Description
Delicious vegetarian stuffed peppers filled with a hearty mixture of brown rice, quinoa, black beans, and spices, topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 bell peppers, any color
- 1/3 cup brown rice, raw
- 1/3 cup quinoa, raw
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, strained and rinsed
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth, or water
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- to taste sour cream
- to taste guacamole
- to taste limes, cut into wedges
- to taste fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the brown rice with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook covered for 25 minutes. Once the brown rice has cooked for 25 minutes, add the quinoa, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 15 minutes until the brown rice and quinoa are tender and can be fluffed with a fork. Once cooked, strain off any excess water.
- Once the brown rice and quinoa are cooked, preheat the oven to 425°F and grab a large baking dish or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- On a cutting board, cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the cores and seeds. Place the bell pepper halves in the baking dish, open side down, and drizzle them with a little olive oil, using your hands to ensure the outside of each bell pepper is well coated. Transfer the baking dish to the oven for 10 minutes while you make the filling.
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil, then add the diced red onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until tender.
- Add the minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and salt, stir to combine with the onions, and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the cooked rice and quinoa, strained black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and frozen corn, and stir to combine.
- Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the corn is thawed and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat, taste the rice mixture, and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Working one at a time, fill the bell pepper halves with the rice mixture and place them in the baking dish, open side up. Continue until all the bell peppers are filled.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (this is essential to ensure the bell peppers are tender) and transfer it to the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
- Once baked, remove the baking dish from the oven and top each bell pepper with shredded cheese. Then return the baking dish to the oven, without the aluminum foil, for a final 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- The vegetarian stuffed peppers can be served immediately with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and/or a squeeze of lime juice.
- Any leftovers can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- This dish is a great way to use up leftover rice or quinoa.
- Feel free to customize the vegetables or spices based on your preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: main course
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 25mg