Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Updated Jan 21, 2026
Quinoa stuffed peppers with 20g of protein per serving, filled with quinoa, beans, corn, tomatoes, and spices, topped with cheese, and baked.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
Quinoa stuffed peppers are vegetarian and soo good!
I love a good stuffed pepper, and lately I’ve been leaning into these quinoa stuffed peppers more than traditional beef stuffed peppers. The filling is quinoa, beans, corn, and tomatoes, and it ends up being just as satisfying without turning it into a whole thing. Each serving has about 20 grams of protein, which makes these quinoa stuffed peppers an easy meatless option that still works as a real dinner.
I recently tweaked the recipe to simplify it. I took the onions out so everything mixes right into the pot of quinoa instead of dirtying another pan. I also adjusted the amounts so the recipe now makes 8 pepper halves instead of 12. Same idea, just a smoother process.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Ingredients
- Quinoa: Plain white quinoa cooked in water to form the base of the filling. To add more flavor to the quinoa, you can cook it in vegetable broth.
- Peppers: Any bell pepper color works. Red, orange, and yellow are sweeter; green peppers are more savory and slightly firmer once baked.
- Filling: Fresh garlic is my preference, but you can use 1 teaspoon garlic powder in place of the 2 cloves. You’ll also need fire-roasted diced tomatoes (regular canned diced tomatoes work too), black beans or another bean you like, and frozen corn. Frozen corn has a better texture, in my opinion, but canned is fine if that’s what you have. Just drain it well.
- Seasoning: Cumin, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper keep the flavor simple. If you don’t want to measure individual spices, a taco seasoning blend works really well here. Use about 1½–2 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
- Cheese: Shredded mozzarella melts well, but Monterey Jack or a Mexican-blend cheese also works. If you have time, shred your own cheese; it melts better. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents added, so it doesn’t melt as well, but it still works!
How to Make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Easy, vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers have 20g of protein per serving and are made with white quinoa, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and simple spices, topped with cheese and baked in the oven.
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- ¾ cup water
- Cooking spray
- 4 medium bell peppers halved and cored
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Place the quinoa and water in a large skillet over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Place the pepper halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up.
- When the quinoa is done cooking and fluffed, turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic, tomatoes, black beans and corn. Season with cumin, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to combine everything and heat through.
- Carefully spoon the mixture evenly into the halved peppers in the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, about 30-35 minutes.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Drain everything well. Tomatoes, beans, and corn all add moisture. Drain the beans and tomatoes well so the filling doesn’t turn soupy, and let the corn thaw in a colander so any excess moisture drains off.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the baked stuffed peppers for up to 3 months. Freeze them individually or all together in a baking dish. To re-heat, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in a 350°F oven until heated through
½ cup uncooked quinoa
¾ cup water
2 garlic cloves minced
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes fire roasted
1 15 ounce can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Place the quinoa and water in a large skillet over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the quinoa covered for 5 minutes. Then uncover and fluff with a fork.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Place the pepper halves in the prepared baking dish cut side up. Pour water around the peppers, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
When the quinoa is done cooking, turn the heat on medium. Add the garlic, tomatoes, black beans and frozen corn. Season with onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to combine everything and heat through.
Carefully spoon the mixture evenly into the sliced peppers in the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
Bake uncovered until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, about 30-35 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pepper, Calories: 365kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 787mg, Potassium: 884mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 4596IU, Vitamin C: 161mg, Calcium: 247mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Par-cook the peppers if you like them very soft: If you prefer really tender peppers, bake the halved peppers empty for 10 minutes before stuffing them, then continue with the recipe as written.
- Season before stuffing: Taste the quinoa filling before you add it to the peppers. This is your only chance to fix salt or spice levels easily.
- Let the quinoa sit in the pan before fluffing and making the stuffing. This will help it to absorb any extra moisture. If the quinoa is wet, you will end up with soggy stuffed peppers.
Serving Ideas
- Side Salad: Caesar Salad, Simple Green Salad or Garden Salad
- Soup: Cauliflower Soup, Tomato Soup or Zucchini soup
Comments
Loved these! I had some chickpeas left over from another recipe, so I added those as well. These reheated nicely in my air fryer.
Yum, love that you added chickpeas! So happy you liked them, Kathy. Thank you so much!!
This dish is really good but I makes way too much. I have 8 halves and still lots of leftover quinoa mixture. I will cut the recipe in half next time.
