Stuffed Pasilla Peppers With Habanero Pesto

These stuffed pasilla peppers have pretty much everything out could ask for inside of them. They are filled with zesty vegan chorizo, tender quinoa, plenty of vegan cheese, and then topped off with a fiery habanero pesto. This recipe is definitely going to be one of your favorites the moment you taste it.

STUFFED PASILLA PEPPERS WITH HABANERO PESTO [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

• For the Pesto:
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro
• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan 
• 3 habanero peppers, deveined of all seeds
• 6-8 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin

FOR THE QUINOA:

• 1/2 cup tricolor quinoa
• 3/4 cup vegetarian chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small white onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix

FOR THE STUFFED PEPPERS:

• 4 Pasilla peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces vegan chorizo
• 1 cup vegan shredded cheese
• 1 cup corn
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

FOR THE PESTO:

1. Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend them on high for about a minute.
2. Store the pesto, covered, in the refrigerator until it’s ready to be used.

FOR THE QUINOA:

1. Before cooking, rinse quinoa thoroughly.
2. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it under cold running water for about 30 seconds to a minute.
3. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, broth, and taco seasoning.
4. Bring it to a boil.
5. Reduce it to a simmer, cover, and cook it until the quinoa is slightly translucent. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
6. Set this aside.

FOR THE PEPPERS:

1. Place the peppers in the oven and broil them on high until they’re very slightly charred and soft enough to cut through easily, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Remove peppers from the oven and cut a slit down the middle of each one, lengthwise.
3. Using a spoon, remove as many seeds as you can.
4. Set the peppers aside.
5. In a pan on medium-high heat, add two teaspoons oil.
6. When oil is hot, add the vegan chorizo and cook it according to the directions.
7. Add the garlic, corn, and quinoa.
8. Cook them an additional 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
9. Remove pan from the heat and toss the cheese in the mixture.
10. Brush each pepper with the remaining teaspoon of oil.
11. Once chorizo mixture is cool enough to handle, begin stuffing the peppers.
12. Stuff each pepper generously with stuffing mixture and place them in an oven-safe pan.
13. Bake stuffed peppers on 400°F for 30 minutes.
14. Top each pepper with an additional teaspoon of shredded cheese and bake them an additional 10 minutes.
15. Remove the peppers from oven and them let sit, at room temperature, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
16. Garnish them with habanero pesto, red onion, and cilantro.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/stuffed-pasilla-peppers-with-habanero-pesto/