These easy gluten-free stuffed peppers are filled with a flavorful mixture of fluffy quinoa, minced beef, and sautéed veggies. A colorful and vibrant meal that’s filling and flavorful, these baked stuffed peppers are also totally dairy-free too.

Jump to:
- Easy Dinner Idea: Beef Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutions:
- How to Make Gluten-Free Stuffed Peppers (Step by Step):
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Other Quinoa Recipes to Enjoy:
- Gluten-Free Easy Dinners You’ll Love:
- Quinoa & Minced Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers
Easy Dinner Idea: Beef Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Imagine this – a mixture of quinoa, minced beef, diced carrots and onions, and heirloom tomatoes stuffed into warm bell pepper shells.
A vibrant main course that’s both filling and bursting with taste and flavor at the same time. It’s happy and colorful, and perfect for brightening up your dinner table, and I’m sure this hearty meal will be a family favorite.
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for these gluten-free stuffed peppers are easily accessible at the local grocery stores (nothing fancy required!)
- Easy to Make: All you need to do is sauté the veggies and meat before stuffing blanched bell peppers and then baking the stuffed peppers. Not complicated at all!
- Totally Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free: The best part is that these easy stuffed bell peppers are 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy them without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutions:
- Bell Peppers: You can use either red peppers, yellow peppers, orange peppers or green peppers. I like using a variety for contrasting colors. I recommend using either medium or large bell peppers, and to try to make sure they are all about the same size.
- Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for its flavor, but feel free to use other types of vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, corn oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil).
- Carrots: I used carrots, but you can easily swap the carrots out for zucchini if you prefer.
- Onions: I used yellow onions, but you may also use white onions or red onions.
- Ground Beef: I like using minced beef, but other ground meats will work just as well (such as ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey etc.).
- Quinoa: I used white quinoa, but you can use a mix of white, red and black quinoa if you prefer. I enjoy quinoa because it is protein-rich, but if you’re not a fan of quinoa, feel free to use cooked rice instead.
- Tomatoes: I used heirloom tomatoes, but feel free to use the tomatoes of your choice.
- Salt: I used table salt, but you can also use fine sea salt or fine Himalayan pink salt.
- Black Pepper: Adding a bit of ground black pepper helps to spice the flavor up a little, but if you don’t like heat, feel free to leave it out. Alternatively, if you really enjoy heat, you can also add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes, or chili powder instead.
- Parsley: Garnishing this delicious recipe with fresh parsley adds a beautiful pop of color. You may also use other fresh herbs if you prefer (such as cilantro or basil).
How to Make Gluten-Free Stuffed Peppers (Step by Step):
1. Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
2. Sauté Carrots and Onions
Heat up a little olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the diced carrots and onions until the carrots are tender and the onions are translucent.
3. Add Meat and Cook
Add the minced meat to the sautéed vegetables and sauté until minced beef is browned and cooked through. Once meat is cooked, remove pan from heat.
4. Blanch Bell Peppers
While carrots and meat are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch each bell pepper in the boiling water for 1 minute, until they are tender but still able to hold their shape.
5. Add Tomatoes and Quinoa
Add cut cherry tomatoes and cooked quinoa to the carrots and meat and mix well.
6. Fill Bell Peppers
Divide the ground beef mixture between the four bell peppers.
7. Bake Until Tender
Place peppers on a baking tray, cavity side up. Bake for around 30 minutes or until bell peppers are soft and tender.
8. Garnish and Serve
Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Swap out the Quinoa: If you’re not a fan of quinoa, feel free to use cooked white rice or brown rice, cauliflower rice or black beans instead. Alternatively, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, you may also swap out the quinoa for orzo or couscous if you prefer.
- Use Ground Meat of Choice: This baked stuffed peppers recipe uses minced beef, but other ground meats will work just as well (such as ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey, Italian sausage etc.). Alternatively, if you want a vegetarian option, feel free to use crumbled tofu or seitan instead of meat.
- Extra Seasoning Options: I used just salt and black pepper to keep this recipe simple, but you can also add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning if you prefer.
- Optional Toppings: If you like, go ahead and sprinkle some dairy-free mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese on the tops of the peppers before baking them.
- Cut Peppers into Halves: If you prefer to serve these gluten-free stuffed peppers in a different way, you can use a sharp knife to cut the peppers into halves from the top to the bottom (this will give you 8 pepper halves instead of just four). Blanch the bell pepper halves and then fill them accordingly.
