Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic, and onion, bring out the flavor in these Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers! Add tomatoes, avocado, black olives, cilantro, and countless other ingredients for even more flavor! {Vegan + Paleo}

So do we just stop and stare at these beautiful colors now or do we jump into the recipe that houses them? Or maybe we do both? I’m not exactly sure. What I do know is Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers are delicious and gorgeous and amazing and wonderful and easy to make and easy to customize. Does a recipe get any better than that? I think not.

Let’s take a(nother) moment to stop and stare at these culinary colors…amen.

Basically, you don’t need a culinary arts degree to get the most out of these flavors. Cumin, oregano, chili powder, onion, and garlic are the perfect pairings with a simple batch of quinoa and colorful bell peppers of your choosing. These flavors and colors just go together, like Tony and Ziva, Midwest winters and sweaters, and Jessica Fletcher and her typewriter.

Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers are perfect for small gatherings, a creative family meal, or date night in. These would also make for a delicious meal bar where guests can top their peppers with whatever they desire. And because many of the steps can be done at the same time, you have a meal in about 30-45 minutes, give or take a few.

So let’s jump into this recipe and make a few Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers of our own!

Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers ingredients

Below are base ingredients you will need for Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers. However, this is a recipe you can change up to suit your palate! Choose your favorite pepper, add whatever toppings strike your fancy, and adjust the spices to your liking!

• Peppers. I used red, orange, and yellow bell peppers this time. But I have also used green peppers, and all versions tasted wonderful. You can’t go wrong.
• Quinoa. This recipe follows a 1 : 2 ratio of quinoa to liquid, and you can use either water or vegetable broth. Add a pinch or two of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil to the saucepan.
• Herbs, garlic, and onion. These ingredients bring out the spicy in Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers. And they are so so so so so good together.
• Tomatoes, avocado, black olives, cilantro, green onions, and any other toppings you’d like to try. If you really want to take the spicy up a notch in this recipe, then add green chiles or jalapeños!
• Sea salt and pepper. I love a little extra salt with quinoa, and you can never go wrong with pepper!

How to make Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

It isn’t difficult to prepare a batch of Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers. Below are steps I follow to not only get the best flavor but also to save on time since a few steps can be done concurrently.

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. At the same time the oven is heating up, combine the quinoa, sea salt, olive oil, and water or vegetable broth in a saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil.
2. While the quinoa is heating up, drizzle olive oil in a 9 x 13 inch pan, and place the halved peppers open side UP in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. When the peppers are done baking in the oven, remove them and set aside. NOTE: Keep the oven set at 350 degrees.
3. Once the quinoa is boiling, add in the cumin, oregano, garlic, and onion. If you’d like, add the tomatoes at this point, too. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Then scoop the quinoa mixture into the baked pepper halves, cover with foil, and return the stuffed peppers to the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered another 5 minutes, or until the quinoa is crispy on top.
4. Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven and top with desired ingredients. Serve immediately.

Best practices for Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

• These are best enjoyed the same day they are prepared. However, if you have leftovers, wrap each pepper in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When you are ready for leftovers, heat the oven to about 300 degrees, place the peppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until desired food temperature is reached.
• Make sure to stir the quinoa in the saucepan as it cooks. Otherwise, you’ll have a sticky mess stuck to the bottom and sides of your saucepan.
• Many of the steps to make Spicy Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers can be done at the same time. For example, you can bake the peppers at the same time you cook the quinoa and prepare the toppings.
• Add the tomatoes to the quinoa at the same time you add the onion and garlic, if you’d like a milder tomato flavor. If your diced tomatoes are really small, and you don’t want them to become too soft, then add them to the quinoa once it’s cooked but prior to filling the peppers. This way, the tomatoes bake in the oven and soften without becoming too mushy.

Spiriteds, I hope you’re well. Enjoy this colorful recipe, stay wild, and know I’m glad you’re here! ❤️🧡💛💚💙

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