So glad you liked them, Terry! The recipe does make a lot (1 serving is 2 halves, so it makes a total of 4 servings). The good news is that leftovers stored in an airtight container last about 3-4 days in the fridge! If you don’t think you’ll finish them by then, they also freeze well once baked! You can freeze them individually or all together in your baking dish. To reheat them, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and bake in the oven at 350°F until heated they’re through. Hope that helps!!
I’m making it again today It was so good but doing it differently . This time I diced the peppers and added it to all the other ingredients. Makes enough to freeze and enjoy for a few days. I’m honestly addicted to this.
Awesome!! So glad you’re enjoying it, Terry. Thank you!
Making this right now for some guests! Seems simple enough for me- a non chef, and I have no idea what kind of peppers these are since I’m not in the states- I guess time will tell! =)
Yay, I hope they love them!! This recipe uses sweet bell peppers (any color you’d like).
Despite several errors I made, this recipe tastes great! I will definitely use it again. Great recipe for when all the red peppers are getting ripe on the vine at the same time!
So true! Glad you liked it, Deb. Thank you!!
Hello. I’m currently making this dish now, all in the oven 🙂
However, I’ve got a lot of leftover quinoa and I’m just cooking for me. Can I freeze this? You mention freezing with the baked peppers after cooking but I don’t currently have any more peppers.
Yes, you can freeze the cooked quinoa. Hope you enjoy!
Should the canned tomatoes and beans be drained?
Good question! You should drain the black beans but not the canned tomatoes.
Great fast and yummy! Thank you for such a tasty healthy dish.
Yay, so glad you loved it!! Thank you!
This recipe is great, really helped me get some protein in after a gym workout! Sorry for my confusion but is the recipe 6 whole peppers?? Or 6 halves like in the photos? It’s been a while since I’ve done it.
So happy you like it! So sorry for the confusion, the recipe calls for 6 whole peppers. The photos only show 6 halves but the recipe makes enough filling to fill 12 halves.
I made this over the weekend—absolutely delish! Did not use all of the black beans & added more tomato sauce on top! Excellent!
Yay!! So happy you liked it, Melissa! Thank you!
Prepped the filling last night to make a quick meal today. Also prepped your air fryer chicken breast recipe for more protein. Thank you Yumna! Stress free and nutritious dinner for my family on a busy day!
Amazing!! So happy you found the recipes easy and your family enjoyed them! Thanks, Amira!
The quinoa stuffed bell pepper was very tasty and enjoyable. Is the 286 cal listed for this item for half of bell pepper or a whole bell pepper?
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! The nutrition info is for a whole bell pepper.
I cooked this exactly following the recipe and it turned out perfectly. My family loved the dish! I will definitely make this again
Yay! So glad you all liked it!
I really really loved these! I’ve saved this recipe for a looong time but was hesitant to do it since we are not a big fan of “tex-mex” mixes (corn, beans, tomatoes).
I added a bit of Soy chorizo I often buy at Trader Joes’s and it was all DELICIOUS! This will likely become a regular recipe on my Veggie Monday!
Yay, I’m so happy you gave them a try! Adding soy chorizo sounds so good, thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe pretty closely, though substituted pepper jack cheese for Monterrey. I tend to lean towards the spicy; hence served it at the table with Frank’s Red Hot – a nice complement. I was distracted by something, as I put the pan in the oven; as a consequence, I forgot to set a timer. Pulled them out, initially, when the pepper itself was a touch undercooked. I kept one out to eat; the filling was delicious. I put the pan back into the oven for my wife, who’s just about to say good bye to an unscheduled though welcome visitor.
I’m looking forward to tasting how a more fully cooked pepper tastes, by contrast.
I hope you enjoyed both versions of your quinoa stuffed peppers! Love the tweaks you made, pepper jack cheese sounds great. Thanks, Jay!!
My very first quinoa recipe. What a way to start! These stuffed peppers were crazy delicious and so easy to make!
Yay, so happy you liked it!!
This was delicious and had a really good texture. I’ll definitely make it again.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Prepped these yesterday then just topped with cheese and baked for tonight’s dinner. They are amazing and so filling! Definitely a keeper recipe.
Thanks so much! What a great idea to prep them ahead for an easy weeknight dinner.
I made this last night, and it was a hit! My husband was skeptical, but this dish won him over. I did double the paprika and cumin as I thought it needed a little more flavor, but otherwise made it true to the recipe!
