Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Recipe – Love and Lemons

These stuffed peppers are a vegetarian dinner that everybody will love! They’re crammed with rice and beans and topped with a melty layer of cheese.


Vegetarian stuffed peppers on a baking sheet


These stuffed peppers deserve a spot in your dinner rotation! They’re the proper mixture of comforting and recent, crammed with a scrumptious mix of rice and beans and topped with melty cheese. Sure, they’re vegetarian, however these stuffed peppers are so tasty that everybody—meat eaters included!—will love them.

I’ve shared different stuffed peppers recipes on the weblog earlier than, however this one is arms down my favourite. Right here’s why:

  1. The filling is so darn flavorful. It begins with a base of hearty brown rice, with black beans for protein and corn kernels for crunch. Onions, garlic, and tomato paste make it good and savory, and chili powder and cumin add earthy taste and warmth. YUM!
  2. It’s nice for meal prep. Make the rice filling a day or two upfront and retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge. That method, you possibly can shortly assemble the peppers for a straightforward weeknight meal.
  3. It’s wholesome! These stuffed bell peppers are full of plant-based protein, fiber, and, after all, recent veggies. Seconds, anybody?

Let’s cook dinner!


Bell peppers on cutting board with other recipe ingredients


The way to Make Stuffed Peppers

This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe has three principal steps:

  1. Roasting the peppers. Baking the peppers on their very own earlier than including the filling provides them the proper tender texture.
  2. Making the filling. It comes collectively in a couple of minutes on the stovetop.
  3. Assembling and baking the peppers. You’ll stuff the peppers with the rice filling and broil till the cheese is melted and browned.

Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.


Halved red bell peppers on a baking sheet


Roasting the Peppers

Step one on this recipe is roasting the peppers. It takes simply 10 minutes, and it provides them the proper tender texture.

Any candy bell peppers work effectively right here. I sometimes use crimson, however be at liberty to make use of different colours should you like. Orange and yellow peppers would each be scrumptious. Simply keep away from inexperienced ones—they’re not candy sufficient for this recipe.

Slice them in half vertically, take away the membranes and seeds, and place them reduce facet up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, then bake at 450°F till the peppers are tender.

After roasting, tip out any liquid that swimming pools contained in the peppers, and set them apart when you make the stuffing.


Rice and bean filling in skillet with wooden spoon


Making the Filling

Whereas the peppers roast, make the filling. In case you don’t have already got cooked brown rice available, begin by making ready it. (See the tip under!)

When it’s prepared, sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic till softened. Then, add the tomato paste and spices. Prepare dinner till the tomato paste darkens and the spices are aromatic, about 3 minutes.

Take away the pan from the warmth and stir within the rice, beans, and corn. Add recent lime juice and zest for a burst of vivid taste. Season to style.

Recipe Tip

Prepare dinner the rice upfront. Brown rice takes almost an hour to cook dinner on the range, so to streamline this recipe, I like to recommend cooking it upfront.

The cooked rice will preserve for as much as 3 days in an hermetic container within the fridge and within the freezer for as much as 3 months. See my information to cook dinner brown rice for cooking directions and ideas! In a pinch, cooked white rice will work right here too.

Another choice is to totally put together the filling forward of time. Retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge till you’re able to assemble and bake the peppers.


Filling vegetarian stuffed peppers with rice and bean mixture


Lastly, assemble and bake!

Stuff the peppers with the rice combination and high with the cheese.

Broil till the cheese is melted and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

Garnish with recent cilantro, and serve!

Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.

Variation: Make vegan stuffed peppers!

Exchange the cheese together with your favourite vegan cheese shreds. You possibly can additionally skip the cheese and serve the peppers with sliced avocado and drizzles of chipotle sauce. No have to broil the peppers in that case.


Topping stuffed peppers with grated cheese


What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers

Need to make these vegetarian stuffed peppers much more flavorful? Serve them with sliced avocado or guacamole and your favourite salsa!

The peppers are a satisfying meal on their very own, however should you’re on the lookout for one thing to serve on the facet, you possibly can’t go fallacious with any of those recipes:

Storage

Retailer leftover peppers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. They reheat completely within the microwave or a 350°F oven.


Vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe


Extra Simple Vegetarian Recipes

In case you love these stuffed bell peppers, attempt one among these simple vegetarian recipes subsequent:

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Prepare dinner Time: 30 minutes

Complete Time: 1 hour

Serves 4

These wholesome stuffed peppers are crammed with a flavorful mixture of rice, beans, and greens and topped with melty cheese. They’re naturally gluten-free; see the notes under to make them vegan.

Forestall your display screen from going darkish

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Place the peppers, reduce facet up, on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 10 minutes, or till tender. Tip out and discard any liquid that swimming pools contained in the peppers. Set the peppers apart when you put together the filling.

  • Warmth the olive oil in a big skillet over medium warmth. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, for five minutes, or till softened. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook dinner for 3 minutes, or till the tomato paste darkens and the spices are aromatic.

  • Take away from the warmth and stir within the brown rice, black beans, corn, and lime juice and zest. Season to style.

  • Fill the peppers with the rice combination and high with the cheese. Place in a big baking dish and broil for five to 10 minutes, or till the cheese is browned.

  • Prime with recent cilantro and serve with salsa and avocado, if desired, and lime wedges for squeezing.

*To make vegan stuffed peppers, substitute the pepper jack together with your favourite vegan cheese shreds. You too can omit the cheese and serve the peppers with avocado and chipotle sauce. No have to broil the peppers in that case.