Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
These pizza quinoa stuffed peppers have all the flavor and goodness of pizza…in a bell pepper! Pretty, delicious, and (mostly) healthy.
So, I recently turned 30.
I’m officially OLD.
All the more reason to watch what you eat, right? I feel like I’ve had a slightly obscene amount of sweets around here lately. The No Bake Peanut Butter Bars were especially damaging to my waistline.
I figured it was past time to have a savory recipe…and something slightly healthier. Slightly. We’ll just say it’s better than actual pizza. You have power packed quinoa, fresh basil, flavorful mushrooms. Oh, yeah…and tons of cheese and pepperoni. Minor details.
However, it’s all packaged up in a sweet red bell pepper rather than greasy crust. So that’s a win. Actually, a serving of 2 filled pepper halves is only 228 calories! Not bad, right?
About these Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
I cut my peppers from top to bottom rather than the traditional way of stuffing peppers (by slicing off the tops), because I like this ratio of filling to bell pepper better than the alternative. Plus they are easier to cook (and eat!) this way.
This isn’t my first go-around with stuffing quinoa into a bell pepper. If you’re craving Tex-Mex, make sure to try my southwestern quinoa stuffed peppers with chicken.
I think I love this recipe even more than that recipe, though. The gooey bits of fresh mozzarella, the slightly spicy pepperoni, and the fresh basil keep things lively.
These pizza and quinoa stuffed peppers could definitely be made a day in advance if you’re looking ahead. Just assemble them, and bake them when you’re ready.
If you’re looking for more healthy twists on pizza, try these pepperoni pizza zucchini noodles, pizza chicken tenders, or these delicious pizza stuffed spaghetti squash. Try making homemade classic spaghetti sauce to use with any of these recipes. Make a big batch and freeze it in small containers.
Enjoy!
PS: Also gluten free! If you would like to make this vegetarian, simply leave out the pepperoni. Or try vegetarian southwestern stuffed peppers with rice and pinto beans.
Loving quinoa?
This protein packed gluten-free grain is so versatile and healthy! Try:
- Savory Asian Quinoa Pancakes
- Quinoa Pancakes
- Savory Quinoa Muffins
- Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Celery
- Kale Quinoa Salad with Walnuts and Cranberries
- Autumn Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash, Bacon, and Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
- Italian Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf
- Creamy Turkey Soup with Quinoa
Pizza Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
These pizza quinoa stuffed peppers have all the flavor and goodness of pizza…in a bell pepper! Pretty, delicious, and (mostly) healthy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
- 3.15 ounce package of sliced pepperoni, slices cut into quarters
- 8 ounces of perline (pearl) mozzarella, liquid drained
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, more for garnish
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 5 red bell peppers, sliced in half and hollowed out
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare large baking dish (at least 9x13) by spraying lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except Parmesan cheese and bell peppers.
- Meanwhile, place red pepper halves in boiling water and cook for three minutes. Remove with tongs or slotted spoon, place on wire racks, cut side down to drain and cool, so that you can handle them.
- Fill pepper halves with quinoa mixture and place in prepared baking dish. Repeat until all pepper halves are full. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and peppers are heated through. Enjoy immediately
Notes
- If you can’t find pearl mozzarella you can cut up any type of fresh mozzarella into small pieces. Shredded mozzarella would be fine, too.
- Omit pepperoni for vegetarian main dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 2 pepper halvesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 419mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 11g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
Husband’s take: He approves. He likes this healthier take on pizza.
Changes I would make: None are necessary.
Difficulty: Easy!
27 Comments on “Pepperoni Pizza Quinoa Stuffed Peppers”
Such a flavorful recipe.
I love pizza so this is basically my new favorite meal :D
Thanks Jennifer!
I always loved my mom’s stuffed peppers, but I think these babies trump hers!!! Cannot wait to try them!
Thanks Liz! I hope you love them!
Yum! This is so creative! I love Pizza ANYTHING!
Thank you!
I was just wondering why you boil the peppers before cooking? Thanks
It helps them soften up. Otherwise the cooking time isn’t quite long enough for them to get as soft as you would want. Hope you love them!
What a fun twist on stuffed peppers! These look super fun :)
I use turkey bacon cut into pepperoni chunks — don’t eat pork and could not find fake pepperoni; regardless, they are Yummmy and a stand by. Thanks you so much.
Yum, these look great! I’ve only make stuffed peppers a couple of times, but the hubby loves them, so I’d love to try this great looking pizza version. Pinned!
These look delicious– and I could probably even get my husband to eat them!
Far from old, my dear! Although I hear ya on the sweets damaging one’s waistline…that’s an issue around here, too. Homemade ice cream…whoops. I’ll take this “healthy” recipe and run with it! Any way I can pretend cheese is good for me is fine by me :-)
I love this idea – quinoa is a huge favorite around here, so I can see this showing up here soon!
Girl if you are old than I am fossilized.
Happy birthday!
And feed me.
Ok these look amazing… I really need to give these a try.
Rachel these are so brilliant! I picked up some pepperoni yesterday with these in mind :)
haha, you better be careful saying that 30 is old!! My mom, and many others might be slightly offended ;) Just sayin (I said that once to my aunt who is 55, when I turned 30 last year, she wasn’t too happy, lol).
Yes, these are gluten free, and sound delicious! Just be sure to buy a certified GF pepperoni, because those sometimes have gluten fillers.
Happy birthday! These stuffed peppers are such a good idea. Quinoa, veggies, cheese…sign me up! I can’t wait to try making them into a vegetarian version.
This looks declicious. This would be a nice twist on pizza night!
Happy Birthday, Rachel! 30 is not as bad once you get there :)
Love these stuffed peppers! Pinned!
I love the pizza and quinoa twist on these. They sound delicious.
happy birthday rachel! these peppers sound amazing!!!
This is such a great idea Rachel! Hope you had fun celebrating your birthday. :)
Happy 30th Birthday, girl! Knew it was your birthday when I read Shanna’s post, over at Pineapple and Coconut, early this morning. She made such a cute treat for you to celebrate! Thank you for sharing this tasty and healthy recipe, Rachel. And, have a great weekend! xo
These peppers look delicious!! Pepperoni?? So delicious and healthy! You’re not old, my dear. I feel like once you reach you’re 30s, you’re able to enjoy life in a mature yet still young way!! :)