Air Fryer Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
A nutritious and easy-to-make roasted red pepper and quinoa stuffed peppers recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup sweetcorn
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
- Lime wedges for serving
Method
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, preheat your air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Cut the tops off the red peppers and remove the seeds and membranes.
- In a pan over medium heat, add a little olive oil, the diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, black beans, sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, and the sautéed onion and garlic. Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture into each of the prepared peppers, packing it tightly but not overflowing.
- Place the stuffed peppers carefully in the air fryer basket. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and slightly charred on the edges.
- Remove from the air fryer and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s fast convection dries and blisters the pepper skins while the cooked quinoa filling is already hydrated, so it only needs heating through. Packing the filling removes air gaps, helping the peppers stand up and conduct heat inward without turning the tomatoes and beans mushy.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 4 upright peppers with space between them; in a single-drawer model cook in two batches if they touch, while in a dual-zone air fryer split them 2 and 2, match the settings, and check the smaller drawer a few minutes earlier as it often browns faster.
Common pitfalls
- Peppers slumping or leaking before the edges char? They were overfilled or packed with a wet mixture; drain tomatoes/beans well and leave a small rim at the top so steam can escape.
- Filling still cool in the centre after 20 minutes? The peppers are too large or the quinoa was fridge-cold; cover the tops loosely with foil for 5 minutes, then uncover for 2–3 minutes to restore browning.
- Pepper skins blackening while the flesh is still firm? The basket is too close to the element or the peppers are very tall; reduce to 170°C and extend cooking by 5–7 minutes.
- Quinoa tastes flat or dusty? It was under-rinsed or cooked in plain water; rinse until the water runs mostly clear and use well-seasoned stock, as the air fryer will not add much extra moisture or seasoning penetration.
Variations & substitutions
- Use cooked brown rice instead of quinoa; it is denser, so loosen the filling with a spoonful of stock or salsa before stuffing to prevent a dry centre.
- Swap black beans for chickpeas; they hold their shape more firmly, so crush a few into the mixture to help the filling bind.
- Add grated Cheddar or crumbled feta on top for the final 3–4 minutes; adding it from the start can over-brown before the pepper softens.
- Use yellow or orange peppers if preferred; they are usually slightly thinner-walled, so start checking tenderness around minute 14.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 8–10 minutes until hot through, covering loosely with foil if the tops are browning too quickly.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
