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How is it possible we are at the end of August already? I can’t believe that fall is on its way. Summer always goes by way too fast for my liking.
Even though I am always sad to watch long summer days gradually get shorter, I welcome the fall weather. I do love the hot summer weather, but there is something so cozy and lovely about the crisp fall air.
With the cooler weather, I can finally turn my oven on without sweating! I am looking forward to enjoying some fall baking, loads of winter squash, sweet potatoes, and soups!
Making stuffed peppers is my bridge from summer to fall. Fresh summertime bell peppers + turning on my oven in comfort = the perfect way to kick off the fall season.
Aren’t bell peppers just gorgeous? A rainbow of colors: green, yellow, orange, and red. Nature’s beauty at its finest.
These Greek Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are quite possibly one of my new favorite meals. They are bursting with Greek flavor: Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, spinach, fresh lemon, fresh parsley, garlic, red onion, cinnamon, and oregano. And, AND they’re topped with some salty feta cheese! Win!
What I love about Greek Quinoa Stuffed peppers is that they are easily adaptable. If you want a meatless Monday, no problem: sub chickpeas for the chicken. Yum!
My second favorite thing about Greek Quinoa Stuffed Peppers is that they are a complete meal in one. There is no need for a side salad or side of veggies because, HELLO, there are already bell peppers, plus spinach and artichoke hearts!
These little dudes are perfect for a weekend lunch or for dinner. If you have your chicken already cooked (I used my Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken) , and your quinoa already cooked, then this recipe comes together in about 35 minutes! That’s my favorite kind of weeknight cooking. Really any type of cooking.
Just trust me, you need to make Greek Quinoa Stuffed Peppers pronto!
If you give these stuffed peppers a try, let me know what you think. Leave a comment and rate it! Enjoy, friends!
Greek Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Greek, Gluten free
Description
Greek quinoa stuffed peppers are a meal-in-one. They are bursting with veggies and all sorts of Greek flavor. Plus they are gluten-free!
Ingredients
- FOR THE GREEK SEASONING:
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS:
- 4 bell peppers, a variety of colors, cut in half lengthwise with ribs and seeds removed (keep stem intact for a pretty presentation)
- 1 10 ounce package of chopped, frozen spinach, defrosted
- 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa* (see notes below for cooking instructions)
- 1 cup previously cooked chicken, chopped (I used leftover chicken from my Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken recipe)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 13 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained, and chopped
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Greek seasoning mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
- TOPPINGS (optional):
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Lemon wedges for squeezing
Instructions
- FOR THE GREEK SEASONING:
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. You will only use 2 tablespoons of the seasoning, so you will have some leftover. Store the remainder in an empty spice jar or a mason jar. It will last for up to 1 year. Sprinkle in salads, rice, burgers, over chicken; you can add it to pretty much anything.
- FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Place the pepper halves into the boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the peppers have softened slightly. Remove the peppers, draining off any excess water. Place them in a large baking dish. You may have to work your peppers in two batches depending on how big your pot is.
- Once the frozen spinach has been defrosted and is cool to the touch (if you used your microwave to defrost), place the spinach in a clean tea towel, wrap the tea towel around the spinach and squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as possible. Add the spinach to a medium-sized mixing bowl, using your fingers to break it up.
- To the mixing bowl with the spinach add the cooked chicken, cooked quinoa, red onion, minced garlic, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, flat leaf parsley, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and Greek seasoning. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. The Kalamata olives can be pretty salty so you may not need very much salt.
- Use a spoon to stuff the pepper halves to the top. I found it helpful to use my clean finger to push the filling into the corners of the peppers. Top the stuffed peppers with crumbled feta cheese (optional).
- Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the stuffing of the peppers is warmed through.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing. Serve immediately.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven.
- If you have any filling leftover, you can freeze it to save it for stuffing peppers in the future. Or you could eat it on top of a salad, or as is, straight out of the bowl.
Notes
*To cook the quinoa, rinse 1 cup quinoa with cold water. Add the quinoa to a pot along with 2 cups filtered water or broth. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer, with lid on, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the quinoa to rest for another 5 minutes, with the lid still on. Fluff with a fork. Allow to cool before making the peppers.
If you want to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan, simply omit the chicken and replace it with 1 cup canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed. Sounds delicious to me!
Recipe inspired by and heavily adapted from The Domestic Geek.
Recipe inspired by and heavily adapted from The Domestic Geek.
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