Mexican Stuffed Peppers
These Mexican Stuffed Peppers are a hearty, delicious, and healthy meal, brought to you in a convenient and colorful packaging: sweet bell peppers! Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and white ribs before stuffing them. Also, you can make this recipe with your favorite variety of ground meat: beef, turkey, and chicken all work great!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground chicken or beef
- 1 tablespoons chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups chicken broth preferably low-sodium
- 1 cup quinoa thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1, 14 oz can chopped tomatoes not drained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed if canned
- 2 ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- 3 large sweet bell peppers seeds and white ribs removed and cut in half lengthwise
- Toppings: sour cream, cilantro, black olives, or jalapeños optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large 8x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the ground turkey to the pot and cook, stirring frequently to crumble, for 3-4 minutes or until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and salt to the ground meat mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously, until fragrant.
- Stir in the broth, quinoa, chopped canned tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir well and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is cooked and the moisture has absorbed.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the black beans and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese until the cheese is melted.
- Place the halved bell peppers, hollow side up, on the prepared baking pan. Scoop about 1 cup of the turkey and quinoa mixture into each sweet pepper half. Sprinkle each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Bake the peppers for 20-25 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese topping is melted. Serve hot topped with sour cream, cilantro, or black olives.
Notes
A Note on Pepper Size & Leftover Filling: Depending on the size of the peppers, you may have leftover filling. You can fill an extra pepper with it (making 8 pepper halves) or use the filling in leftovers, such as wraps, tacos, burritos, and bowls.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftover Mexican bell peppers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator until thawed through.
- Reheating: Warm the peppers on gentle heat in the microwave until hot.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Prep the ingredients before starting. The recipe moves quickly. Having the ingredients ready helps the cooking process go smoothly and prevents burning.
- Rinse the quinoa. To remove its soapy flavor, rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a wire strainer under cold water before adding it to the pot.
- Quinoa cooking tips. Simmer the quinoa mixture with the lid off and stir it periodically throughout the cooking time to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Nutrition
Calories: 477kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 37gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 986mgPotassium: 878mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2967IUVitamin C: 84mgCalcium: 365mgIron: 4mg
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