Gluten-Free Stuffed Peppers (Dairy-Free)

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 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:

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: