Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Ground Meat, a step-by-step recipe with photos from Polina, 2623 kcal
Stuffed peppers with quinoa are a great option for those tired of the traditional meat and rice filling. You definitely won't be disappointed! Quinoa is also considered a superfood: it's rich in iron, magnesium, vitamins E and B, and plant-based protein with an amino acid composition similar to animal protein.
- Ground beef
- Red sweet pepper
- Leek
- Carrot
- Quinoa
- Walnut
- Fresh mint
- Parsley
- Pomegranate juice
- Narsharab sauce
- Refined vegetable oil
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground black pepper
- Salt
- Parsley
- Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under cold running water—this will remove the bitterness. Transfer the quinoa to a saucepan, season with salt to taste, and cover with 100 ml of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes—be careful not to burn the quinoa. Remove the quinoa from the heat.
- Thinly slice the leek into rings. Peel and dice the carrots. Remove the mint leaves, stack them on top of each other, roll them into a roll, and then cut into thin strips. Chop the parsley. Use a sharp knife to cut off the tops and stems of the peppers, then carefully remove the seeds. Finely chop the walnuts.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and carrots and fry until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and fry for about 3 minutes, constantly breaking up any lumps with a spatula.
- Add chopped walnuts to the meat and vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add ground cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper, and season with salt to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the quinoa, balsamic vinegar, narsharab, and pomegranate juice to the pan and mix thoroughly. Heat the pepper filling for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Add the mint and parsley and mix again.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper. Using a spoon, fill each pepper tightly with the quinoa mixture. Place the stuffed peppers in the dish.
- Bake the stuffed peppers with quinoa and ground beef for 30 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Serve the peppers hot, garnished with parsley and walnuts, if desired.
Stuffed peppers with buckwheat and ground meat are a delicious alternative to the traditional rice-filled recipe. This is especially great if you have some leftover cooked buckwheat in the fridge—it pairs wonderfully with the ground meat! To make the filling juicy, add a little cold water and season to taste, such as a little dried thyme or basil, a pinch of ground nutmeg, or smoked paprika. These stuffed peppers will be fragrant and incredibly delicious!
You've probably cooked—and certainly eaten—stuffed peppers at least once in your life. But the familiar versions always include rice and often meat. And here—meat with potatoes and a spice paste! It's very original, filling, aromatic, and delicious. Depending on your taste buds, you can stuff just chili peppers, just sweet peppers, or a mix.
