Chickpea and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

A 30-minute stuffed-pepper dinner for four: the peppers roast while a chickpea, quinoa, tomato, onion, garlic, and spice filling comes together on the stove. Feta is optional, and the dish finishes with lemon and parsley for brightness.

By Julienne

Cook time: 18 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 whole bell peppers halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes removed
• 10 ml olive oil divided
• 2 g salt divided
• 0.5 g black pepper divided
• 160 g quinoa rinsed
• 360 ml water for cooking quinoa
• 1 g salt divided
• 20 ml olive oil divided
• 1 medium yellow onion small dice
• 1.5 g salt divided
• 3 clove garlic cloves minced
• 30 g tomato paste
• 200 g crushed tomatoes
• 2 g ground cumin
• 2 g smoked paprika
• 1 g dried oregano
• 0.5 g black pepper divided
• 1.5 g salt divided
• 400 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 60 g feta cheese crumbled
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 10 g fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220 C. Put the halved bell peppers cut-side up on a sheet pan, brush with 10 ml of the olive oil, and season with 2 g of the salt and 0.5 g of the black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes while you make the filling. The peppers should start to soften at the edges but still hold their shape.
2. Meanwhile, combine the quinoa, water, and 1 g of the salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff. The quinoa is tender and the grains have little tails.
3. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 20 ml of olive oil, onion, and 1.5 g of the salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. The onion is translucent and the garlic smells fragrant.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, the remaining 0.5 g of black pepper, and the remaining 1.5 g of the salt. Cook for 1 minute, then add the chickpeas and cooked quinoa. Fold everything together and cook for 2 minutes until the filling is hot and thick enough to mound. The mixture should look cohesive, not soupy.
5. Spoon the filling evenly into the peppers. Return them to the sheet pan if needed, sprinkle with the feta if using, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the peppers are fully tender and the tops are lightly browned. A knife should slide into the pepper with little resistance and the filling should be hot throughout.
6. Finish with the lemon juice and parsley if using. Serve immediately. The peppers are glossy from the lemon and the herbs look fresh.