Stuffed Bell Peppers

Vibrant bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of quinoa, black beans, corn, and melted cheese.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Stuffed peppers are one of those dishes that look impressive and are easy to make. The pepper is its own bowl, and it bakes alongside the filling, so it turns sweet and soft. There is almost nothing to do other than mix and fill.

This version uses a vegetarian filling that is hearty enough to be dinner: quinoa, black beans, corn and diced tomatoes, all seasoned with taco seasoning and topped with shredded cheese. It tastes like a burrito bowl in a pepper.

It serves four, and it takes about 55 minutes. Most of that is baking time, so you can leave it in the oven and get on with something else.

Read this first

1. Drain the tomatoes well. Extra liquid makes the filling soupy.
2. Cover the peppers with foil for most of the bake. This steams them tender.
3. Fill generously. The filling will settle a bit as it bakes.

Prep time: 20 mins · Cook time: 35 mins · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 Large bell peppers
• 2 cups Cooked quinoa
• 1 can (15 oz) Black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup Corn kernels
• 1 can (14 oz) Diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Taco seasoning
• 1 cup Shredded Mexican cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice tops off peppers and remove seeds. Place in a baking dish. Look for: Hollow, clean peppers that stand up straight in the dish.
2. Mix quinoa, black beans, corn, drained tomatoes, and taco seasoning together. Look for: A well-mixed, thick filling with no pooling liquid.
3. Fill each pepper generously with the mixture. Top with cheese. Look for: Peppers full to the brim, with cheese on top.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes until cheese is bubbly. Look for: Peppers that are soft when pierced, with bubbling, golden cheese.
5. Serve with sour cream and hot sauce. Look for: Hot peppers, with melted cheese and a cool spoonful of sour cream.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 350
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 47g
• Fiber: 9g
• Sugar: 9g
• Protein: 16g
• Sodium: 580mg
• Cholesterol: 25mg

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: These freeze well before or after baking — wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Pepper Prep: Choose peppers that sit flat on their own, or slice a thin sliver off the bottom so they don't tip over in the dish.

Cook It With Me

Prep the peppers

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Slice the tops off the 4 large bell peppers and remove the seeds and white ribs. If a pepper won’t stand up, trim a thin slice off the bottom, being careful not to cut a hole. Stand them in a baking dish, close together so they support each other.

Make the filling

In a large bowl, mix the 2 cups of cooked quinoa, 1 can of rinsed black beans, 1 cup of corn, the well-drained can of diced tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Taste it, and add salt if needed.

Fill the peppers

Fill each pepper generously with the mixture, pressing it in lightly. Top each with a handful of the 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Bake

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden.

Serve

Serve hot, with sour cream and hot sauce.

The Ingredients, One by One

Large bell peppers

Choose peppers with a flat bottom and thick walls. Red, orange and yellow are sweeter than green. Different colors look good together.

Cooked quinoa

Two cups, cooked. Leftover quinoa works well. It adds protein and a mild, nutty flavor.

Black beans

Rinsed and drained, so the filling isn’t gluey.

Corn

Frozen, canned or fresh. Drain it if canned.

Diced tomatoes

Drain well. The juices would make the filling wet.

Taco seasoning

Two tablespoons give a smoky, savory flavor. Check the salt in your brand.

Shredded Mexican cheese

A blend of cheddar, Monterey Jack and others that melts well.

The Technique Behind It

Why cover with foil

The foil traps steam, so the peppers soften and cook through without drying out or browning too early.

Why drain the tomatoes

Any extra liquid pools in the pepper and makes the filling wet.

Why uncover at the end

Removing the foil lets the cheese melt and brown.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Not draining the tomatoes The filling is soupy.
• Underfilling The peppers look empty after baking.
• Skipping the foil The tops dry out.
• Baking at too low a heat The peppers stay hard.
• Cutting the peppers too short The filling spills out.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Peppers are still firm	Not baked long enough	Bake 10 more minutes, covered.
Filling is watery	Not drained	Drain and add a little more quinoa.
Peppers fall over	Not trimmed	Trim a thin slice off the bottom.
Filling is bland	Not enough seasoning	Add salt, cumin and lime juice.
Cheese is burned	Too long uncovered	Cover and reduce the time.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Bell peppers	The bowl	Poblano peppers or large tomatoes work.
Cooked quinoa	Protein and grains	Rice or farro work.
Black beans	Protein	Pinto beans work.
Taco seasoning	Spice	Chili powder and cumin work.
Mexican cheese	Topping	Cheddar or vegan cheese work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: Assemble up to a day ahead and bake.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days.
• Reheat: In a 350 F oven or the microwave.
• Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve with sour cream, salsa, avocado or a squeeze of lime. A simple green salad on the side finishes it.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.