Who doesn’t love stuffed peppers! They’re fun and you feel like you’re getting a special little package with each pepper. Plus it’s a perfect serving size! These peppers are stuffed with lentils and quinoa in a smoky fire roasted tomato sauce. It is a high protein meal packed with fiber and good carbs. Plus, it tastes delicious!
Stuffing Peppers.
A lot of stuffed recipes call for ingredients that are partially cooked. However I find that the cooking times vary and I much prefer to add a fully cooked mixture into the stuffed pepper and just allow it to set. I partially cook the pepper in the oven beforehand for 10 minutes because I prefer a softer pepper, but you can skip this step.
Quinoa Lentil Filling
Since the filling is fully cooked beforehand, it could totally be eaten by itself as a meal, or topped on a salad, or even as a lettuce wrap.
To make the filling, saute onions, garlic and jalapeno and add some fire roasted tomatoes. It is spiced with cumin, garlic powder and paprika. You then add the brown lentils, sweet corn, quinoa and vegetable broth and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the quinoa is cooked through. The filling is cooked with extra liquid so it retains shape once baked in the pepper shells. You could add your favorite dairy or non dairy cheese on top while it bakes.
The toppings
Once the peppers are baked, top them with your favorite toppings. Here are a few of mine:
- Avocado
- Onions
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Greek Yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
- Salsa
Spicy Quinoa and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 3-4 Peppers (In a variety of colors)
- 1/2 cup brown lentils
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 White onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1-2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 can vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen if not in season)
- 1 jalapeno pepper
Instructions
- If possible, pre-soak the lentils for at least 1 hour. Rinse well.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F
- Slice 4 bell peppers of assorted colors in half. Remove seeds and sprinkle with salt.
- Brush each side with a little bit of oil and bake for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, in a skillet, saute onions and garlic
- Add jalapeno pepper and fire roasted tomatoes. Stir. Allow the tomatoes to cook down for 3-5 minutes. Add spices at this point – 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 2 tsp cumin powder. Add 1-2 tsp salt.
- Add corn and lentils and vegetable broth, along with 1 cup of water.
- Allow the water to come to a boil. Add quinoa, stir, cover and reduce to medium.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add water if it becomes too thick and season with additional salt to taste.
Stuff the Peppers
- Generously add the cooked lentil and quinoa mixture to each stuffed pepper.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes to allow it to set. You can sprinkle vegan cheese or regular cheese on top if you would like.
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