Beef and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers with Monterey Jack

These hearty stuffed bell peppers bring together tender roasted peppers, savory ground beef, fluffy quinoa, crushed tomatoes and a warm Southwest spice blend.

A topping of Monterey Jack melts over the filling in the oven, while lime wedges add a bright finish at the table.

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Ingredients

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup QuinoaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.76 ounce Crushed TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Move an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a small pot, bring 1 cup water, the chicken stock concentrate and a pinch of salt to a boil.
3. Halve, peel and dice the yellow onion. Trim and thinly slice the scallions. Cut the lime into wedges.
4. When the stock mixture is boiling, stir in the quinoa. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and scallions and cook, tossing occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the ground beef to the pan, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Stir in the Southwest spice blend and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season again with salt and pepper.
8. While the beef cooks, halve the bell peppers lengthwise and remove the white ribs and seeds. Rub the peppers all over with a drizzle of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
9. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and roast until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. When cool enough to handle, turn them cut-side up on the baking sheet.
10. Stir the crushed tomatoes into the beef mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes reduce slightly and the flavors come together, about 5 minutes.
11. When the quinoa is done, stir it into the beef and tomato mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
12. Fill each roasted pepper half with as much beef-quinoa mixture as will fit. Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese over the tops.
13. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and roast until the peppers are very soft and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
14. Divide any remaining filling between plates, set the stuffed peppers on top and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I prepare the filling before the peppers are finished roasting?

Yes. The beef, tomato and quinoa filling can be finished while the peppers soften in the oven. Keep the filling warm in the pan until the peppers are ready to stuff.

What should I do if all the filling does not fit inside the peppers?

Spoon the extra filling directly onto the plates, then place the finished stuffed peppers on top as directed.

Why are lime wedges served on the side?

A squeeze of lime adds brightness to the rich beef, tomato, quinoa and Monterey Jack filling.