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Quinoa & Minced Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

Quinoa & Minced Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers


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5 from 1 review

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

Units Scale
  • 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

  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: Add cut cherry tomatoes and cooked quinoa to the carrots and meat and mix well.
  6. Fill Bell Peppers: Divide the beef and quinoa filling mixture between the four bell peppers.
  7. 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.
  8. 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