Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

These Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers are filled with spiced beef, quinoa, chickpeas, and a hint of sweetness from dried apricots. Baked until tender, they’re hearty, flavorful, nutritious and easy to make.

Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

My Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers are packed with bold flavors but come together without much effort. I wanted to lean into Mediterranean ingredients with warm spices, chickpeas, and a little sweetness from dried apricots. The combination of cumin and cinnamon gives the beef filling a rich, savory depth, while the quinoa keeps things hearty without feeling too heavy.

The process is straightforward—cook the quinoa, brown the beef with onions, garlic, and ginger, then mix everything together with the chickpeas, apricots, and tomato sauce. Stuff it all into bell peppers, let them bake until tender, and that’s pretty much it. If you want a little extra color, a quick broil at the end adds a nice char to the tops.

I like that these peppers hold their shape and don’t get mushy, so they come out of the oven looking as good as they taste. They also reheat well, making them a great option for leftovers. Whether you’re making them for a weeknight dinner or prepping ahead for the next day, they come together easily and deliver on flavor.

Why I Love This Recipe

• The mix of savory beef, warm spices, chickpeas, and a touch of sweetness from the apricots makes these peppers anything but boring.
• With protein, grains, and veggies all in one, it’s a complete meal straight from the oven.
• They hold up well in the fridge and reheat without losing texture or flavor.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these stuffed peppers, along with how each ingredient comes into play:

• Beef broth – Used to cook the quinoa for added flavor.
• Quinoa – Cooks in the broth and gets mixed into the filling.
• Salt and pepper – For seasoning the quinoa and beef mixture to taste.
• Ground cumin, cinnamon, and sugar – A spice blend that adds warmth and a hint of sweetness to the beef.
• Ground beef – The base of the filling, browned with onions, garlic, and ginger.
• Yellow onion – Cooked with the beef to add depth of flavor.
• Garlic and fresh ginger – Sautéed with the beef for extra aroma and warmth.
• Tomato sauce – Simmered with the beef mixture to bring everything together.
• Chickpeas – Stirred into the filling for texture and heartiness.
• Dried apricots – I use this for a touch of sweetness and contrast to the savory filling.
• Green bell peppers – The vessels for the filling, baked until tender.

How to Make Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Step One: Cook the Quinoa
  In a small pan, bring the beef broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and let it cook for about 12 minutes, or until all the broth is absorbed. Fluff it up with a fork, season it with some salt and pepper, and re-cover to keep it warm.

• Step Two: Mix the Spices
  In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, cinnamon, and sugar. Set that aside—you’ll use it in a bit.

• Step Three: Brown the Beef
  Heat up a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and start browning the ground beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon, then toss in the onion. Let that cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft—should take about 5 minutes.

• Step Four: Add More Flavor
  Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Now, sprinkle the spice mixture over the beef and give it a good stir so everything gets evenly coated. This is a great time to taste and adjust with salt and pepper, but don’t go overboard.

• Step Five: Build the Filling
  Turn the heat to low and stir in the tomato sauce, ½ cup of water, chickpeas, and apricots. Mix it all together and let the flavors blend. Then, take it off the heat and stir in the cooked quinoa.

• Step Six: Prep the Peppers and Oven
  Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. If any of your peppers won’t stand up straight, slice a tiny bit off the bottoms to level them out.

• Step Seven: Stuff and Bake
  Pack the meat mixture into the peppers and place them in the baking dish. Pour ¼ cup of water into the dish, cover with foil, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the peppers are nice and tender.

• Step Eight: Optional Broil for a Charred Finish
  If you want a little char on top, pop the peppers under the broiler for about 5 minutes after baking. Totally optional, but it adds a nice touch.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips to make these Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers come out in the best way possible:

• Prep ahead for convenience – Cook the quinoa and mix the spices in advance to save time when you’re ready to assemble.
• Customize the filling – Add chopped spinach, swap apricots for golden raisins, or throw in extra chickpeas for more texture.
• Keep peppers upright – Arrange them snugly in the baking dish so they cook evenly and don’t tip over.
• Peppers – You can use any color peppers you prefer. Red, yellow and orange peppers tend taste sweeter than green bell peppers so keep that in mind.

