• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sarah's Bites
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Affiliate Disclosures
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
  • Cookin’ With Cosmo
  • Vintage Pyrex
  • Dinner
  • Apps & Small Bites
  • Desserts
  • Sides
  • Soups
  • Sauces & Seasonings
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Home » Dinner » Beef » Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Ground Beef, & Basil

Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Ground Beef, & Basil

May 26, 2018 | Last updated September 2, 2019

Share
Pin
Yum12
Tweet
Share
Email
12 Shares
Stuffed Peppers-2
Jump to recipe button

I volunteer to cook at a local shelter once a month with a group from church. I’ve typically signed up for side dishes and desserts, but this time I signed up to make the main dish. After almost running out of time with my roasted potatoes last time, I wanted to make something that would be reasonably easy to assemble. These were fairly easy to make, and I was able to make 86 of them by myself in 2 hours (including all prep work of halving and gutting 43 peppers).

When I was thinking about what to stuff the peppers with, I was thinking about ground beef. I knew I needed something else to mix with the beef. I thought about rice, but ultimately ended up with quinoa because I thought it would have a good texture to go with the ground beef. The peppers were a hit, and lots of people came back for seconds. I will definitely be making these again at home, and I will probably add spinach to the filling.

This is a good low-cost meal because the quinoa makes a good filler to go with the beef. It’s filling, has a good texture, but isn’t as expensive as ground beef. Excluding the salt-free all purpose seasoning, garlic powder, and salt, this recipe was less than $1.50 per serving. I calculated this price based on ingredients to make 6 whole peppers, not the mega-sized recipe where I saved for buying ingredients in bulk.

This recipe is in my blog’s gluten free category, but check the all-purpose seasoning you’re using to make sure it’s gluten free. If it’s not, substitute your preferred combo of any of the following: oregano, thyme, parsley, celery seed, paprika).

Stuffed peppers
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
No ratings yet

Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Ground Beef, & Basil

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 20 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten free stuffed peppers, stuffed peppers
Servings: 6 people
Cost: $1.50 per serving

Equipment

  • Baking dish

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 bell peppers
  • 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp salt-free all purpose seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 package shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
  • Water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°, or 350° convection.
  • Place diced onion in a large mixing bowl, and stir in basil, salt-free all purpose seasoning, and garlic powder. Set aside.
  • Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large pot.
  • Meanwhile, begin cooking ground beef over medium heat.
  • When the beef is fully browned, remove it from the pan and let it sit in a bowl with paper towels to absorb the extra fat.
  • The water should be boiling by now. Add the quinoa to the water.
  • Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • While the quinoa is simmering, prep the pepper halves by cutting them in half, removing the stems, and scooping out the remaining seeds and membrane with a spoon. Set peppers aside.
  • Remove the ground beef from its bowl (blot with more paper towels if needed) and add it to the bowl with the onions. Stir to combine.
  • Stir in the can of tomatoes and salt.
  • When the quinoa is done, add it to the bowl and stir. It can be a bit clumpy, so make sure to mix it well.
  • Taste the filling and adjust seasonings if needed.
  • Use a spoon to fill each pepper half with filling.
  • Line peppers up in a baking dish.
  • Top each pepper with cheese.
  • Fill the dish with a little bit of water (enough to cover the bottom of the pan).
  • Cover with foil and cook for about 20 minutes (15 minutes for convection).
  • Remove foil and cook until cheese begins to brown, about another 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe is in my blog’s gluten free category, but check the all-purpose seasoning you’re using to make sure it’s gluten free. If it’s not, substitute your preferred combo of any of the following: oregano, thyme, parsley, celery seed, paprika).

Related

Share
Pin
Yum12
Tweet
Share
Email
12 Shares
Previous Post: « Guacamole
Next Post: Short Rib Ravioli »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About

Hi, I’m Sarah! My blog features a diverse collection of recipes, from delicious quick and easy meals to more complex showstoppers, with the occasional disaster story mixed in. I include the disasters to keep things real, and so you can share a laugh and learn from my mistakes.

My blog also has  a section dedicated to my horse, Cosmo. Cookin’ With Cosmo features equestrian eats and homemade horse treats.

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Sarahsbites.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Currently Reading

Instagram

Spicy Honey Dijon Roasted Carrots 🥕🍯🌶 Only 6 ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes! Recipe link in bio. #carrots #recipe #food #dinner #weeknightdinner #feedfeed
These avocado toast bites feature creamy avocado, fresh mozzarella, smoked sea salt, and bright cherry tomatoes on top of toasted baguette. A fresh and simple avocado toast appetizer for your next party or brunch! 🥑 Recipe link in bio. #avocadotoast #appetizer #recipe #brunch
@realhousedogsofdc - one counter surfer and one tattle tale. The counter surfer enjoyed a lemon meringue cake. She still has some meringue on her shoulder. 😂 #foodblogger #foodblogdogs #countersurfer #noregrets
Red wine pot roast is a hearty winter staple in my kitchen! It features fall-apart beef with a slightly crispy sear. The braising liquid becomes a delicious sauce with added dimension from whole-grain mustard and rosemary. Recipe link in bio.
Herbs as roasted veggies are the stars of this hearty vegetable pot pie. It’s great as main dish or a side. 🥧 Recipe link in bio. #recipe #potpie #vegetarian #vintagepyrex
Blackberry Cucumber Martinis at @harvest_thyme_tavern last night! #maryland #cocktail #drinkmaryland #eatlocal

Tags

10 ingredients or less 30 minutes or less appetizer basil beef bell pepper blender breakfast brown sugar butter canned tomatoes carrots celery cheddar cheese cheese chicken chili powder chipotles in adobo chocolate cinnamon corn crock pot cumin dessert dutch oven easy garlic garlic powder heavy cream kitchenaid mixer le creuset le creuset dutch oven leftovers low-cost meals make ahead onion paprika parmesan parsley party pasta potatoes potluck roundup salsa side slow cooker soup sour cream stand mixer tastefully simple thyme tomato tomatoes vanilla vegetable stock vegetarian vintage pyrex Vitamix weeknight cooking

Copyright © 2023 Sarah's Bites on the Foodie Pro Theme