- Storing: To store, place the gluten-free stuffed bell peppers in an airtight container or cover them with aluminum foil and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven before eating.
- Leftover Filling: If you have any leftover taco meat mixture, you can use it to fill zucchini boats, or add it to marinara sauce and eat it with pasta.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you can place the leftover peppers in an airtight freezer-safe container once cooled, and then freeze them for up to 3 months. Let the stuffed peppers thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and enjoying.
Yes, I suggest that you blanch the peppers before stuffing them so the baking time in the oven is less, and they are tender and soft when eaten.
These beef quinoa stuffed peppers go great with these favorite side dishes: air fryer green beans, potato wedges, or roasted rainbow carrots.
Other Quinoa Recipes to Enjoy:
- Warm Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash & Arugula
- Quinoa, Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
- Soft, Fluffy Yeast Quinoa Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- 5-Minute Quinoa Porridge (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Gluten-Free Easy Dinners You’ll Love:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
PrintQuinoa & Minced Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 stuffed bell peppers 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These easy gluten-free stuffed peppers are filled with a flavorful mixture of fluffy quinoa, minced beef, and sautéed veggies. A colorful and vibrant meal that’s filling and flavorful, these baked stuffed peppers are also totally dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers, stemmed and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup heirloom tomatoes, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Fresh torn parsley leaves, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
- Sauté Carrots and Onions: Heat up a little olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the diced carrots and onions until the carrots are tender and the onions are translucent.
- Add Meat and Cook: Add the minced meat to the sautéed vegetables and sauté until minced beef is browned and cooked through. Once meat is cooked, remove pan from heat.
- Blanch Bell Peppers: While carrots and meat are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch each bell pepper in the boiling water for 1 minute, until they are tender but still able to hold their shape.
- Add Tomatoes: Add cut cherry tomatoes and cooked quinoa to the carrots and meat and mix well.
- Fill Bell Peppers: Divide the beef and quinoa filling mixture between the four bell peppers.
- Bake Until Tender: Place stuffed bell peppers on a baking tray, cavity side up. Bake for around 30 minutes or until bell peppers are soft and tender.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Notes
Bell Peppers: You can use either red, yellow, orange or green bell peppers. I like using a variety for contrasting colors. I recommend using medium-sized bell peppers, and to try to make sure they are all about the same size.
Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for its flavor, but feel free to use other types of vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, corn oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil).
Carrots: I used carrots, but you can easily swap the carrots out for zucchini if you prefer.
Onions: I used yellow onions, but you may also use white onions or red onions.
Ground Beef: I like using minced beef, but other ground meats will work just as well (such as ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey etc.).
Quinoa: I used white quinoa, but you can use a mix of white, red and black quinoa if you prefer. I enjoy quinoa because it is protein-rich, but if you’re not a fan of quinoa, feel free to use cooked rice instead.
Tomatoes: I used heirloom tomatoes, but feel free to use the tomatoes of your choice.
Salt: I used table salt, but you can also use fine sea salt or fine Himalayan pink salt.
Black Pepper: Adding a bit of ground black pepper helps to spice the flavor up a little, but if you don’t like heat, feel free to leave it out. Alternatively, if you really enjoy heat, you can also add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes, or chili powder instead.
Parsley: Garnishing with fresh parsley adds a beautiful pop of color. You may also use other fresh herbs if you prefer (such as cilantro or basil).
Storing: To store, place the gluten-free stuffed bell peppers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven before eating.
This recipe was originally published in October 2015, but has since been republished to include clearer step-by-step instructions, as well as recipe notes and substitutions.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Gluten-free
Keywords: gluten-free stuffed peppers
Hello Felicia!
I really love your idea of using bright-colored bell peppers to stuff up with a great combination of all my favorite ingredients!
Cheers!
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy, glad you enjoy these stuffed peppers 🙂
Hi Felicia! I love ‘Pimientos Rellenos’ and your wholesome version sounds super delicious 🙂 BTW loving the new look of your blog! Cheers!
Hi Aldy! Thanks for your sweet comment on the new look! 🙂 I’m loving it too, as much as these “pimientos rellenos”! Have a great week ahead!
This looks like a simple and healthy recipe. I really love your new blog design. Simple, clean and really makes all the food photos pop!
Hey Jackie!! So glad you like the new blog design (and most importantly that you noticed!) I wasn’t sure if anyone noticed it because few people mentioned anything about the design at all!! 🙂 But I’m really loving the new look! 🙂 Thanks for the thumbs up!