Storage and Freezing

If you have leftovers, these Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers store and reheat well. Here’s how to keep them fresh:

• Refrigerate leftovers – Store cooled stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat with moisture – Warm them in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes, adding a splash of water to the baking dish to keep them from drying out. The microwave works too—just cover and heat in 1-minute intervals.
• Freeze for later – Wrap individual stuffed peppers tightly in foil and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Bake straight from frozen – If you forget to thaw them, just bake at 375°F, covered, for about 45–50 minutes, then uncover for another 10 minutes to heat through.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use a different grain instead of quinoa? Yes. Couscous, rice, or even bulgur would work well in place of quinoa.

• What if my peppers don’t stand up straight? Trim a small slice off the bottoms to level them out, being careful not to cut all the way through.

• Can I make these vegetarian? Definitely. Swap the ground beef for lentils, crumbled tofu, or extra chickpeas to keep the texture hearty.

• Do I need to pre-cook the peppers? No. They soften perfectly in the oven while baking.

• Can I add cheese on top? Feta, goat cheese or shredded mozzarella would be a great finishing touch if you want a little extra richness.

More Mediterranean-Style Recipes

If you’re looking for more Mediterranean-style recipes, here are a few more dishes that bring together those flavors, simple ingredients, and hearty meals.

• Mediterranean Chicken Skillet
• Juicy Mediterranean-Style Burger
• Chicken Niçoise Salad
• Chicken Orzo
• How to Make Hummus
• Cucumber Feta Salad

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

A flavorful Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers recipe made with spiced beef, quinoa, chickpeas, and apricots. This healthy stuffed peppers dish is a hearty, easy dinner with no rice, perfect for meal prep and packed with warm Mediterranean flavors.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Keyword: Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

Servings: 5 peppers

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons For measuring ingredients accurately.
• mixing bowls For mixing the spice blend.
• nonstick skillet To brown the beef and cook the filling.
• wooden spoon For breaking up the beef and stirring the mixture.
• Cutting board For prepping all the ingredients.
• Knife To chop the onion, mince garlic, grate ginger, and dice apricots.
• 9-inch square baking dish To hold and bake the stuffed peppers.
• aluminum foil To cover the peppers while baking and keep them moist.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/3 cup dry quinoa
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsps. ground cumin
• 2 tsps. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 lb. ground beef 93% lean
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsps. grated fresh ginger
• 1-1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup water divided
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 8 dried apricots diced
• cooking spray
• 5 medium green bell peppers tops sliced off, seeded and cored

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F .
• In a small pan, bring the beef broth to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and cook for 12 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the broth. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper to taste, then re-cover.
  1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth, 1/3 cup dry quinoa, salt and pepper
• In a small bowl, combine the cumin, cinnamon, and sugar; set aside.
  2 tsps. ground cumin, 2 tsps. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, begin browning the ground beef. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon, then add the onion. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
  1/2 lb. ground beef 93% lean, 1 medium yellow onion
• Add the garlic and ginger, cooking for another minute. Sprinkle the cumin mixture over the beef and sauté for another minute, making sure to incorporate it well. This is a good time to taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, but don’t overdo it.
  2 cloves garlic, 2 tsps. grated fresh ginger
• Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tomato sauce, ½ cup water, chickpeas, and apricots. Mix well. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked quinoa.
  1-1/4 cup tomato sauce, 3/4 cup water, 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, 8 dried apricots
• Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Add peppers to the baking dish. If the peppers don’t stand upright, trim a thin slice off the bottoms to level them.
  cooking spray, 5 medium green bell peppers
• Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture and place them in the baking dish. Pour ¼ cup water into the dish, cover with foil, and bake until the peppers are tender, about 45 minutes.
• To achieve a slight char on top of the peppers, I placed them under the broiler for 5 minutes after baking. This step is optional.

Video

Notes

For optimal outcomes when making these Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers, I recommend referring to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

© noblepig.com. All content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing this recipe is encouraged and appreciated, but copying and/or pasting the full recipe to social media or other platforms is strictly prohibited.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Mediterranean-Style Stuffed Peppers

Amount Per Serving (362 g)

Calories 300 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1.9g12%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g

Monounsaturated Fat 2.2g

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 472mg21%

Potassium 833mg24%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 52IU1%

Vitamin C 124mg150%

Calcium 85mg9%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you tried this recipe? Share your experience in the comments below and let me know how it turned out.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.