These Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Put a Healthy Twist on a Classic Recipe

Remember when the quinoa trend popped up? I was pronouncing it “kwin-o-a” for years. Other pronunciations I’ve heard include “kwon-wa,” “kwin-wa” and “that weird rice thing that isn’t rice.” But regardless of how you pronounce it, this seed is a versatile ingredient that can transform a variety of dishes. 

As tempting as it is to choose quinoa for dinner every night, eating it this often requires a variety of flavors to prevent it from getting old. The latest recipe on my list is quinoa stuffed peppers. It’s a dish I created after trying several others and picking what I liked from each. 

While many stuffed pepper recipes choose to include rice as the grain, quinoa boosts the protein and the flavor of the dish. I chose ground turkey and tomatoes to even out the meal as well as the secret ingredient of ketchup. You can also leave out the turkey and the cheese to make this a vegan dish.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 5 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 bell peppers
• Olive or vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1/8 cup ketchup
• 2 cloves pre-minced garlic in water
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Cornstarch if needed
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

1. 
   

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the quinoa using broth. Use either a rice maker or combine quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan. The ratio will be 2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa for both.

2. 
   

   Cut the tops off the bell peppers, remove the seeds and set aside in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper.

3. 
   

   Dice the onion.

4. 
   

   Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add garlic and onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

5. 
   

   Add the ground turkey; brown. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. 
   

   Once the turkey is browned, add the Worcestershire, tomatoes and ketchup. Simmer on a low heat, adding some cornstarch to thicken if runny.

7. 
   

   Once the quinoa has soaked up all the liquid, add it to the skillet and mix everything together.

8. 
   

   Fill the peppers with the mixture and place in the oven for 25 minutes.

9. 
   

   With 5 minutes remaining, sprinkle some mozzarella on each pepper.

10. 
    

    Let cool. Serve the remaining mixture with the cooked peppers or save for leftovers.

The canned tomatoes can be substituted for fresh cherry tomatoes if they’re available, but if you do this, you will most likely need to add some cornstarch.

Meat-filled or vegan, these easy quinoa-stuffed peppers packs a punch of nutrition. Enjoy your “keen-wa!” 

• Dinner
• Health