Roasted aubergine, quinoa and vegetarian feta stuffed peppers
Colourful roasted peppers filled with lemony quinoa, charred aubergine and crumbly vegetarian feta — a satisfying, gluten-free midweek supper.
These stuffed peppers are a bright, slightly smoky midweek winner — roasted aubergine and lemony quinoa make a filling base, while vegetarian feta adds that creamy, salty finish. They’re naturally gluten-free, easy to make ahead and happy on a dinner table with a simple green salad.
Make them when you want something comforting but not stodgy: they travel well for lunchboxes and reheat beautifully.
Ingredients
- 4 large red peppers
- 200 g quinoa
- 600 ml vegetable stock — hot
- 350 g aubergine — roughly diced
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 250 g cherry tomatoes — halved
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 1 lemon — juice and zest
- 15 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped
- 150 g vegetarian feta — crumbled
- salt — to taste
- black pepper — to taste
Equipment
- baking tray
- ovenproof dish
- saucepan with lid
- frying pan
- mixing bowl
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Halve the large red peppers lengthways and remove the cores and membranes. Brush the inside of each pepper with a little olive oil and place cut-side up in an ovenproof dish.
Rinse the quinoa well under cold water in a fine sieve, then transfer to a saucepan with the hot vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender.
When the quinoa has absorbed the stock, remove the pan from the heat and leave covered to steam for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Toss the diced aubergine with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper, spread on a baking tray and roast on the middle shelf for 25 minutes until deeply browned at the edges and tender.
While the aubergine roasts, heat the frying pan with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Sweat the brown onion for about 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried oregano and cook for a further 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
Combine the cooked quinoa, roasted aubergine, tomato-onion mixture, crumbled vegetarian feta, chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the filling into the pepper halves, pressing lightly so they are generously filled. Sprinkle a little extra crumbled vegetarian feta on top if you like.
Bake the stuffed peppers in the oven for 20 minutes until the peppers are tender and the tops are warmed through and lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and leave the peppers to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Scatter extra chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice over each one.
Tips
- Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until the water runs clear to remove its natural bitterness.
- Roast the aubergine on a single layer so it chars rather than steams — that char is where the flavour lives.
- Make the filling a day ahead and keep it chilled; fill and bake the peppers just before serving to save time.
- If the peppers brown too quickly on top, cover loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes of baking so they soften evenly.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 160°C fan for 10–12 minutes to avoid sogginess.
Substitutions
quinoa → brown rice, 200 g (cooks longer — may need 10–12 minutes extra simmer)
Stays closevegetarian feta → regular feta, 150 g
Noticeably differentaubergine → courgette, 350 g (roast until golden but note a firmer texture and milder flavour)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 410
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 19 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 500 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these ahead and freeze them?
Yes — bake, cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a 180°C fan/200°C conventional oven for 25–30 minutes.
How can I make this vegan?
Replace the vegetarian feta with 150 g firm tofu, crumbled and tossed in 1 tsp lemon juice and a pinch of salt, or use a commercial vegan feta alternative.
My peppers are still firm after 20 minutes — what now?
If they remain firm, bake for a further 10–15 minutes covered with foil until a knife slips in easily. Thicker-walled peppers simply need more time.
Can I use different-coloured peppers?
Absolutely — yellow or orange peppers are sweeter and will work beautifully; cooking time stays the same.
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