that I make it through the holiday season in one piece. And it would be great if I had some meals planned, and maybe even frozen, and that I don’t resort to eating Christmas cookies for dinner.
Since Darryl and I are both musicians, December can get very, very crazy. There are a few meals that we rely on that are quick and easy, and don’t involve Christmas cookies. (Believe me, cookies for dinner does not work out too well when rehearsal lasts until 10 pm. Talk about a major sugar crash at the end of the Messiah!)
These cheesy quinoa stuffed peppers are so super simple to make, and they are really filling. You can customize this recipe to suit your needs…use the milk of your choice, use rice instead of quinoa if you prefer, add a few more vegetables, use whatever cheese you like. I love the Daiya jalapeno Havarti block of non-dairy cheese. It has a ton of flavor and gets really creamy when melted, and I would say it is very cheese-like.
I like to bake the peppers for a little while without the filling, and then again once they are stuffed full of quinoa. I find that the pre-bake helps them soften up a bit more. I don’t like mushy stuffed peppers, but I don’t want them to taste raw either.
Cheesy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.
These cheesy quinoa stuffed peppers are a quick and healthy dinner that's full of flavor!
Ingredients
- 4 rainbow bell peppers seeded and cored
- olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 small zucchini chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 3.5 ounces Daiya Havarti Jalapeno cheese block diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Prepare the peppers: Carefully slice off the tops and remove the seeds and trim the core off the tops if you want to serve them with the tops on. If the bottoms of the peppers are too bumpy, you may need to trim them down so they sit flat in the baking dish.
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Drizzle a little olive oil in each pepper and bake for about 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
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Place the quinoa, the diced onion, and 2 cups water in a large pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook on low for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is soft and fluffy.
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Add the zucchini, spices, and non-dairy milk and cook on low heat for a few minutes until the zucchini is tender but still bright green. Add the Daiya cheese and stir until melted.
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Remove peppers from oven and spoon filling into each pepper. Place tops on each pepper if desired.
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Bake stuffed peppers at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
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Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Cheesy quinoa stuffed peppers are:
- healthy and filling
- great for an easy weeknight meal
- versatile – add different beans, use a different cheese – you can customize these to suit your taste
That’s all there is to it! And here’s a little secret…if you don’t want to make quinoa stuffed peppers, the filling is really good on its own, too! Sometimes a bowl of creamy, cheesy quinoa is just the thing at the end of a long day.
What are your favorite easy meals for busy nights?
Kelly Roenicke
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Loved stuffed peppers! Kelly these look amazing! I haven’t made stuffed peppers since I’ve been gluten-free and vegan! This recipe totally reminds me of the ones I used to make!
Thanks, Rebecca!
I didn’t realize you and your huberooski were musicians! I want to see you in concert! Did you know I played the Oboe for like 6 years? There’s nothing like playing music…it really is very therapeutic!
Sign me up for all colors of the rainbow peppers!
I didn’t know you were an oboist! How fun!
This is totally my kind of meal! I’ve had the Daiya shreds before but never tried the block.. need to get on it! Love the color of all the peppers!
Thanks, Alex!
This is a great weeknight meal. Love the colors of those stuffed peppers!
Thanks, Natalie!
You’ve inspired me to give quinoa another chance- especially seeing as you paired it with cheese! Pinning!
Try it, it’s really good! :)
Good idea with the coconut milk :) I wish we had Daiya cheese in Australia…our vegan cheese options are limited here!
Ooh, sorry about that! Maybe Daiya will be available there some day!
I totally love stuffed peppers! Now you’ve got me curious to try them stuffed with quinoa next time instead of the usual rice!
Try it, I really like the texture!
They look yum! I have to start cooking more with quinoa:)
I love stuffed peppers and I enjoy making them with quinoa, too! I like how you get more protein in your meal that way. I hope your holiday season goes smoothly! This is such a busy time of year, I can’t imagine it being my busiest work time, too!