Celebrate Halloween with these festive, delicious vegan stuffed bell peppers. Filled with wholesome grains, vegetables, and spices, they make a perfect spooky main dish.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers preferably red, orange, or yellow for a festive look
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup black beans cooked or canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 0.5 cup diced tomatoes canned or fresh
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika to the skillet and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes, cooked black beans, corn, and rinsed quinoa. Stir to combine.
- Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture into the prepared bell peppers, packing it down gently.
- Place stuffed peppers upright in a baking dish and cover loosely with foil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and filling is heated through.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm.
Notes
For added flavor, you can top the peppers with vegan cheese before the last 10 minutes of baking. Leftovers reheat well and make a delicious lunch option.