Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe - A Well-Seasoned Kitchen® (2025)

Fresh, vibrant, and bursting with bold flavors, Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa are a modern take on a classic. No ground beef or rice here – just a light yet satisfying filling of rosemary and garlic-infused quinoa, juicy tomatoes, spicy Serrano peppers, garbanzo beans, and melty cheeses. Every bite is a perfect balance of textures and herbaceous goodness, making this dish as stunning as it is delicious.

My cousin Beth’s daughter, Becca Kidwell, created this delicious vegetarian entrée for me. Becca is a fabulous culinary-trained chef who ran her own catering company for several years before starting an organic edible gardening business. Her expertise shines in this dish, where every ingredient has a purpose, and the balance of flavors and textures makes each bite irresistible. These stuffed bell peppers are more than just a healthy meal—they showcase fresh Mediterranean ingredients, thoughtfully combined to create something truly special.

Quinoa Bell Peppers

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Fresh, vibrant, and bursting with bold flavors, Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa are a modern take on a classic. No ground beef or rice here—just a light yet satisfying filling of rosemary and garlic-infused quinoa, juicy tomatoes, spicy Serrano peppers, garbanzo beans, and fresh cheese. Every bite is a perfect balance of textures and herbaceous goodness, making this dish as stunning as it is delicious.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 65 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Yield: 6 servings (1/2 pepper each) 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup vegetable stock – I recommend Better Than Bouillon mixed with water
1/2 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large orange or red bell peppers, seeded, deveined, and halved pole to pole
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 pint (6 to 8 ounces) multi-colored cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons diced fresh Serrano chile pepper (seed and devein for less heat), or to taste
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup (4 ounces) cubed fresh mozzarella
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cook Mode

Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, combine vegetable stock, quinoa, rosemary, garlic, and powder and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer per package instructions, or until all liquid evaporates and grain is soft (usually takes around 15 minutes). Uncover, remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
Place 6 bell pepper halves in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. With a sharp knife, pierce the bottom of the peppers a couple of times, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season liberally with salt and fresh black pepper. Set aside.
Remove the stems from the remaining 2 bell pepper halves and slice into thin strips; quarter strips and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the onion, chopped garlic, tomatoes, chile pepper, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, basil, parsley, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the cooled quinoa and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (around 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt should do it).
Spoon a heaping amount of quinoa stuffing into each pepper half and transfer to prepared baking dish. Any leftover stuffing can be sprinkled in the pan or tucked into the corners of the dish. Top each pepper with approximately 1 tablespoon of Parmesan and 1 tablespoon of Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake peppers about 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly, heated through, and the cheese on top is golden brown in places.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Make ahead:Peppers can be assembled, but not baked, earlier in the day, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking, or increase cook time by around 10 minutes. Filling (without cheese) can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead, placed in an airtight container, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.

Tips for Making Quinoa Bell Peppers:
1. Choose similar-sized peppers. Using peppers of approximately the same size ensures they cook evenly.
2. Pierce the peppers’ bottoms. Piercing the bottoms of the bell peppers with a knife allows excess moisture to drain out as they bake, preventing sogginess. Take care to make small cuts, so the stuffing doesn’t leak out.
3. Handle serrano peppers with care. Serrano peppers are spicy! Use caution when handling them. Don’t touch your eyes before washing your hands! Consider wearing gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling.
4. Use a baking dish with sides. Choose a baking dish with sides to hold the leftover stuffing you spoon around the stuffed peppers. It will also catch any excess moisture released as the peppers bake.