Ha! So glad it was a hit.
Made these for my family last night.
They loved them!
Things I did a little differently:
Along with the posted ingredients and directions….
I also sauteed the onion to almost caramelization – added quite a bit more salt and also mixed in chopped roasted green chiles (they were a mild to medium heat) and before stuffing, I placed the peppers cut side up in the baking dish and drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled salt and roasted in the oven at 350 degrees uncovered for about 15-ish minutes.
Stuffed the peppers when they were cooled, sprinkled freshly shredded cheddar on top, covered with saran and refrigerated them until 30 min. before baking then let them come close to room temp.
Baked covered in foil for 20 minutes, then uncovered and raised the temp to 400 for 10 minutes…then actually broiled them (one rack down) for just enough time to get the cheese slightly darker.
They were a huge hit!
Sounds delicious!
I love your website! Easy to sort and find recipes. I love your tips,substitutions and the variety that you have. I hanks to you I have managed to eat healthy and with flavor all without breaking the bank! You are awesome keep up the great work!!<33
Ahh thank you so much!
Great recipe. Thank you
So glad you liked this!
I just made these stuffed peppers and they are amazing!! I had extra tomatoes from my garden so substituted them for the canned tomatoes.
Thank you
Thank you so much!
This is an amazing dish!!
I added an extra half teaspoon of cumin just because it like it.
A BIG TIP…if you dice up the peppers and saute them with the onion and garlic it would just as amazing, but less time consuming. Just put the mixture in an oven dish with the cheese to melt !!!!
Thank you so much!!!
This is absolutely fantastic!!!
I tasted the mixture and added another half teaspoon of cumin, just because I really like cumin.
I can give everyone a BIG TIP!!
You can also chop up the green peppers and saute them with the onion and garlic!! It would make the meal much less time consuming and it would be just as good!! Add the cheese and melt it on top aftewards…JUST SAYING!!!!
So glad you liked it, Jo!
Oh my goodness the filling is delish! Thank you for such tasty and healthy recipe.
So glad you liked it, Michelle!
I was looking for a vegetarian shepherd’s pie, I checked out a few sites and decided that your recipe was the one for me.
I have looked at a few more recipes on here, and I just have to say they all look amazing, and thank you for the time and effort you have put into them, and for making them available online!
Thank you so much, Vicki!!
When freezing, do you bake them before freezing or freeze before baking? Thanks!
Hi Jenn, great question. You’ll want to bake and then freeze. Just make sure you let them cool completely to avoid moisture buildup and ice crystals forming.
Are calories for half of a pepper or one whole pepper,? This was so good! I’m freezing left over stuffing for next time
Thanks,@
Hi Juanita, great question! They are for a whole pepper. So glad you liked it!
do you rinse the black beans?
I do recommend rinsing the black beans. Great question!
Would this work without broth and cumin? Thanks!
Hi Shaina! You can substitute water for the broth if you don’t have any on hand. Cooking the quinoa in broth does enhance the flavor, but it isn’t necessary. You can also leave out the cumin if it’s a spice you’re not fond of. I’d substitute it with ground coriander or chili powder. You can even use taco seasoning if you’d like. I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you! We found broth but made it without cumin since we didn’t have any. We also used brown rice (personal preference). The stuffed peppers were wonderful! Thank you! 🙂
You’re welcome! I am so glad you liked them!
Delicious! Wasn’t sure if the diced tomatoes needed to be drained??
Thank you! You shouldn’t have to drain it because the liquid will evaporate slightly in the third step and help combine all of the ingredients.
Amazing dish! Healthy, filling, and easy to prepare and cook. Thank you 😃
Thank you! That’s perfect!
These are so good & I do make them vegan with quinoa ❤️
Thank you! Love that!!
Thanks for the inspiration as I looked at some peppers I needed to use! Also added chopped mushrooms (sautéed), some toasted pine nuts and nutritional yeast instead of cheese, and used the marinara sauce I had on hand instead of tomatoes – delicious and filling!
You’re so welcome! Love the sound of that combination.
Hi, how much is your one cup in grams?
Depends what you’re measuring! One cup of uncooked quinoa should be around 180 grams.
Yummy recipe! One suggestion to improve would be to bake the peppers before filling for 15-20 minutes to soften them so they are less crunchy at the end.
Thank you! That’s a great way to go about this recipe if that’s your preference too!
