I have never been a big fan of queso (stay with me, I realize this post is about queso). The cheesy, salty dip that appears at every football watching party in a slow cooker, or slathered over nachos at any sports stadium, just didn’t have much appeal. The reason? That block of Velveeta cheese.
When Pacific Foods offered to let me try out their new Salsa con Queso, I was still hesitant- until checking out the ingredient list. Real sharp cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese, creme fraiche, chopped tomatoes, red bell peppers, garlic and jalapeños? Definitely a convenience food I can get behind. When warmed with tortilla chips, I can now say I am a queso fan.
For this recipe, I took this delicious Salsa con Queso as an easy way to flavor stuffed bell peppers. When combined with a bit more spice, lots of summer veggies, and hearty grains stuffed into a bell pepper, the classic cheese flavor makes this healthy and filling vegetarian meal feel indulgent. You’ll find me sharing this recipe over at Pacific Foods’ blog as their September blogger!
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ear sweet corn
- ½ medium zucchini
- 4 ounces five grain tempeh
- ½ cup Pacific Foods Salsa Con Queso
- 2 red bell peppers
- Garnish ideas: avocado, pico de gallo, queso, cilantro
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Dice half an onion and sautee it with olive oil on medium heat. Once the onion is translucent, add in cumin and chili powder and sautee for another minute until aromatic. Remove from heat.
- Slice corn off the cob and thinly slice the zucchini. Crumble the tempeh with your hands.
- In a bowl, combine the cooked onions, raw veggies, and crumbled tempeh. Toss with Salsa Con Queso.
- Slice two red peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds. Stuff each half with the cheesy tempeh and veggie filling.
- Place the red pepper halves in an 8x8 pan, balancing them against one another if necessary. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered and serve with plenty of garnishes.
You can check out Pacific Foods’ website for a $1 off coupon to try out the Queso (or their new shelf stable hummus!), but I also have some Salsa con Queso to give away to you all to try! 5 blog readers will get 2 samples of Pacific Foods’ Salsa con Queso by mail for upcoming football games or get togethers this fall.
Simply comment below before September 3rd and tell me about your favorite football snack. I’d also love to hear whether you’d like to fool your friends into eating healthier queso with no junk, or if you’d use the queso as an ingredient in a Mexican-inspired dish (definitely throw all the pico de gallo on top of it!).
P.S. Invite me to your Broncos viewing party… I’ll bring the queso.
Marisa
Katie says
I love Queso! I’ll have to be on the hunt for this!
Marisa says
I have seen it at my Whole Foods, so definitely try there!
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
Healthy queso?! I am SO in!! These looks absolutely incredible.
Marisa says
Thanks Alexis! I know – a dream come true for cheese lovers 🙂
Mala Kavuluri says
Thanks for the giveaway !
Love queso and the peppers look so good 🙂
Alex @ DelishKnowledge says
Yum! Love the idea of a healthy queso dip! My favorite football snacks are lentil sloppy joes and nachos 🙂
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
Ohh, these look and sound SO good!!! It has been awhile since I have made stuffed peppers. I am excited to try these out 🙂
Cassie says
UM can you just come watch the Steelers and bring queso? K thanks.
My favorite football snack is… dun dun dun… buffalo chicken dip. Aren’t I awful?
Kelsey says
I love queso in every form- I would even be willing to try a healthier variety and cook with it! I love football snacks- they are actually my favorite food. Pretzels with queso has to be my favorite!