With the emphasis on vegan protein and a delicious combination of spices, these Vegan Mexican Stuffed Peppers are a quick and easy way to feed a large crowd. Each pepper is filled with black beans, quinoa, corn, and spices, making sure no one will go hungry. Plus, you can top it off with my avocado Pico de Gallo recipe to add a fresh kick on top. These are simple to make and bound to be a crowd-pleaser!
When we decided to have a big “family dinner” with the rest of my travel group, I knew these would be the perfect thing to bring to the potluck.
Most of my favorite ways to spend time with people I love is centered food. The best part of the holidays is everyone hanging out in the kitchen, bumping hips as we prep food, and chatting away as we cook. I love big dinners, where friends and family are spread out throughout the room, too many people to fit around the table. You lose the formality of a fancy dinner style and everyone is more comfortable to be themselves.
Perhaps I love this so much because it reminds me of Thanksgiving at my Nana’s. She had a long home in Anthony, Texas and we would fit huge groups of people for the holidays. Folding tables and chairs would be scattered throughout the home and the front yard. I loved the mixed chatter, the bull shitting over card games, and the casual vibes of paper plates and plastic cups.
No fancy china here 🙂
Another thing I love about gathering to share food with friends is that I can show off delicious vegan recipes. It is such a delight to bring a dish that everyone raves about and I get to drop the secret that they just enjoyed something vegan. Not too bad, huh? Some of the other vegan dishes I have brought to big pot lucks include my vegan chili and this avocado caprese pasta salad.
This week, the stuffed peppers were an easy choice because the ingredients are really simple. The hardest part about cooking in foreign countries is not having the same access to ingredients that you normally would at home, so cooking tends to be really flexible. I already knew I had quinoa, black beans, peppers, and corn, so I knew this would be an easy fix, even if I had to substitute spices. They turned out great and it was easy to make a bunch of it for a big crowd. I made about 10 peppers (doubling the recipe below).
Fresh Avocado Pico de Gallo
Vegan Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Peppers:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chilli powder – use more if you like it hot!
- 1 1/4 cup sweetcorn
- 1 1/4 cup cooked black beans
- 1/2 cup salsa
- Juice of one lime
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 6 bell peppers
For the Garnish (my style of pico):
- 1-2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of one lime
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp chili
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F or about 190°C. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions and a medium/large pot.
- Add all of the ingredients (minus the peppers) into the pot with the quinoa and continue cooking mixture on low heat while prepping the bell peppers. Prepare the peppers by cutting each in half and removing the seeds.
- Use brush olive oil around a large baking dish and brush each pepper, placing them evenly in the dish. Remove the stuffing mixture from heat and spoon the mixture into each pepper, filling to the top.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- While the peppers are baking, prep the garnish by chopping the ingredients and mixing everything together. Easy peasy!
- Serve topped with a scoop of the homemade pico de gallo and any other toppings you would like. For non-vegans, popular toppings may also include sour cream or shredded cheese.
Another bonus about this recipe? It is great for leftovers! The peppers reheat well and make an easy packed lunch for the rest of the week. The recipe is really flexible too, so feel free to add or subtract ingredients that you love.
I would love to know – What is your favorite dish to bring to potlucks? Comment below!
Thank you for reading and let me know if you try out the recipe!
Namaste,
Taryn
