Looking for an easy recipe that is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan? Look no further than these Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers for a fun weeknight meal. You will love these bell peppers for a meatless dish that is packed with protein and very filling with just the right balance of sweetness, from the peppers, and spice from the enchilada sauce, in this recipe.
Walmart challenged me to come up with a gluten-free dish made from their grocery aisles of ingredients. Quinoa may sound like an ingredient that you can’t find at your store, but Walmart not only sells quinoa, but they now sell a couple of varieties of quinoa on their store shelves. No need to run to a specialty market to find this ingredient anymore!
If you haven’t bought or prepared quinoa before, then be sure to check out my tutorial on preparing quinoa in an inexpensive rice cooker or on your stove-top. If you decide you love it as much as I do, a rice cooker makes making batches of quinoa for recipes simple.
You will find quinoa over in the rice aisle right at the top. I took a picture in our aisle to help you locate it.
To make these extra special, I mixed up a batch of my favorite homemade enchilda sauce for these to swim in. I love to make my own sauce because it gives me control over the amount of salt and spice in my dish. You can certainly use a jarred gluten-free enchilda sauce though If you are wanting to keep this gluten-free, be sure to read the back of the tomato sauce label or enchilada sauce label’s ingredients thoroughly before purchasing or eating.
Unfortunately, Walmart doesn’t offer a lot of dairy-free cheese options (yet!), but you could definitely make these without cheese or head to a specialty market to pick up my favorite dairy-free shreds, Daiya Pepperjack Shreds, for an extra kick. I have been dairy-free for a year now and those happen to be my personal favorite. These peppers really don’t need the cheese though, thanks to the flavorful sauce on the bottom!
These peppers get a double protein punch thanks to the quinoa and the black beans in this recipe. Roma tomatoes add a little tomato flavor and the green chilies add a little kick to to the dish. Sprinkled with a little fresh cilantro and a saucy bottom, I promise you won’t miss the meat or cheese or gluten at all!
I prepared mine with red peppers because I love their sweetness, but you can do this same preparation with any variety of pepper you love!
I hope you love these as much as me and I hope you won’t judge that I made a 9×13″ dish just for myself.
Because it is HARD being dairy-free so I have to treat myself all the time…and I do all.the.time.
You know, to get through it.
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 5
A gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan Mexican-inspired quinoa stuffed pepper that is delicious, filling, and protein-packed.
- 5 bell peppers (any color), sliced in half stem-to-tip, seeds removed
- 1c quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 (15oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 (4oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
- Handful of chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 1/2-1 cup dairy-free shreds (optional)
- 28-ounce jar of enchilada sauce (or a double batch of my homemade version, linked above)
- Prepare quinoa as instructed on the box or using the method linked above for cooking in your choice of vegetable broth or water.
- Prepare enchilada sauce recipe (linked to above) or omit this step if using prepared enchilada sauce.
- Slice the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Microwave pepper halves 3-4 minutes to soften slightly.
- Once quinoa is cooked, add it to a mixing bowl. Stir in the rinsed black beans, tomato, green chiles and their juices, cilantro, salt and pepper (to taste).
- Pour enchilada sauce into a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Fill the peppers with the filling and then rest them in the enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes.. Remove foil and cook about 5 minutes longer. If cheese isn’t melted still, turn broiler on high and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Serve peppers drizzled with enchilada sauce.
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