Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers With Sausage and Quinoa
Italian stuffed bell peppers with sausage and quinoa are a twist on a recipe that goes back to my childhood. My grandma made her version of stuffed peppers with green peppers, ground beef, and rice. As a child, I remember not being fond of this meal. As a young adult missing home-cooked meals I found myself calling my grandmother asking how to make her recipe. I have since made and evolved stuffed bell peppers many different times. Most recently Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers have made their way on the menu. For this particular stuffed Bell Peppers recipe, I am using Italian sausage and quinoa for more of an Italian flair but depending on the spices and fillings you use they could have more of a Mexican flavor or could easily be a vegetarian dish if you leave out the meat.
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For Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers you will need:
- Uncooked quinoa rinsed
- Italian sausage
- Frozen corn
- Diced tomatoes with green chilies
- Medium-Sized bell peppers
- minced garlic
- Onion powder
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Water
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
How To Make Quinoa In The Instant Pot
To start you need to precook the quinoa in the instant pot. Rinse one cup of uncooked quinoa in a fine metal strainer like this one. Add quinoa to the instant pot along with 1-½ cups of water. Pressure cook on high for 2 minutes letting the pressure naturally release completely, about 15 minutes. Once it is safe to open the instant pot remove the quinoa and set it aside.
Instant Pot Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers
Start by browning the Italian sausage in a skillet or, use the saute function in the Instant Pot. Once the sausage is browned add minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir in frozen corn, tomatoes with green chiles, add the cooked quinoa and stir to combine the ingredients.
Preparing the filling in the Instant Pot using the sauté function is convenient, however, the completed filling mixture would need to be transferred out so that the inner pot could be cleaned and the trivet placed inside. For this reason, I absolutely love having a second liner or even using my second Instant Pot and avoid turning the stove on altogether.
How To Pressure Cook Stuffed Bell Peppers
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot along with 1 cup of water. Slice the tops of the bell peppers off and clean out the seeds and cores. Spoon the sausage and quinoa mixture into the pepper all the way to the top and carefully place the stuffed pepper on the trivet. Complete this for all your peppers and then lock the lid in place and set the cooking time for 0 minutes. This may seem silly, but we are just looking to steam everything and soften the pepper. Since the filling is completely cooked it isn’t necessary to “cook” these. Once the cooking cycle is complete QR the pressure completely.
Top each of the peppers with a sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place the lid back on for 2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
I prefer a bit more filling when I serve these so that’s where the extra sausage and quinoa filling comes in. There will definitely be more filling than you have peppers but don’t worry there are lots of ways to use it.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes
How To Use Leftover Sausage & Quinoa Pepper Filling
- Make a double batch of stuffed peppers and freeze.
- Serve extra filling on the side stuffed peppers if you have hearty eaters.
- Use the next day over tortilla chips for nachos. (I promise this is good)
- Serve with over-easy eggs in the morning. Also sounds strange but is delicious!
- Use as a burrito filling.
- Serve without peppers to the picky eater in your house.
- Dice Peppers and mix in, cover with cheese for an easy casserole.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe Variations
If you prefer rice substitute Instant Pot Jasmine White Rice for quinoa. Use cumin and chili powder and omit the Italian seasoning if you want a Mexican stuff bell pepper. Or swap out red bell peppers for your favorite variety of bell pepper for different flavor combinations.
Can I Freeze Stuffed Bell Peppers?
Halve bell peppers, core, and remove seeds. Spoon sausage and quinoa filling mixture into each half of the peppers. Place stuffed peppers in a glass baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Place covered peppers in the freezer. When the peppers are completely frozen wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a labeled freezer bag. Store for up to 2 months.
How To Cook Frozen Bell Peppers
Remove frozen stuffed bell peppers to the fridge overnight to thaw. Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes.
Pressure cook frozen bell peppers straight from the freezer. Start by placing the trivet in the bottom of the Instant pot and 1 cup of water. Place the frozen stuffed peppers on top. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes with a quick release. Sprinkle with cheese and replace the lid for 2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
Confused about how to use your Instant Pot? I want to help you.

Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers (Sausage & Quinoa)
Instant pot Stuffed Bell Peppers with a twist. Made with Italian sausage and quinoa.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (pre-cooked)
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 1 cup of frozen corn
- 10 oz can tomatoes with green chilies
- 4-8 Medium bell peppers (one batch or two)
- 1 Tbs. Minced garlic
- 3 tsp. Onion powder
- 1 tsp. Sea salt
- 1 tsp. Black pepper
- 1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning
- 1 Cup water
- Shredded Parmesan
- Shredded Mozzarella
Instructions
- Pre-cook 1 cup of multi-colored quinoa in the instant pot.
First, rinse the quinoa in a fine metal strainer. Add quinoa and 1 ½ cups
water to the instant pot and pressure cook for 2 minutes with full natural
pressure release. When the quinoa is done remove it from the Instant pot and set
aside. - Heat olive oil in a skillet or in the Instant Pot using the sauté
setting. Sauté Italian sausage until browned. - Once the sausage is browned add minced garlic, onion powder,
salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir in frozen corn, tomatoes with
green chiles, and add the cooked quinoa to the skillet. - Place the trivet in the Instant Pot along with 1 cup of
water. Slice the tops of the bell peppers off and clean out the seeds and
cores. Spoon the sausage and quinoa mixture into the pepper all the way to the
top and carefully place the stuffed pepper on the trivet. - The 6 quart Instant Pot can fit 4-5 bell peppers at a time you may choose to make them in two batches. (see notes)
- Place the lid on and lock. Set the steam valve to sealing
and set the cooking time for 0 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete
immediately release the pressure. - When it's safe to remove the lid top each of the peppers
with a sprinkle of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place the lid back on for
2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
Notes
If your model of Instant Pot does not allow you to set the cook cycle for 0 minutes, use 1 minute instead.
There will definitely be more filling than you have peppers but don’t worry there are lots of ways to use it.
- Make another batch of stuffed peppers and freeze.
- Serve with the stuffed peppers if you have hearty eaters.
- Use the next day over tortilla chips for nachos. (I promise this is good)
- Serve with over-easy eggs in the morning. Also sounds strange but is delicious!
- Use as a burrito filling.
- Serve without peppers to the picky eater in your house.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 285Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 755mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 15g
Nutrition information is an estimate.

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