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Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with mango and black beans is a healthy, protein-rich meatless main. These vegan stuffed peppers are perfect for meal prep or weeknight dinner. 
Why You’ll Love these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Quinoa, black beans, mango, and all the Tex-Mex flavors you crave. These vegan stuffed peppers truly have it all. Plus, they’re super simple, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for meal prep lunches. Enjoy on repeat for protein- and fiber-rich meals and they’ll keep you full for HOURS.
These stuffed peppers are every bit as hearty as their meat-filled counterparts. Between the quinoa, black beans, and lively spices, they’re one of the most satisfying vegetarian dishes. Plus, they lean on mostly pantry staples, like canned beans, jarred salsa, and dry grains.
Top them with your favorite salsa, yogurt, and avocado, and they’ll become a weekday staple.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bell Peppers: Colorful, nutrient-rich, and the perfect vessel for stuffing. You can use any color you like, however I prefer the sweetness of red, orange, or yellow for this recipe. (It complements the zesty spice deliciously!).
- Quinoa: This gluten-free pseudo-seed is one of the only plant-based sources of complete protein. It adds hearty texture to the filling, and makes these vegan stuffed peppers super satiating. Feel free to use white, red, or tri-colored quinoa for this recipe.
- Black Beans: Just one humble can of black beans adds a one-two punch of protein and fiber. However if you don’t have any on hand, pinto beans also work well here!
- Salsa: You can either use jarred/store-bought or fresh, homemade salsa for this recipe. One of my favorite brands are Frontera, which makes an amazing roasted tomato variety.
- Mango: Ripe mango adds the perfect dose of sweetness to these vegetarian stuffed peppers. Though if you’re not able to find it out of season, it’s fine to omit it.
- Spices: For extra flavor in every spoonful, I use a lively combination of chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. You can also add some smoked paprika, onion powder, and/or cayenne to the mix.
- Toppings: See some yummy suggestions below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the Quinoa
Combine quinoa, vegetable broth, and spices in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until quinoa is fluffy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.
Step 2: Bake the Bell Peppers
While the quinoa cooks, prepare the bell peppers. Arrange the bell peppers cut side up in a 13×9″ baking dish with a little water in the bottom. Bake at 400ºF for about 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender.
Step 3: Prepare Filling
To the bowl with quinoa, add black beans, mango, salsa, adobo sauce, lime juice, cilantro, and salt; mix well to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as needed.
Step 4: Stuff Bell Peppers
Divide the filling evenly into each bell pepper half. Cover the pan with foil, and place back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Lastly, garnish with your toppings of choice and DIG IN.
Top Your Vegan Stuffed Peppers
These vegetarian stuffed peppers are plenty flavorful and satisfying on their own. However, if you want to gussy them up further, here are my favorite toppings:
- Cheese: If you’re not making these vegan, top the peppers with your favorite shredded cheese: mozzarella, pepper jack, or Monterey jack, for example. If you are making them vegan, sprinkle some cashew cheese or nutritional yeast overtop. They’re also INSANELY delicious with a drizzle of Vegan Queso — just saying!
- Avocado: At minimum, this recipe calls for some cool, creamy slices of avocado. Alternatively, add a generous dollop of homemade or store-bought guac on top.
- Greek Yogurt, Sour Cream, or Coconut Milk Yogurt. For a dollop of creaminess, you can’t go wrong with yogurt or sour cream.
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
- To Make Ahead. Prepare the filling up to 3 days in advance, and store it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to cook, add it to the halved peppers, and bake as directed.
- To Store. Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Reheat gently in the microwave or a 350ºF oven until warm. If microwaving, slice the peppers in half before reheating so that they warm evenly.
- To Freeze. Freeze leftover peppers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recommended Tools to Make Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Ceramic Baking Dish: One of my most-used baking dishes, this beautiful piece is so versatile.
- Small Saucepan with Lid: Inexpensive, reliable, and a kitchen staple! This pot is perfect for cooking the quinoa.
- Non-Slip Cutting Board: My go-to for slicing and dicing all of the filling ingredients. This cutting board rarely leaves my countertop.
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Vegan)
Equipment
- Small saucepan with lid
- 13x9-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
- 4 bell peppers, sliced in half from top to bottom (red, orange, or yellow)
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup prepared salsa (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/2 cup fresh diced mango (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1 to 2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle chiles) (sub hot sauce of choice)
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- Optional toppings: Greek yogurt or sour cream (coconut yogurt if making vegan), extra salsa, cheese (dairy or plant-based)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Combine quinoa, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, and granulated garlic in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until quinoa is fluffy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl.
- While the quinoa cooks, prepare the bell peppers. Arrange the bell peppers cut side up in a 13x9-inch baking dish with ~1/4 inch of water in the bottom. Cover with foil and bake at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender.
- To the bowl with quinoa, add black beans, salsa, mango, cilantro, lime juice, adobo sauce, and salt; mix well to combine. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Divide the filling evenly into each bell pepper half. Replace foil and place back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with avocado slices and extra lime juice, if desired. Add extra toppings of choice (Greek yogurt/sour cream or coconut yogurt, extra salsa, nutritional yeast or cheese/queso).
Notes
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
Can I use pre-cooked quinoa? Just mix in the cumin, garlic etc and put straight into the peppers to bake?
Hi Becky – yes that should be totally fine! Enjoy
These are incredible. I love using food as a vessel to eat my food. You can just grab the pepper and bite right in. I put some hot sauce on it (I just like spice, the flavor is good) and couldn’t stop myself from indulging in three of these beauties.
Made these tonight and they were delish! Will be added into our regular rotation of meals
Hi Katelyn, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! Thank you for taking time to leave a review!