(photography by Elaine Gordon)
Almost every type of cuisine has a stuffed bell pepper dish. With their vibrant color and unusual shape, stuffed peppers can provide a stunning presentation for your main course. Today I am sharing my favorite Mexican-style vegan stuffed peppers recipe. It is loaded with nutritious plant-based ingredients like quinoa, black beans, sweet potato and squash. Bold flavor comes from a homemade enchilada sauce that makes this dish. Definitely don’t skip on this easy version made from scratch with all pantry ingredients. More fresh Mexican flavor comes from green onions, red onions and fresh cilantro.
When making this dish on a busy weeknight I prepare the sweet potato in my Instant Pot the night before. I also cook the quinoa in advance and use canned black beans to keep it simple. This way, I can quickly combine ingredients and pop in the oven. While it cooks I prepare/set out any desired garnishes such as avocado, lime, cilantro and green onions. I love this dish with a huge dollop of my vegan sour cream which I make in advance.
NOTES: Be sure to select bell peppers that have a semi-flat bottom and can stand fairly upright on their own. If they do not, slice a very thin portion off the bottoms so that they can easily stand upright. Slice off the stem and a thin portion of the top of each bell pepper. Scoop out and discard the ribs and seeds. Discard the stems, and cut the remaining pepper tops into fine dice if desired (you can add this to your quinoa/black bean/sweet potato mixture to avoid wasting it – if you do you would add along with the yellow squash).
NUTRITION INFO
Health Benefits of Bell Peppers
Bell peppers range in color and flavor based on how ripe they are. A red bell pepper is riper and therefore sweeter and milder than a green bell pepper. Red peppers contain 11 times more beta carotene and four times more vitamin C than green bell peppers. Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keep teeth and gums healthy, and beta carotene benefits your immune system, vision, skin health and bone health. Red bell peppers also contain an important phytochemical, lycopene, which could benefit prostate and heart health, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation. Select bell peppers that are brightly colored and firm with tight skin. You can store bell peppers for up to five days in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.
Health Benefits of Quinoa
I love the texture that quinoa adds to the stuffing mixture in this recipe. Many people consider quinoa an ancient whole grain, but it’s actually a seed. Quinoa is a good source of fiber with five grams of fiber per serving. Fiber keeps you fuller longer and aids in digestion and overall heart health. According to the American Dietetic Association, quinoa is a complete protein with all eight essential amino acids — great for vegetarians and vegans. In addition to containing more protein than many grains, this powerful seed also contains more nutrients, including important minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron.
Health Benefits of Black Beans
Black beans are considered a legume and part of both the protein and vegetable group. They also provide dietary fiber and important nutrients such as iron and zinc. I love their texture in this dish and they absorb the enchilada sauce flavor well.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables to incorporate into recipes whenever possible. Their vibrant orange color lets you know you are getting all that immune-boosting vitamin A (also helpful for vision and bone health). They also offer dietary fiber and potassium and are high in vitamin C. They are convenient and versatile and somehow serve as both a comfort food and health food all at once. They are incredibly filling, and I love the sweet flavor and creamy smooth texture they add to this dish.