Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa

Name: Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed; 4 large green peppers; 3/4 pound lean ground beef (90% lean); 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 teaspoons dried parsley flakes; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cans (8 ounces each) no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided; 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed; 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Quinoa adds crunch, corn lends sweetness and color, and red pepper flakes ratchet up the heat in these tender stuffed peppers. Whole wheat rolls or breadsticks and a pitcher of iced tea make for a standout supper. —Joyce Moynihan, Lakeville, Minnesota

Ingredients

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
4 large green peppers
3/4 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (8 ounces each) no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

Drain tomatoes reserving juice; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile, cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. In a Dutch oven, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; invert onto paper towels.
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper flakes and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in one can tomato sauce, corn, quinoa and tomatoes; heat through.
Spoon into pepper halves. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine the reserved tomato juice and remaining tomato sauce; pour over peppers.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Editor's Note

Look for quinoa in the cereal, rice or organic food aisle.

Nutrition Facts

2 each: 386 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 52mg cholesterol, 622mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 9g fiber), 26g protein.

Originally published as Quinoa Stuffed Peppers in Healthy Cooking August/September 2010

Reviews

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Average Rating:

knscuba

Apr 23, 2016

Definitely a keeper. My husband and I are trying to eat healthier so I used ground turkey instead of beef. I don't care for green peppers so I used red, orange and yellow. Dirties alot of dishes preparing but is well worth it.
orionaimee

Feb 18, 2016

This is a great recipe. My family loved it.
fairwoodshelties

Jun 24, 2015

Easy to make and tastes soooo good!
heatherhussong

Apr 14, 2015

This recipe is AMAZING. I did some changes though. I did the vegetarian version, (because I was trying to clean out my produce in my fridge) with out any meat, but added a can of black beans instead. And instead of the regular diced tomatoes, I added Rotel diced tomatoes with green chillies (I'm a sucker for spicey stuff) This was kind of a whim recipe with the leftover veggies, and it is now my favorite! I am on a diet, and this was a tasty, filling, meal!
rmbarr059

Mar 9, 2015

Wow I really enjoyed this recipe. I accidentally added a 15 oz can of tomato sauce when the recipe called for 8 oz, so I was concerned how that would taste but it was delicious. Also, the tomato sauce I had on hand was NOT salt-free, so I can't say how no-salt tomato sauce would have changed the flavor. Anyways I loved it and will make it again!
danamwresch

Oct 18, 2013

Really delicious recipe. I used red peppers and instead of plain quinoa I used a quinoa/brown rice 'Near East' brand boxed product. Quinoa alone was beyond my budget. They turned out amazing! I agree with one other review that they are filling and 1/2 is plenty!
dcb1958

Oct 5, 2013

Just what I was looking for! I had green, orange and red peppers so used them all. Added a bit of cumin just because. I had fresh tomatoes so added them instead of canned. Baked the peppers a bit longer than recommended as they were too crispy after 35 minutes. I also used canned corn since I didn't have frozen; worked very well. Healthy, tasty, attractive dish!
MariahL

Sep 23, 2013

Excellent recipe! It ended up taking me longer to prepare than I had anticipated but the peppers taste great. This is one of my favorite recipes using quinoa that I have made. I made it exactly per the directions.
JKvigne

Jun 23, 2013

I used red peppers and canned corn because that is what I had on hand and they were great!
JoBish

Jun 13, 2013

I've made these several times and they are always a hit. Tonight I used red peppers and pizza sauce rather than tomato sauce for a little change.