Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers (Vegetarian & Gluten-Free)

Change up your dinner routine with these bright, zesty, and protein-rich Mediterranean stuffed peppers. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and great for meal-prep!

Mediterranean stuffed peppers are here to liven up your weeknight meal plan! The well-seasoned vegetarian filling includes robust flavor from aromatics, spices, feta, and fresh parsley.

Stuffed peppers are a classic - so easy, versatile, and satisfying. I like playing with different grains, seasonings, and vegetables depending on the season. For this recipe, we use protein-rich quinoa, which I also love in gluten free tabbouleh salad with chickpeas and avocado and tofu quinoa bowl with roasted eggplant and broccoli.

It's vegetarian, gluten-free, and great for meal-prep!

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best
• 🍅 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How To Make Them
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🥒 More Vegetarian Recipes
• Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers (Vegetarian & Gluten-Free)

⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best

• Full-flavored: A bright, zesty vegetarian dish, with a slight pop of heat from cayenne pepper. The bell peppers mellow in the oven, becoming sweet and tender, and the quinoa filling is slightly nutty.
• Texture: Creamy, chunky, and fluffy
• Nutritious: Packed with vitamins and minerals; high in protein and fiber while still being vegetarian and gluten-free.
• Great for meal-prep: The peppers only get better after mingling in the fridge for a day!

🍅 Ingredient Notes

• Quinoa - One of my favorite grains; high in protein and naturally gluten-free.
• Zucchini - Any variety of summer squash will work just fine. Use it to make stuffed zucchini boats with rice, healthy buttermilk pancakes with zucchini, and death by chocolate zucchini bread.
• Chickpeas - High in protein and fiber, and adds a slightly nutty flavor. Use them for crispy bbq chickpeas and chickpea spinach curry.
• Feta - Salty and briny, and a lovely complement to the sweet tomatoes and bell peppers.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Make vegan/dairy-free: You can either substitute a vegan cheese or simply omit it.
• Green bell peppers. I use a mix of orange and yellow sweet bell peppers here. You could use green bell peppers as well, but they have a more bitter flavor.
• Add protein. This dish is already high in protein because of the quinoa, chickpeas, and feta, but if you want to add more protein, go for it!
• Use your favorite grain. Substitute couscous, farro, brown rice, or white rice for the quinoa.
• Shallots or a red onion can be used in place of yellow onion.
• Fresh herbs. Use your favorite Mediterranean herbs in place of, or in addition to, fresh parsley.

🔪 How To Make Them

Add vegetable broth and quinoa to a medium-size sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until broth is absorbed. Remove from heat and uncover. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray. Place the (seeded and halved) peppers into baking dish cut-side up.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until tender, around 3-4 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in chickpeas and cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add cooked quinoa, feta, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Divide quinoa filling evenly among pepper halves and cover with foil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until peppers are soft and tender. Serve immediately.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• How to serve: Serve as a main dish with sides like creamy cucumber avocado gazpacho, tuscan bean salad, corn (see my post on how to cook frozen corn on the cob!), or see my list of 11 best sides for stuffed peppers; as a side accompaniment to main dishes like portobello burgers with smoky ranch coleslaw, impossible burger meatballs, and chicken focaccia sandwiches.
• Make ahead: Prep everything ahead of time and store separately in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, stuff and assemble, and add an additional 5-10 minutes to bake time.
• How to store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To freeze: Wrap peppers in foil and place in freezer-safe bags. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To reheat: Place in a 350 degree F. (pre-heated) oven for 15 minutes, or until filling is heated through.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🥒 More Vegetarian Recipes

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