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Looking for a delicious and easy way to enjoy stuffed peppers? Look no further than these crockpot stuffed peppers! They’re loaded with quinoa, tomatoes, corn, onion, cheese, olives, basil, and spices. And the best part? You can make them in your crockpot, which means you can set it and forget it while they cook to perfection.
I have always been a fan of stuffed peppers, and this is my favorite stuffed peppers recipe to make. I have been making it on a regular basis for a few years now because my whole family loves it. It is so easy to make, is such a great comfort food, and doesn’t take that long to cook in the crockpot.
Simply stuff the sweet bell peppers with the filling mixture, pour in some spaghetti sauce and water, and let your crockpot do the rest. The result is a delicious and healthy meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights or any time you want a comforting and satisfying dinner. So, grab your crockpot, and let’s get started!
This recipe is vegetarian, as written, but you can easily add some meat for extra protein. We like to add cooked ground turkey, ground chicken, or lean ground beef to make this an easy meal and delicious dinner. This great recipe is a family favorite, and it is healthy and delicious!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked Quinoa – You can also use cooked brown rice, cooked white rice, or even cauliflower rice if your family does not like quinoa. I use quinoa in this recipe instead of the traditionally used rice. Quinoa is a grain that is high in protein, iron, and potassium, among other vitamins and minerals. It is easy to cook and tastes great in this recipe. The quinoa, fresh herbs, and veggies, along with the rest of the ingredients, fill the peppers with such great flavor.
- Grape Tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Frozen Corn, thawed
- Small Onion, chopped
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Slice Olives
- Fresh Basil Leaves, thinly sliced
- Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Sweet Bell Peppers – Try to use large bell peppers so you can stuff them to the max with filling. I like to use Red Bell peppers, Orange Bell Peppers, or Yellow Bell Peppers.
- Spaghetti Sauce, Marinara Sauce, or Tomato Sauce
- Water
- Optional – Ground turkey, ground beef, ground chicken, or ground sausage.
How to Make Them
These Crockpot Stuffed Peppers are such an easy recipe to make, and it is made with simple ingredients, so you can feel great about feeding it to your family.
Begin by cooking the quinoa following the package directions. Let it cool a bit and set it off to the side.
Next, cook the ground meat if you are using it. Drain off any grease.
Cut up the tomatoes and onion, then cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds.
In a large bowl, combine the corn, olives, cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, and onion together with the quinoa.
Mix in 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, along with the garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper.
Gently stir ingredients together until mixed well, trying not to squish the mixture. If you’re using meat, stir it into the quinoa mixture.
Mix together the sauce and water in a small bowl. Pour half on the bottom of the crockpot.
Scoop the quinoa and meat mixture into each pepper and stuff the peppers as much as you can. Place them in the crockpot. If you have any leftover quinoa mix, top off each pepper with a little more as they sit in the crockpot (the good thing about using a crockpot is if it spills off, it is in the pot. Honestly, the parts that spill off and cook in the sauce might just be my favorite part!) Or, save the extra for an easy lunch. It is so good you could eat it alone.
Top the peppers with the remaining spaghetti sauce and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with the rest of the parmesan cheese.
Cover with the crockpot lid and cook on low for 3 ½ – 4 hours – it will be ready just in time for dinner time.
Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Variations & Substitutions
- Make them Southwest Style – Use cheddar cheese, black beans, salsa or tomato sauce, cooked rice, green bell peppers, and diced jalapenos. Add a little cumin and chili powder. Yum!
- Italian Stuffed Peppers – Use Italian Sausage (I like to use Spicy Ground Sausage) with Italian seasoning, red sauce, extra bell peppers and tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. It is one of my favorite recipes.
How to Store Leftover Stuffed Peppers
I sometimes think that stuffed peppers are even better the next day. Once cooled, store the leftovers and any extra filling in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It is an easy meal to reheat on those busy nights when you don’t have time to cook.
How to Reheat Leftovers
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in the oven. You can also use leftovers to make an easy stuffed pepper soup by chopping up the leftovers and cooking them in a little bit of chicken broth. Yum!
Helpful Tips
- You can prep all of the ingredients ahead of time and pop everything into the crockpot in the middle of the afternoon on the day you plan on serving the stuffed peppers when things are hectic and busy. Dinner will be ready by the time the kids start getting home from practice with their stomachs growling!
- Turn the leftovers into Stuffed Pepper Soup! Once the peppers are cold and kind of congealed from the fridge, give everything a rough chop. (You can use a food processor, too.) Then add that meat mixture to some simmering broth. Yum!
Looking for More Slow Cooker Recipes?
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a comment and rating below. I love hearing from you.
Crockpot Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 cups quinoa cooked
- 1 pound ground turkey or lean ground beef
- 6 large sweet bell peppers
- 1 pint grape tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can 4 ¼ oz. sliced ripe olives
- 4 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese divided
- ¾ teaspoon. garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup spaghetti sauce
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Cook quinoa following package directions and cook the ground turkey or ground beef.2 cups quinoa, 1 pound ground turkey
- Cut up the tomatoes and onion.1 pint grape tomatoes, 1 small onion
- Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds.6 large sweet bell peppers
- Mix the corn, olives, cheddar cheese, sliced tomatoes, and onion with the quinoa. Add 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, along with the garlic powder, basil, salt, and pepper.1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 can, 4 fresh basil leaves, 4 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese, ¾ teaspoon. garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Gently stir ingredients together until mixed well.
- Mix together the sauce and water in a small bowl. Pour half on the bottom of the crockpot.1 cup spaghetti sauce, 1 cup water
- Stuff each pepper to the top with the quinoa mixture.
- Place the peppers in the crockpot. If you have any leftover mix, add it to the peppers once they are in the crockpot.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the peppers.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese over the peppers.4 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- Cover and cook on low 3 ½ – 4 hours.
- Let the peppers cool just a little, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Special Equipment Needeed
- crock pot
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
