❤️ You’ll Love This Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Easy to prepare: Made with everyday ingredients, this dish is fuss-free super quick, and easy to make.
Colored peppers are perfectly tender and slightly charred around the edges. Medium spicy, Mexican-style rice and bean mixture with sweet corn. The savory, slightly smokey flavor profile of stuffing pairs well with the sweetness of peppers. Melty mozzarella cheese on top is a perfect addition.
Healthy: With protein from beans, vitamins from bell peppers, and carbs from rice, this dish is nutritionally balanced. Freezer-friendly: The best thing about these vegetarian stuffed peppers is that they freeze and reheat so well. So you can make a double batch, have it for dinner, and store leftovers for another busy weekday dinner.
❤️ Ingredient Notes
Bell Peppers: Select firm and almost same-sized peppers to ensure they bake at the same time. I prefer colored peppers as they have a slightly sweet taste compared to green peppers. Cooked Rice: You can use brown rice or white rice. I have used basmati rice as that’s what I have in my pantry all the time. You can use any long-grain rice. Make sure to cook them ahead of time (or a day before) or use any leftovers. Onion: You can use yellow or white onion. Yellow onions are sweeter and caramelized nicely, while white onions are crunchier and have a sharper taste. Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is highly recommended. But you can use ready minced garlic from a jar as well. Tomatoes: Fresh, ripe tomatoes are ideal for a dry, semi-moist stuffing. Canned tomatoes have so much moisture, so if using canned diced tomatoes then drain the juice well. Black Beans: You can use canned black beans for convenience or prepare your own. If you go for dry black beans, consider using my instant pot black beans recipe to cook them perfectly. Sweet Corn: Use canned, fresh or frozen sweet corn (cooked in the microwave). Spices (Cumin, Chili powder, smoked paprika, Garlic powder, Salt, Black pepper) add flavor to your stuffing and build flavor complexity. Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice brings a zesty brightness to the mix. Mozzarella Cheese: Low-moisture mozzarella cheese works fine here for stuffed peppers.
👩🍳 How To Make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers? (Pics)
Make Stuffing: 1, 2) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process. sauté onions until they turn translucent. This will take around 3-4 minutes. 3, 4) Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until it’s fragrant but not browned. 5, 6) Next, add tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until they soften and begin to break down. 7, 8) Add cumin powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, remaining salt, and pepper. Mix and cook for a minute. 9) Add black beans, sweet corn, cooked rice, and lime juice. 10) Stir until everything is combined and heated through. Assemble & Bake:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
1, 2) While your oven is warming up, prep the bell peppers by cutting them in half vertically and removing the seeds and membranes, making sure they are empty and clean on the inside. Brush them with a little olive oil on the outside and inside as well. 3) Arrange the peppers in a baking dish or tray cut side up and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to blister and the peppers are fork tender. 4) Remove the tray from the oven and carefully stuff each one with the prepared stuffing. Fill them almost to the top. 5) Sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese on each pepper. 6) Return the peppers to the oven and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro before serving stuffed peppers
💭 Expert Tips
Choose bell peppers that are similar in size for consistent cooking. Don’t overcook the peppers otherwise, they turn too soft, mushy, and soggy. Feel free to add some other veggies like zucchini or mushrooms to the stuffing for added volume and nutrition. If using canned beans then always rinse them to remove excess sodium. Depending on the size of your peppers, you might have some stuffing left over that you can serve on the side by itself.
🥣 Storage Instructions
To Refrigerate, Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days. To Freeze, place the stuffed peppers in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm the stuffed peppers in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.
Did you try this vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.
Sofritas Vegetarian chili Tater tot nachos Black bean quesadillas
