• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Garden to Griddle
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Recipe Policies
  • All Rights Reserved
  • Shop Kitchen and Home
  • Healthy from-scratch recipes
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home > Recipes > Main Dishes

    Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Published: Feb 9, 2021 · Modified: Aug 4, 2022 by Garden to Griddle · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Stuffed peppers with quinoa, ground beef, and vegetables makes the perfect healthy and delicious dinner!

    stuffed red bell pepper with melted cheese on top

    What makes a bell pepper even more delicious? Stuff it with the best ingredients and bake!

    I grew up with stuffed bell peppers always filled with rice. They were terrific and you can most definitely use rice with this recipe. However, I wanted to make it a bit healthier and lighter by using quinoa.

    Now a stuffed pepper just isn’t complete without melted cheese. I used freshly grated parmesan cheese but get creative and try different ones for different flavor profiles.

    Making This Dish

    Try to find bell peppers that have a flat bottom. If not and they’re rounded you can try to flatten some once boiled, or cut length-wise and lie them flat to fill.

    green stuffed bell pepper with melted cheese on top

    More Similar Recipes

    If you're wanting more ideas for how to use your ground beef take a look here:

    • Easy Taco Filling (3 ways)
    • Cheeseburger Skillet Pizza
    • Chili
    • Hearty and Healthy Spaghetti
    stuffed red bell pepper with melted cheese on top

    Stuffed Bell Peppers

    Stuffed peppers with quinoa, ground beef, and vegetables makes the perfect healthy and delicious dinner!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Beef, gluten free
    Servings 5

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cups cooked quinoa (½ cup uncooked. Option to use 1 cup cooked rice)
    • 5 bell peppers (try to find ones with flat base)
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cups purple onion (1 onion)
    • 2 tablespoon minced garlic cloves
    • 1 lbs ground beef (option to use ground turkey)
    • 1 cups chard diced
    • ¼ cup no salt tomato paste
    • 3 tablespoon no salt crushed tomatoes
    • ½ teaspoon garlic granules
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ cups diced fresh parsley
    • ½ cups Parmesan cheese (+ additional for on top. Option to use mozzarella or gouda cheese)

    Instructions
     

    Prep the Quinoa and Bell Peppers

    • Cook quinoa per instructions on package (½ cup raw quinoa to 1 ½ cups water). If replacing with rice cook following my recipe for fluffy rice while removing the most arsenic.
    • Cut off tops of bell peppers about ½ inch below stem. Remove seeds, ribs, stem. Save tops of bell pepper pieces removed from the stem, dice, and set aside.
    • In a sauce pan add water (about 3 inches deep). Place bell peppers upside down in water (open end down). Bring to a boil and boil for about 15 minutes, drain water and set aside.
      While bell peppers boil, make the filling.

    Make the Filling

    • Preheat oven to 350℉. If using toaster oven, no need to preheat.
    • Prepare all vegetables. Set aside the onion, garlic, and diced bell pepper in one bowl, and the chard in another.
      Shred cheese and set aside.
    • Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and leftover diced bell pepper (from tops) for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
    • Add ground beef to saucepan with sautéed vegetables and break apart beef with spatula. Add chard. Cook for 10 more minutes covered, decreasing heat as needed to medium-low.
    • Decrease skillet temperature to low and add tomato paste and and crushed tomatoes. Add all seasonings and fresh parsley. Cook for another 20 minutes.
    • Turn off skillet heat and add shredded Parmesan cheese, stir in.
      Add in cooked quinoa and combine.

    Filling the Bell Peppers

    • Remove bell peppers from water and place in a large baking dish (I used an 11 cup Pyrex: 9 x 7 x 3 inches). Press down gently to flatten bottoms some if they're not already so it can stand up, or lie them down if cut length-wise.
    • Fill peppers with mixture and pack it in using a spoon. Large bell peppers: about 1 cup of filling, smaller bell peppers: about ¾ of filling.
      Sprinkle shredded cheese on top (about 2 tablespoons per pepper).
    • Bake at 350℉ for 8-10 minutes, then increase temp to 400℉ for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is browned to your liking.
      Conventional Oven: use middle rack
      Convection Oven: use bottom rack
    Keyword bell peppers and quinoa, stuffed bell peppers, stuffed bell peppers;bell peppers and quinoa; healthy stuffed peppers

    More Main Dishes

    • beef stir fry with rice, broccoli, cabbage, in cast iron skillet, close up square image.
      Beef Broccoli and Cabbage Stir Fry
    • Square image of cooked chicken piccata with chicken breasts, sliced onion, capers, garlic, lemon slices, and parsley in a juice all in cast iron skillet.
      Quick Chicken Piccata
    • Penne pasta with ground pork, red peppers, and onoin in a light sauce.
      Light Pork Pasta
    • Pizza dough with sauce, shredded cheese, garlic, olives, green bell pepper, boiler onions, artichoke hearts, on a pizza stone.
      Mediterranean Pizza Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous

      December 27, 2021 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe.
      Will be happy to try again and again!!

      Reply
      • Garden to Griddle

        December 27, 2021 at 5:01 pm

        Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Kay

      June 25, 2022 at 8:47 am

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe!!
      Good blend of flavors. A favorite for us.
      Thanks,
      Kay

      Reply
      • Garden to Griddle

        June 27, 2022 at 8:21 pm

        We don't make these nearly enough, they're so good! I'm glad you enjoy them!

        Reply

    Leave a comment and rating, I'd love to hear from you! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this Recipe




    Primary Sidebar

    gaden to griddle logo

    Welcome to my site! I'm a Self-taught cook and baker, and supporter of wholesome living. Learn more About Me →

    Popular Posts

    • pork shoulder roast with crackling shredded with metal fork
      Pork Shoulder Roast with Crackling

    • plum butter in mason jar
      Plum Butter (naturally sweetened)

    • kraut burgers cut open to show filling
      The Ultimate Kraut Burgers

    • pickled onions in glass bowl
      Quick Pickled Onions for Small Batch and Refrigerated

    • crab salad scooped onto a white plate
      Healthy Crab Salad with Greek Yogurt

    • baked chicken nuggets
      Baked or Pan Fried Chicken Nuggets

    • apple pie bar with apple in background
      From Scratch Apple Cheesecake Bars with Greek Yogurt

    • homemade crabapple sauce in a mason jar
      Homemade Crabapple Sauce with 3 Ingredients

    Footer

    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Clean Living
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Garden to Griddle on the Foodie Pro Theme