Latest chapter in my masterwork to turn spinach and artichoke dip into a healthy dinner: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers!
No matter what other appetizers are on any given menu, the spinach artichoke dip is a shoe-in for one reason: everyone loves it.
The creamy, satisfying spinach and artichoke filling in these peppers is inspired by the flavors and ingredients of the beloved dip and lightened up with everyday ingredients.
As with my classic Stuffed Peppers, this recipe comes together quickly for dinner tonight and reheats well all week long.
You also can easily freeze leftovers. Future you will be grateful to have this fast, healthy dinner on hand.
5 Star Review
โSeriously DELICIOUS!!โ
— Janet —
How to Make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Tender on the outside, gooey and cheesy on the inside, this quinoa stuffed pepper recipe is a marriage of everyoneโs favorite appetizer, spinach and artichoke dip, and one of my favorite easy dinners, Italian Stuffed Peppers!
The Ingredients
- Quinoa. In a vegetarian stuffed pepper recipe like this one, I prefer quinoa over other grains, as it is a complete protein and makes these an all-in-one meal (like this Mexican Quinoa).
- Vegetable Stock. Used as a cooking liquid to infuse the quinoa with extra flavor.
- Bell Peppers. Red, yellow, orange, or green. Choose your favorite and enjoy a daily dose of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and potassium.
- Spinach. Use fresh or frozen, whichever you prefer. Both are an affordable way to add bulk and nutrition to this wholesome recipe.
Tip!
If you opt for frozen spinach, be sure to fully defrost, rinse, and drain it of excess water prior to adding it to the filling.
- Artichoke Hearts. Use either artichokes packed in oil or water for this recipe. (If you have any leftover, try this Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese).
- Garlic. Gives the filling a little zip and extra flavor.
- Mozzarella. For that perfect, melty finishing touch.
- Greek Yogurt. Protein packed and low-calorie, it makes the filling rich and creamy, while keeping the peppers healthy.
The Directions
- Cook the quinoa.
- Arrange the prepared pepper halves on a greased baking dish, cut sides up.
- Saute the spinach with the garlic, basil, and artichoke hearts. Mix with the quinoa and remaining filling ingredients.
- Stuff the peppers and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with more cheese, then return to the oven and continue baking until the cheese melts and the peppers are tender. ENJOY!
Versatility of Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed peppers are the total healthy package. Change up the filling and even the cooking method to suit any taste, timeline, or what you have on hand.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat in a 350 degree oven until heated through, about 20 minutes, or rewarm gently in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Store cooked quinoa stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as directed above.
PAIR QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS WITH
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Skillet. I reach for this quality Staub cast iron skillet almost daily.
- 9×13 Baking Dish. Perfect for stuffed peppers or a double batch of One Bowl Brownies.
- Sauce Pan. 2 layers of aluminum for even heat distribution, which is great for steaming rice and quinoa or cooking pasta.
The Best Cast Iron Skillet
This Staub 12-inch cast iron skillet requires no initial seasoning, and its enamel coating works perfectly on gas or oven stovetops and in the oven too.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa or rice, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 2 cups reduced sodium vegetable stock or sub waterโslightly less flavorful
- 5 large red bell peppers (or yellow or orange), halved, seeds and membranes removed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ounces spinach leaves fresh or frozen (if using frozen, thaw and thoroughly press dry)
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can artichoke hearts (14 ounces), drained and chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup freshly grated part skim Mozzarella or provolone, or similar melty Italian cheese
- 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Add quinoa and vegetable stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, then cover and let sit for 15 additional minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the dish, cut sides up.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep saute pan over medium high. If using fresh spinach, add the spinach in small handfuls, stirring as it wilts down, until you have added all of the leaves. If using frozen spinach, add it in a few larger handfuls, breaking up any clumps of leaves as you go.
- To the skillet, add the garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Let cook 30 seconds, then add the artichoke hearts and cook until warmed through. Remove from the heat. Stir in the quinoa, parsley, 2/3 cup of the cheese, then the Greek yogurt.
- Generously stuff the peppers with the quinoa filling. Lightly coat a sheet of foil larger enough to cover the peppers with cooking spray, then cover the dish with foil, spray-side down.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees, covered, then remove foil, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese over the top, and continue baking 5-10 additional minutes, until peppers are cooked to desired tenderness and the cheese is melted.ย Serve warm.