Author: From “Fresh Tastes” by Lee Clayton Roper
Category: Main dish
Method: Bake
Cuisine: mediterranean

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper half
Calories: 404
Sugar: 8.7 g
Sodium: 765.2 mg
Fat: 22.3 g
Saturated Fat: 9.2 g
Carbohydrates: 31.1 g
Fiber: 6.8 g
Protein: 21 g
Cholesterol: 38.4 mg

window.TastyRecipes.smoothScroll = {init() {document.addEventListener( 'click', ( e ) => {let anchor = e.target;if ( anchor.tagName !== 'A' ) {anchor = anchor.closest( 'a.tasty-recipes-scrollto' );}

if ( ! anchor || ! anchor.classList.contains( 'tasty-recipes-scrollto' ) ) {return;}

const elementHref = anchor.getAttribute( 'href' );if ( ! elementHref ) {return;}

e.preventDefault();this.goToSelector( elementHref );});},goToSelector( selector ) {const element = document.querySelector( selector );if ( ! element ) {return;}element.scrollIntoView( { behavior: 'smooth' } );}};

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',() => window.TastyRecipes.smoothScroll.init());

(function(){

window.tastyRecipesVulgarFractions = JSON.parse(decodeURIComponent("%7B%22%C2%BC%22%3A%221%2F4%22%2C%22%C2%BD%22%3A%221%2F2%22%2C%22%C2%BE%22%3A%223%2F4%22%2C%22%E2%85%93%22%3A%221%2F3%22%2C%22%E2%85%94%22%3A%222%2F3%22%2C%22%E2%85%95%22%3A%221%2F5%22%2C%22%E2%85%96%22%3A%222%2F5%22%2C%22%E2%85%97%22%3A%223%2F5%22%2C%22%E2%85%98%22%3A%224%2F5%22%2C%22%E2%85%99%22%3A%221%2F6%22%2C%22%E2%85%9A%22%3A%225%2F6%22%2C%22%E2%85%9B%22%3A%221%2F8%22%2C%22%E2%85%9C%22%3A%223%2F8%22%2C%22%E2%85%9D%22%3A%225%2F8%22%2C%22%E2%85%9E%22%3A%227%2F8%22%7D"));

window.tastyRecipesUpdatePrintLink = () => {

const printButton = document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-print-button' );

if ( ! printButton ) {return;}

const printURL = new URL( printButton.href );const searchParams = new URLSearchParams( printURL.search );

const unitButton = document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-convert-button-active' );const scaleButton = document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-scale-button-active' );

let unit = '';let scale = '';

if ( unitButton ) {unit = unitButton.dataset.unitType;searchParams.delete('unit');searchParams.set( 'unit', unit );}

if ( scaleButton ) {scale = scaleButton.dataset.amount;searchParams.set( 'scale', scale );}

const paramString = searchParams.toString();const newURL = '' === paramString ? printURL.href : printURL.origin + printURL.pathname + '?' + paramString;const printLinks = document.querySelectorAll( '.tasty-recipes-print-link' );

printLinks.forEach( ( el ) => {el.href = newURL;});

const printButtons = document.querySelectorAll( '.tasty-recipes-print-button' );printButtons.forEach( ( el ) => {el.href = newURL;});};

document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', () => {

if ( ! window.location.href.includes( '/print/' ) ) {return;}

const searchParams = new URLSearchParams( window.location.search );

const unit = searchParams.get( 'unit' );const scale = searchParams.get( 'scale' );

if ( unit && ( 'metric' === unit || 'usc' === unit ) ) {document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-convert-button[data-unit-type="' + unit + '"]' ).click();}

if ( scale && Number(scale) > 0 ) {document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-scale-button[data-amount="' + Number(scale) + '"]' ).click();}});}());

(function(){var buttonClass = 'tasty-recipes-scale-button',buttonActiveClass = 'tasty-recipes-scale-button-active',buttons = document.querySelectorAll('.tasty-recipes-scale-button');if ( ! buttons ) {return;}

buttons.forEach(function(button){button.addEventListener('click', function(event){event.preventDefault();var recipe = event.target.closest('.tasty-recipes');if ( ! recipe ) {return;}var otherButtons = recipe.querySelectorAll('.' + buttonClass);otherButtons.forEach(function(bt){bt.classList.remove(buttonActiveClass);});button.classList.add(buttonActiveClass);

window.tastyRecipesUpdatePrintLink();});});}());

