hot_bitemediumAmerican

Stuffed Mini Peppers with Quinoa

Sweet mini peppers filled with herbed quinoa, cranberries, and toasted pecans—colorful and hearty

⏱️ Prep: 25min🍳 Cook: 20min⏰ Total: 45min👥 Serves: 16🌡️ hot

✓ vegan✓ vegetarian✓ gluten-free✓ dairy-free

⚠️ Contains: tree nuts

Ingredients

16mini sweet peppers(halved lengthwise, seeds removed)
1 cupquinoa(cooked and cooled)
0.25 cupdried cranberries(chopped)
0.25 cuppecans(toasted and chopped)
2 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)
1 tbspfresh sage(minced)
2 tbspolive oil(divided)
1 tbspbalsamic vinegar
0.5 tspsalt
0.25 tspblack pepper

📝 Make Ahead

Quinoa filling can be made up to 2 days ahead. Fill peppers up to 4 hours before baking. Bake just before serving.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F
Halve mini peppers lengthwise and remove seeds
Toss pepper halves with 1 tbsp olive oil and arrange cut-side up on baking sheet
Mix cooked quinoa with cranberries, pecans, parsley, sage, remaining olive oil, balsamic, salt, and pepper
Fill each pepper half generously with quinoa mixture
Bake 15-20 minutes until peppers are tender and filling is lightly golden
Serve warm or at room temperature

💡 Pro Tips

Choose peppers that sit flat for easier stuffing. Toast pecans in dry skillet for deeper flavor. Can substitute walnuts for pecans.

📜 History

Stuffed peppers appear in cuisines worldwide, from Mediterranean dolmas to Mexican chiles rellenos. This version combines quinoa, an ancient grain cultivated by the Incas in the Andes for over 5,000 years, with classic American fall flavors of cranberries and pecans.

Also pairs well with:

white winebourbonhard cidergin