Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers with Black Beans Recipe

What Is Quinoa-Stuffed Bell Peppers with Black Beans?

Quinoa-stuffed bell peppers with black beans are red bell pepper halves filled with a mix of cooked quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes and warm spices, then baked until the pepper softens. The pepper stays tender but whole, and the filling holds together in a granular, compact bite. It works well as a weeknight dinner, and the leftovers taste good cold the next day.

What Makes This Recipe Anti-Inflammatory?

Black beans bring soluble fiber and resistant starch. Gut bacteria in the colon ferment them into short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. The dark skin of the bean also carries polyphenols, mainly anthocyanins such as delphinidin.

Red bell pepper adds vitamin C along with the carotenoids beta-carotene and capsanthin, and the fat in the olive oil helps your body absorb those carotenoids. Quinoa is a whole grain that supplies the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol. Extra-virgin olive oil contributes oleocanthal. This recipe leaves out ground meat, white rice, melted cheese on top and breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• 4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the red bell peppers lengthwise and pull out the seeds and the white ribs inside. Rub the cut surfaces with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and set the halves cut side up in a large baking dish.

Step 2

Combine the rinsed quinoa and the vegetable broth in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil over high heat, lower the heat, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until the broth is absorbed and each grain shows its white germ curled outward. Pull the pan off the heat and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

Step 3

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4 minutes, until the edges turn translucent. Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano and black pepper, and cook for 1 minute, until the spices smell toasted and the garlic loses its raw scent.

Step 4

Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the black beans, the drained diced tomatoes, the sea salt and the cooked quinoa until the filling holds on a spoon instead of crumbling.

Step 5

Spoon the filling into the pepper halves, mounding it a little above the edge. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 5 minutes more, until the pepper yields when you press it with a spoon and the top of the filling looks dry with a few golden spots.

Step 6

Drizzle the peppers with the fresh lime juice and scatter the chopped cilantro over the top. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

InflammaScore

1 Good! Very low inflammation potential

Q&A

Q1: Can I make these stuffed peppers ahead of time?
A1: Yes. The filling keeps for two days in a covered container in the refrigerator. Stuff the pepper halves cold and hold them in the fridge until you bake. Peppers that go into the oven straight from the refrigerator need a few extra minutes, so check them before you remove the foil.

Q2: What can I use instead of quinoa?
A2: Cooked brown rice or cooked millet both work in the same amount. Each grain needs its own liquid ratio and cooking time, so follow the package directions for the grain you choose and cook it separately before you stir it into the bean mixture in Step 4.

Q3: Why did my stuffed peppers turn out watery or fall apart?
A3: Three things cause it. Do not blanch the peppers before stuffing, because that water stays inside and leaks out as they bake. Drain the diced tomatoes well before they go into the filling. Stick to the 25 minutes of oven time, since longer baking breaks down the pepper walls until they collapse.

Q4: How do I store and reheat leftovers?
A4: Let the peppers cool, then keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them in a covered baking dish in a moderate oven rather than the microwave. The cover traps steam, so the filling does not dry out.

Q5: What can I use instead of cilantro?
A5: If cilantro tastes like soap to you, use chopped flat-leaf parsley instead. Add it at the same point, right after the peppers come out of the oven, so the leaves stay bright and fresh.

Leftover peppers hold their shape in the fridge and taste good cold or reheated, so one bake covers two meals.