Each Sunday I have been meal prepping my lunches for the week. It makes thinking about what I am going to bring to work effortless, and this dish is even better because there’s essentially no prep involved and you can set your crockpot and walk away. These crockpot stuffed peppers lend themselves to many different flavor profiles. I always tend to lean towards spice and Mexican flavors. These stuffed peppers have major health benefits - the quinoa and black beans are a huge source of fiber! I use a very heavy hand with the seasoning, since I find quinoa to be fairly bland on its own. These peppers have a Mexican twist, using taco seasoned cheese, cumin, and chili powder. This pepper truly is a meal all in one, and you won’t believe how quickly it all comes together. 

To make these stuffed peppers you will need:

1 lb ground beef 

1 15- oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 ½ cups shredded cheese

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

 ½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

5 large bell peppers, tops, stems, and seeds removed

sour cream for topping

Pour ½ cup of water into a large slow cooker and set aside. Having the water at the bottom is going to steam your peppers and beef filling!

In a large bowl, add ground beef (raw), black beans, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, uncooked quinoa, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried oregano. I’ve often heard of people adding diced green chilies and corn to this recipe as well. The more veggies I can sneak into a meal the better! Mix together until just combined. I also sprinkled in a dash of taco seasoning for an additional kick of flavor! 

Spoon your filling into the bell peppers until they are completely packed to the top. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. After they’re done, uncover the lid and top with remaining ½ cup shredded cheese, cover for 10 more minutes to melt the cheese. Top with sour cream and serve immediately. 

I love how everything goes in raw, and the crockpot does the work! Don’t have quinoa? You can substitute the quinoa for 3 cups of cooked rice. Don’t forget to spice up this recipe with a heavy hand of salt and pepper.