Mexican-Style Corn Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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Mexican-Style Corn Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

These Mexican-Style Corn Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are easy to make and bursting with flavor. The perfect vegetarian veggie-loaded side to any healthy dinner.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: healthy stuffed peppers

Servings: peppers

Calories: 222kcal

Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients

3 medium bell peppers
3 teaspoons olive oil divided
1/2 teaspoon salt divided, to taste
1 cup cooked quinoa see notes below for cooking tips
3 cups cooked corn kernels about 3 ears of fresh corn
1/3 cup chopped chives or scallons
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese optional
1 teaspoon lime zest about one lime
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper optional and to taste
¾ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese divided and to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 ℉.
Cut each pepper in half through the stem to get two equal halves. Remove the seeds and any white ribs from inside the peppers. Place the 6 pepper halves into a large baking dish. Drizzle the peppers with 1 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle with a ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat and place peppers cut side up in one layer. Roast until tender, 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix quinoa (or rice), corn, chives, Parmesan, lime zest, lime juice, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, chipotle/cayenne, and ½ cup of the cheese.
Spoon the corn mixture into the peppers, packing it gently with the back of the spoon to make sure they are full. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of each pepper.
Bake until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

Need to cook the quinoa? Bring 1 ½ cup water to a boil in a small pot. Add a pinch of salt and ¾ cup raw quinoa. Stir and lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium-low until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let quinoa steam in the covered pot for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool.

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