window.TastyRecipes = window.TastyRecipes || {};window.TastyRecipes.cookMode = {wakeLockApi: false,wakeLock: false,cookModeSelector: '.tasty-recipes-cook-mode',init() {if ("wakeLock" in navigator && "request" in navigator.wakeLock) {this.wakeLockApi = navigator.wakeLock;}

const cookModes = document.querySelectorAll(this.cookModeSelector);

if (cookModes.length > 0) {for (const cookMode of cookModes) {if (this.wakeLockApi) {cookMode.querySelector('input[type="checkbox"]').addEventListener("change", event => {this.checkboxChange(event.target);}, false);} else {cookMode.style.display = "none";}}}},checkboxChange(checkbox) {if (checkbox.checked) {this.lock();} else {this.unlock();}},setCheckboxesState(state) {const checkboxes = document.querySelectorAll(this.cookModeSelector + ' input[type="checkbox"]');for (const checkbox of checkboxes) {checkbox.checked = state;}},async lock() {try {this.wakeLock = await this.wakeLockApi.request("screen");this.wakeLock.addEventListener("release", () => {this.wakeLock = false;this.setCheckboxesState(false);});this.setCheckboxesState(true);} catch (error) {this.setCheckboxesState(false);}},unlock() {if (this.wakeLock) {this.wakeLock.release();this.wakeLock = false;}this.setCheckboxesState(false);}};

(function(callback) {if (document.readyState !== "loading") {callback();} else {document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", callback);}})(() => {window.TastyRecipes.cookMode.init();});

window.TastyRecipes = window.TastyRecipes || {};

this.deleting = true;this.tooltipElement.classList.remove( 'opened' );

setTimeout( () => {this.tooltipElement.remove();this.deleting = false;}, 500 );},buildElements() {const tooltipElement = document.createElement( 'div' );tooltipElement.classList.add( 'tasty-recipes-static-tooltip');tooltipElement.setAttribute( 'id', 'tasty-recipes-tooltip' );

const currentTooltipElement = document.getElementById( 'tasty-recipes-tooltip' );if ( currentTooltipElement ) {document.body.replaceChild( tooltipElement, currentTooltipElement );} else {document.body.appendChild( tooltipElement );}

this.tooltipElement = document.getElementById( 'tasty-recipes-tooltip' );},show() {if ( ! this.tooltipElement ) {return;}

const tooltipTop = this.element.getBoundingClientRect().top+ window.scrollY- 10 // 10px offset.- this.tooltipElement.getBoundingClientRect().height;const tooltipLeft = this.element.getBoundingClientRect().left- ( this.tooltipElement.getBoundingClientRect().width / 2 )+ ( this.element.getBoundingClientRect().width / 2 ) - 1;const posLeft = Math.max( 10, tooltipLeft );this.maybeRemoveTail( posLeft !== tooltipLeft );

this.tooltipElement.setAttribute( 'style', 'top:' + tooltipTop + 'px;left:' + posLeft + 'px;' );this.tooltipElement.classList.add( 'opened' );

},maybeRemoveTail( removeTail ) {if ( removeTail ) {this.tooltipElement.classList.add( 'tr-hide-tail' );} else {this.tooltipElement.classList.remove( 'tr-hide-tail' );}},changeMessage( message ) {if ( ! this.tooltipElement ) {return;}this.tooltipElement.innerHTML = message;}};

window.TastyRecipes.ajax = {sendPostRequest( url, data, success, failure ) {const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();xhr.open( 'POST', url, true );xhr.send( this.preparePostData( data ) );

xhr.onreadystatechange = () => {if ( 4 !== xhr.readyState ) {return;}if ( xhr.status === 200 ) {success( JSON.parse( xhr.responseText ) );return;}

failure( xhr );};

xhr.onerror = () => {failure( xhr );};},preparePostData( data ) {const formData = new FormData();

for ( const key in data ) {formData.append( key, data[key] );}return formData;},};

window.TastyRecipes.ratings = {defaultRating: 0,currentRatingPercentage: 100,savingRating: false,init( minRating ) {this.minRating = minRating;