Notes
- TO STORE:ย Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- TO REHEAT:ย Warm in a 350-degree oven until heated through, about 20 minutes, or rewarm gently in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE:ย Store cooked quinoa stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as directed above.
Nutrition
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i made these last night–they were delicious!
Lisa, I am so excited to hear that!! Thanks for trying the recipe and letting me know how it came out for you. Enjoy :)
These were delicious! I love the balance you have on your blog and the way you create food that is healthy without feeling depriving! I’ve never commented before, but I just wanted to let you know that I love your creations and your approach to cooking/baking/all things delicious ??
Emma, this comment made my day!! Balance is exactly what I am going for, so this means more than I can say. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe too. THANK YOU!
Hi Erin,
I just wanted to let you know that I made these tonight and they were the bomb.com! I cannot wait for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for continually making healthy and tasty dishes!
Maggie, I am SO EXCITED to hear this. The bomb.com is a serious compliment in my book. Thank you!
AMAZING!!! These will go in my regular rotation for sure! I used whole wheat pearl couscous instead of quinoa because it is what I had and I wanted to keep things budget friendly. Still delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank YOU we’re leaving this glowing review Annie! I’m so happy to hear that you loved it so much, and the couscous sounds delicious.
I loved these! One suggestion I’d have is to boil the peppers for 5 minutes before stuffing/cooking them. I realize it’s a personal preference, but I like them a little softer. The flavor was great, I’d definitely make these again. Thanks for the recipe!
I agree with Anna, but when I make peppers, I slice them into strips and then boil or microwave for easier eating, and I would use a loaf pan and slice servings
Great suggestion, Carol! Thanks for chiming in!
Your recipe is so yummy. I stuffed a couple portabello mushrooms with it also. Amazing. Thank you.
Hi April! Thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, and using mushrooms sounds like a great idea! I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this great review!
Delicious. I added ground turkey.
That’s a great addition, Chris! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing your tweak and this wonderful review!
Seriously DELICIOUS!!ย
Thank you so much, Janet! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Do you think these would freeze well?
Definitely Barb! Just let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat gently in the microwave.
Yummy!!! Loved every bite. I forgot to buy quinoa(!!) so I used lean ground beef for the protein – delicous. AND fyi, cottage cheese works well as a replacement for Greek yogurt here :)
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your swaps too!
YUMMY! Notes for next time is to increase the basil to 3/4 t and pepper to 1/2 t and try Havarti Dill cheese to another dimension.
Sheri, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed these! Thanks for sharing your tweaks for next time too!
Is it really 20 Oz of fresh spinach? Thatโs 4 large containers . I know it cooks down but….
Hi Laurie! Yes, this recipe calls for 20 oz of spinach, as it does cook down quite a bit, and we want enough to fill all the peppers. I hope you love the recipe if you give it a try!
Hi yes I realized as soon as I started cooking spinach lol. It was very tasty! Because I was short on spinach I added about ย 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms and they were wonderful in it and made it super moist and kind of โmeatyโ….I will def make again!ย
Iโm so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Laurie! Thank you for taking the time to report back and share this kind review!
Soooo tasty!!! Managed to make this while 3 michelob ultras deep and Iโm a lightweight so thatโs impressive. A couple changes I made were that I used water instead of broth to cook the quinoa and it still tuned out super flavorful. I use less water with the quinoa than every recipe ever calls for because I donโt like mushy quinoa. I use 1cup quinoa plus 1 and 1/3 cups water, maybe a tablespoon more sometimes, but never more that 1 and 1/2 cups water per cup quinoa! Also while the quinoa cooked I just poured all my salt, olive oil, 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic, fresh basil and parsley, straight into a single serve 5oz cup of nonfat greek yogurt, so I could just dump them all straight into the cooked quinoa while it fluffed. I did not oil the baking tray or pepper halves at all, just lined with unbleached parchment paper. Lastly, I raised the temp to 400 F the last 10 mins and raised the stuffed peppers one rack up to get a crispy mozzarella top :) I would definitely make this again and again and experiment with different types of peppers!
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Iliana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Incredible dish! I have made it twice already, the first time as it is, only using vegan mozzarella and almond yogurt instead of greek yogurt-although living in Greece!๐
Today I decided to use green bell peppers and I started with sauteing one large onion, one large carrot and a yellow pepper before adding the spinach and rest of the ingredients to the skillet…again vegan mozzarella and almond yogurt… delicious! Thank you so much for this incredible recipe that is very versatile!
Hi Dimitra! Thank you for your feedback and your kind review!