067 / 100 · Vegetables Take the Lead

Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Herbed Quinoa

8 stuffed pepper halves Active 30 min Total 1 hr 5 min

Sweet bell peppers make colorful vessels for a lemony quinoa filling. Cutting them in half from stem to base creates stable little boats, which are easier to fill and serve than tall whole peppers. The filling combines fluffy quinoa, small zucchini pieces, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and feta. Pre-roasting the empty pepper halves gives the vegetable time to soften before the filling goes in. Use ordinary red, yellow, or orange sweet bell peppers; their color supplies brightness without chili heat.

Jump to the ingredients

Colorful sweet bell pepper boats filled with herbed quinoa, zucchini, tomato, and feta.

Quinoa that stays fluffy

Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer before cooking to remove its naturally bitter surface coating. Let it stand covered after the liquid is absorbed, then fluff with a fork. The tiny grains should remain separate enough to mix with the vegetables. If the saucepan still holds liquid at the end of cooking, drain it before combining the filling rather than letting it make the peppers watery.

Build a filling with distinct pieces

Dice the zucchini small so it cooks quickly and sits comfortably among the quinoa grains. The cherry tomatoes only need a brief turn in the skillet to soften their edges. Fold in parsley, lemon, and half the feta after the pan leaves the heat. That keeps the herbs lively and leaves small white cheese pieces throughout instead of dissolving everything into a uniform mixture.

Let the colors lead

A mixture of red, yellow, and orange peppers makes a handsome tray, but all one color works equally well. Keep a little stem on each half for structure and remove the seed cluster carefully. Divide the filling loosely, without packing it down, and scatter the remaining feta on top. The final bake is short because both the grains and vegetables are already cooked. Serve two halves per person, with the tender pepper walls and textured filling both visible.

Ingredients

  • 4 large sweet bell peppers (about 1 1/2 lb / 680 g), halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 cup dry quinoa (170 g), rinsed well
  • 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) water
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini (about 6 oz / 170 g), finely diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (150 g), quartered
  • 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 oz (115 g) feta, crumbled, divided

Set out

Fine-mesh strainer, Medium saucepan with lid, Large skillet, Large rimmed baking sheet

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the pepper halves with 1 tablespoon oil and season inside with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange cut-side up on the baking sheet and roast for 18–20 minutes until beginning to soften.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until absorbed. Remove from the heat and stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff. Drain any excess liquid.
  3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the cooked quinoa, parsley, lemon juice, and half the feta. Divide loosely among the eight pepper halves.
  5. Scatter the remaining feta on top. Return to the oven for 12–15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot. Serve two halves per person.

A useful detail

Choose peppers with broad, fairly flat sides so the halves sit securely. If one rocks, prop it against its neighbor rather than cutting a hole in its base.

Make it your own

  • Use cooked brown rice in place of quinoa, about 3 cups; cool and refrigerate any extra cooked rice promptly in shallow containers.
  • Replace parsley with a mixture of 2 tablespoons chopped dill and 2 tablespoons chopped chives.

Keep it well

Refrigerate stuffed halves promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Reheat filling and peppers to 165°F (74°C).