spicy quinoa stuffed rainbow mini peppers that are filled with quinoa, pinto bean, aromatic seasoning, and the perfect spicy kick from the jalapeno. Lastly, this recipe is meat-free!
Cut off the tops of each pepper. Remove the seeds and ribs of each pepper. Be organized. Place the top of each pepper next to its owner. You will use the tops of the pepper as a "lid". Set aside.
Make the stuffing
In a large bowl, add the pinto beans, quinoa, cilantro, spices, the juice of the lime, and the olive oil. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
Putting it all together
Preheat the oven to 400 ° F
Stuff the quinoa mixture into each pepper. Transfer each one to an oven-safe baking dish. Repeat the process until all of the peppers are filled. Top each pepper with their "lid". Now let's make the sauce to pour over them.
To make the sauce simply, add the tomato paste, water, and salt into a mixing bowl, and whisk until a tomato-sauce-like mixture forms.
When ready, pour the sauce all over the peppers. Know that each one may not be coated with the sauce. This liquid is merely to keep the stuffed peppers moist during the baking process.
When ready, cover the baking dish with foil, and transfer into a preheated oven set at 400 ° F and bake for 45 minutes.
Optional: uncover the foil and bake the peppers on a low-broil for 3-5 minutes just until the edges are nicely golden brown.
Enjoy with warm buttery rice, fluffy quinoa, or simply on its own.
Notes
Because each pepper yields a different size, you may be left with extra filling. Now is the time to stuff tomatoes, zucchini, or eggplants with the remaining mixture.