this.formWatchRating();this.closeTooltipWhenClickOutside();this.addBodyClassBasedOnSelectedRating();this.backwardCompFormRatingPosition();},formWatchRating() {const ratings = document.querySelectorAll('.tasty-recipes-no-ratings-buttons [data-rating]');if ( ratings.length <= 0 ) {return;}for ( const rating of ratings ) {rating.addEventListener( 'click', event => {event.preventDefault();this.defaultRating = event.target.closest( '.checked' ).dataset.rating;this.setCheckedStar( event.target );this.maybeSendRating( this.defaultRating, event.target );this.setRatingInForm( this.defaultRating );} );}},closeTooltipWhenClickOutside() {window.addEventListener( 'click', e => {// Bailout (don't remove the tooltip) when the clicked element is a rating star, or it's the tooltip itself.if ( e.target.closest( '.tasty-recipes-rating' ) || e.target.classList.contains( 'tasty-recipes-static-tooltip' ) ) {return;}

// Hide the tooltip after 5 seconds.setTimeout( () => {this.maybeResetTooltip( recipeCardElement, response.data, rating );}, 5000 );},() => {this.resetTooltip( recipeCardElement );});},updateAverageText( data, recipeCardElement ) {if ( ! data.average ) {return;}this.setRatingPercent( data );

if ( ! data.count ) {return;}

const quickLink = document.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-rating-link' );if ( quickLink ) {this.setTextInContainer( quickLink, data );this.setPartialStar( quickLink );}

const cardStars = recipeCardElement.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-ratings-buttons' );cardStars.dataset.trDefaultRating = data.average;this.setTextInContainer( recipeCardElement.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-rating' ), data );},setTextInContainer( container, data ) {if ( ! container ) {return;}

if ( data.label ) {const ratingLabelElement = container.querySelector( '.rating-label' );if ( ratingLabelElement ) {ratingLabelElement.innerHTML = data.label;}return;}

const averageElement = container.querySelector( '.average' );if ( averageElement ) {averageElement.textContent = data.average;}

const thisStar = target.closest( '.tasty-recipes-rating' );thisStar.dataset.trChecked = 1;thisStar.querySelector( '[data-tr-clip]' ).dataset.trClip = 100;},maybeFillCommentForm( data ) {if ( ! data.comment || ! data.comment.content ) {return;}

const commentForm = document.querySelector( '#commentform' );if ( ! commentForm ) {return;}

const commentBox = commentForm.querySelector( '[name=comment]' );if ( ! commentBox || commentBox.value ) {return;}

// Add comment details for editing.commentBox.innerHTML = data.comment.content;if ( data.comment.name ) {commentForm.querySelector( '[name=author]' ).value = data.comment.name;commentForm.querySelector( '[name=email]' ).value = data.comment.email;}},maybeResetTooltip( recipeCardElement, data, rating ) {if ( this.savingRating === rating ) {this.resetTooltip( recipeCardElement, data );}},resetTooltip( recipeCardElement, data ) {window.TastyRecipes.staticTooltip.destroy();this.savingRating = false;

// Reset the default rating.const cardRatingContainer = recipeCardElement.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-ratings-buttons' );if ( cardRatingContainer ) {this.defaultRating = ( data && data.average ) ? data.average.toFixed(1) : cardRatingContainer.dataset.trDefaultRating;cardRatingContainer.dataset.trDefaultRating = this.defaultRating;

this.resetSelectedStar( cardRatingContainer, data );}},resetSelectedStar( cardRatingContainer ) {const selectedRatingElement = cardRatingContainer.querySelector( '[data-rating="' + Math.ceil( this.defaultRating ) + '"]' );if ( selectedRatingElement ) {selectedRatingElement.querySelector( '[data-tr-clip]' ).dataset.trClip = this.currentRatingPercentage;selectedRatingElement.parentNode.dataset.trChecked = 1;}

if ( typeof tastyRecipesRating !== 'undefined' ) {// Select the rating that was previously selected in admin.ratingsButtons.querySelector( '.tasty-recipes-rating[value="' + tastyRecipesRating + '"]' ).checked = true;}

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe - A Well-Seasoned Kitchen® (2025)

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

References