High-protein stuffed peppers with beef mince and quinoa

High-protein stuffed peppers with beef mince and quinoa: a hearty oven classic with red peppers, tomatoes, garlic and Mediterranean spices.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 20 min
• Cooking time: 35 min
• Total time: 55 min
• Calories: 440 kcal per serving
• Protein: 35 g
• Fat: 18 g
• Carbs: 30 g

Ingredients

• 300g lean beef mince
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 red peppers
• 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
• 100g quinoa
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• Pepper
• 1 small pinch of chilli flakes
• Salt

Method

You’ll need: oven · frying pan · saucepan · baking dish · chopping board · knife · sieve · wooden spoon

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and cook it in lightly salted water until soft. Then drain and let the steam escape briefly.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Wash the peppers, cut off the tops and remove the seeds and membranes; finely chop the onion and garlic.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the beef mince and fry until browned and crumbly.
4. Stir in the paprika, oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Add the chopped tomatoes and quinoa and let everything reduce briefly until the filling is juicy but not runny.
5. Spread the remaining tomatoes in a baking dish. Stand the peppers in it, fill them with the mince and quinoa mixture and put the tops back on.
6. Bake at 200 °C for 25–30 min, until the peppers are soft and lightly browned in places. Serve hot from the dish, ideally with some of the tomato sauce from the bottom.

Good to know

There's something relaxing about making an oven dish like this. It's spicy, juicy and filling without feeling heavy. Just right when you want something simple and really tasty.

Swaps

Beef mince → lean turkey mince (fewer saturated fats, still plenty of protein) Quinoa → cauliflower rice (fewer carbs, more veg volume) Tinned chopped tomatoes → freshly diced tomatoes (less processed, fresher flavour) Extra virgin olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, mostly monounsaturated fats)

Allergens

The dish is free from the classic major allergens such as milk, egg, soya and nuts; onion, garlic and chilli may not suit sensitive people.

Frequently asked questions

Which nutrients do red peppers provide a lot of?

Red peppers contain lots of vitamin C as well as carotenoids. The exact amount varies with the variety and ripeness, but is usually well above many other vegetables.

Does quinoa suit a sensitive stomach?

Often, but not always. Washing it thoroughly removes the saponins on the surface, which taste bitter and can irritate the stomach and intestines in some people.

What's in beef mince, nutritionally?

Lean beef mince provides protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. How much fat it contains depends a lot on the mince you use.

Are tinned tomatoes less nutritious than fresh ones?

Not generally. Tinned tomatoes still contain lycopene; vitamin C is somewhat lower because of the heat, though.

Why can onion and garlic cause discomfort for some people?

Both contain fructans, which are fermentable carbohydrates. In sensitive people or those with IBS, they can make bloating or a feeling of pressure worse.

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