Wow these are so delicious! I didn’t have quinoa so I used pearled couscous and WOW! Easy and healthy and scrumptious…everything you want in food! Thank you!
Thank you! I’m so glad to hear it turned out well that way. Yay!!
Made these last night and they were absolutely wonderful! Instead of making 12 halves I just filled 6 peppers full and at 1 whole pepper as recipe makes 6 servings. I put a dollop of Greek yogurt on top and the game changer was definitely the cilantro! Hubs loved them and we will make again!
That’s amazing! Such a delicious way to enjoy it. Glad to hear you’re both fans!
Trying to eat healthy, again! Happened to already have some cooked quinoa so unfortunately didn’t boil it in vegetable stock. Not trying to change up the recipe ) I hate when people do that 😉) but I only had a can of rotel with green chili’s so I’m using that instead of regular diced and added half a fresh chopped tomato before it grew mold on it! Can’t wait to eat dinner but I’m trying to wait because, you know, I’m eating healthy and don’t want to stuff my face!!
So glad you were able to make it work with what you had! So excited for you to enjoy!
This sounds great! Except I’ll omit the cheese to make these vegan. Or top with vegan cheese. Looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks!
Thank you! Great idea. Let me know what you think once you get a chance to try it!
Just picked fresh green peppers out of my garden and wanted to make a nice, healthy dish. This was easy and very delish!
That sounds amazing straight from the garden! Glad you enjoyed!!
This is a perfect Meatless Monday meal (though I tried it on a Saturday)! I sautéed chopped habaneros to give it some heat. I also added Mexican chili powder and smoked paprika.
I can’t wait to make it to share with vegetarian friends who will find this dish to be a real crowd pleaser!
Great for any day of the week really! That’s such a great idea! Hope they enjoy it too!
Yuma, thank you so much !! It was absolutely easy to make & delicious 😍
Guys don’t forget to check out Feel Good Foodie on IG & Youtube !! You can find all kinds of amazing recipes ❤️
You’re so welcome! That’s so great to hear! I appreciate all of your support!
Yummy! I made some chunky salsa made with black beans, corn, can tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, earlier in the day for tortilla chips. I decided to look for stuffed peppers with quinoa for dinner and wow, your recipe popped up! Thank you so much! They are delicious 😊
I’m so glad you found this recipe and love it! You’re so welcome!!
Could you use taco seasoning packet?
You could if you’re looking to add more seasoning to this dish!
This looks like 3 peppers halved. Do I need 6 peppers or 3? Thanks!
You will need six, as the photos show half the filling in 6 pepper halves. But the recipe makes enough filling to fill 12 pepper halves.
Will never make stuffed peppers the way I have for years after making these. Really good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them that much!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try these!
I made these for me and my husband last night and it is one of our new favorite healthy meals. Will definitely be making again! Thank you!
Should the black beans and diced tomatoes be drained?
The black beans yes, but not the diced tomatoes.
Delicious, easy to make and very filling. I didn’t miss the meat!!
Yay, so glad to hear it! Thanks for leaving feedback 🙂
I made these today and they turned out amazing! My toddler loved them and so did my whole family 👌👏
Yay, so glad to hear! Thank you!
Such a yummy, healthy, filling recipe!!! Good for the tummy and SO tasty!! I didn’t have diced tomatoes so I used salsa instead and it was spicy and delicious!! Highly recommend. Will make again and again!
So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks so much!
Best stuffed vegetable I’ve cooked so far!!! Sooo good and healthy. I did it with red, green, and yellow peppers.
Yay, I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you!!
Soo yummy thank you this recipe ❤❤
So glad you liked it!
Must try recipe, Its so easy to make, even my meat eater friends loved it.
Yay! So glad to hear that!!
These quinoa stuffed bell peppers are so so good!!!!! My husband made them and they were ready when I got home from work 😊 We made ours with vegan sour cream and vegan cheese – delish!! Thank you for the recipe. We will definitely make these again!
Aww that’s the best that your husband made them!! So glad you liked them!
I made this for lunch and it was a success!!! So easy to make, so good and kept me feeling full and satisfied for the whole afternoon! It’s definitely a must try. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Yay! So glad you liked it!
What a great recipe! Love it! So easy to make and really delicious.
So glad you liked it! Thank you!
What an amazing recipe! So easy to make and really delicious!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for the feedback!!