Roasted Poblanos Stuffed with Black Bean Quinoa Chili

I'm not a big fan of traditional stuffed green peppers, so I was in for a surprise when the poblano pepper variety really won me over. Seriously, stuffed poblano peppers are the way to go. They're not too spicy either, as that mellows with cooking.

Roasted Poblanos Stuffed with Black Bean Quinoa Chili
adapted from What's Cooking Good Looking

4 large poblano peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the chili:
½ cup quinoa, rinsed (uncooked)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
salt, to taste (if using home-cooked beans, you'll need more salt than if using canned beans)
1 cup cooked black beans, with 1/4 cup liquid (or water)
1 cup diced tomatoes (canned is best for this)
1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)

optional topping: chopped cilantro, greek yogurt, feta cheese, or monterey jack


Preheat the oven to 475º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line up the poblanos on the baking sheet and rub them with the oil.  Roast them for about 15 minutes until they start to turn black and are tender. Remove from the oven, put the peppers in a bowl, and cover with a towel.

Allow peppers to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, begin to gently remove the skins by peeling them back. You can also use a paring knife to do this. Once the skins are removed, make a slit down one side to open them up and remove the seeds. Place the peppers in a roasting pan and set aside.

In a saucepan, add the quinoa and 1 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit until you're ready to add to the chili.

In a large pan (cast iron preferably), heat the oil over medium heat and then add the garlic and red onion and sauté for about 8-10 minutes, until softened. Add the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add in the salt, black beans with the reserved liquid and the diced tomatoes with their liquid. When the chili starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes until the liquid reduces by a half and the chili starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and stir in the corn and the cooked quinoa.

Stuff the chili into the peppers so they are filled but not overflowing. Top with cheese if you are using.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve the stuffed poblanos warm with additional toppings, if desired.