Black bean and quinoa stuffed peppers are cheesy and loaded with Mexican-inspired vegetables — a perfect, speedy meatless weeknight dinner.

I held onto this recipe for a little while, but it’s worth the wait. Stuffed peppers can get a groan at my house, as do stuffed vegetables in general. To make them exciting, I leaned into bold taco-style flavors and packed the filling with quinoa, black beans, corn, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and plenty of salsa.

The biggest trick for great stuffed peppers is to roast the bell peppers just a bit before filling them. That quick roast softens them, adds a touch of char, and prevents a raw, undercooked texture after baking.

The real trick to tasty stuffed peppers is to roast the peppers for a little bit BEFORE you stuff them!

While the peppers par-roast, cook the quinoa. I like cilantro-lime quinoa for this recipe, but plain quinoa works fine if that’s what you have. The salsa in the filling keeps the mixture moist, so the stuffing doesn’t dry out while baking.

Once the peppers are partially roasted, flip them, pack them with the black bean and quinoa mixture, then top with a mix of shredded cheddar and crumbled queso fresco. Return to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese and warm everything through.

This recipe makes enough for 6 pepper halves.

We expected a half per person, but everyone ended up eating a whole pepper — they were that good. Serve with toppings like pico de gallo, avocado, sliced radishes, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and sour cream. Think of the bell pepper as a low-carb tortilla — all the taco flavor without the wrap.

This is a meat-free dish, but if you prefer, browned ground turkey or chicken can be added to the onion and peppers while you’re sautéing. You can also customize the heat: add a diced chipotle for smokiness or some chopped pineapple for a sweet contrast.

I recommend a fresh blender salsa for brightness, but a good jarred salsa works in a pinch. Adjust seasoning and spice to your taste and don’t skip the toppings — they lift the final dish.

Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Yield:
6 (halves) stuffed peppers

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
35 minutes

Black bean, cilantro lime quinoa, corn, and cheese stuffed bell peppers.

Ingredients

• 6 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 tbsp grape seed oil or avocado oil
• 1 1/2 cups cooked cilantro-lime quinoa (or plain cooked quinoa)
• 3/4 cup drained and rinsed canned black beans
• 3/4 cup frozen, thawed corn kernels
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (or one 4 oz can mild diced green chilies)
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 435°F (220°C).
2. Add the bell pepper halves to a 9×13-inch baking pan. Toss with grape seed or avocado oil to coat. Roast for about 10 minutes, until slightly softened and lightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. While the peppers par-roast, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced jalapeño and onion and cook until translucent.
4. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
5. Stir in the cooked quinoa, black beans, and corn. Season with salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and cumin; mix to combine.
6. Reduce heat to low and stir in the salsa so the filling stays moist.
7. Flip the roasted pepper halves, then pack about 1/2 cup of the filling into each half, pressing down to fill well. Return the stuffed peppers to the baking pan and sprinkle evenly with cheddar and queso fresco.
8. Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
9. Remove from the oven and serve with extra salsa, avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro.