Bell Peppers Stuffed with Black Beans and Quinoa

I made this on Good Friday. Was feeling in a cooking rut — largely just making the same basic things over and over — and it felt really energizing to find a recipe and do something other than by rote.

My version below is adapted from a recipe by Cassie Laemmli on SheKnows.com. The original recipe calls for a 4 oz. can of diced green chilis and a small dried red chili. Those didn’t make it into my version. Also, the original didn’t call for as much cheddar as I used. I was right about that part.

So, here goes!

Ingredients:

4 large bell peppers (or 8 small), tops cut off, seeds and membrane removed
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup or more grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

The Prep Scene1) Cook quinoa according to package directions using the 2 cups vegetable broth in place of water. Reserve.

2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

3) Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and brown evenly. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

4) Heat olive oil in the same skillet. Cook the onions and garlic until they begin to soften. Add the diced chili pepper, 2 tablespoons cilantro, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then stir in the black beans, tomatoes, green chilies, cooked quinoa, browned corn, and lime juice. Remove from heat.

5) Place the peppers into a deep baking dish and divide the filling evenly between the peppers. Top each pepper with cheese and remaining cilantro. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is browned and the peppers are tender.

Ta da!

Leave a Comment