Vegan Stuffed Peppers with a hearty and filling mixture of tomatoes, quinoa, black beans, vegetables and corn. A healthy, gluten free and delicious meal!
I have a fond memory of meandering the streets of Seville in the south of a Spain, in search of the perfect red capsicum. The bustling market place and chatter from the local vendors proudly showcasing their finest produce to tourists and Sevillanos alike was a highlight of my trip.
When I prepare this dish for my friends, I’m transported back to this moment in time.
Did someone say dinner party? If you find yourself scratching your head tying to decide which delectable dish to wow your dinner (or lunch!) guests with as there are just way too many to chose from, then look no further than these mouth-watering stuffed capsicums!
Also read: Superfood Quinoa Salad
I’ve always found these to be a crowd favorite, be it at a sit down dinner girlie catch -up, a candle lit dinner for two, or when rounding all the troops together to impress them with your vegan cooking skills in the kitchen.
To add to the fun, colorful and nourishing mix of vegetables inside their juicy, silky capsicum cases, they are packed with a black bean and quinoa extra protein punch, alongside a delicious combo of herbs and spices. As the dish is baking, the herbes de provence and garlic duo will waft from the oven through the house, getting the salivary glands going and causing a few ‘mmmmm that smells gooood’ remarks…guaranteed! This exquisitely healthy dish will please even the most vegan-skeptic of guests and leave everyone feeling warm, fuzzy and satisfied!
Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Capsicums
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1½ cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1½ cups plain tomato sauce
- 1 heaping tsp herbes de provence
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika optional)
- ½ tsp cumin optional
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms
- 1 chopped red onion
- 4 red bell peppers or yellow or green
- 1 15 oz can black beans or kidney beans
- ½ cup corn
- For Cooking
- 1 cup plain tomato sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp hot pepper flakes optional
- 1½ heaping tsp herbes de provence or mixed Italian herbs
- Garnish
- Red onion
- Hot Sauce
- Hot Pepper Flakes
- Avocado
- Vegan Cheese Sauce
Instructions
- Simmer quinoa on medium-low heat with vegetable broth, plain tomato sauce, herbs, mushrooms and red onion until quinoa is fully cooked. When cooked, stir and mix in black/kidney beans and corn.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. When quinoa is cooking, prepare a casserole dish by adding tomato sauce and spices to the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Prepare bell peppers by removing the seeds and white insides. Leave the tops of the pepper intact (see photo).
- Fill the peppers by adding the quinoa mixture to the peppers (you will have a bit of mixture left over). Arrange the stuffed peppers side by side in the pan. Cover and bake in the oven for 55 minutes. For the final 5 minutes remove the lid of the casserole dish and broil the stuffed peppers until the tops of the peppers just begins to blacken (being careful not to burn the peppers!).
- Smother the stuffed peppers in the thick tomato sauce from the bottom of the pan and top off with preferred garnish. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes:
The beauty of these stuffed peppers is that you can customise them according to your taste-buds and what you have handy.
Feel free to add any other vegetables of choice as well. You can swap the mushrooms for eggplant, leeks, carrots or whatever you can find in your fridge.
