Nosh on vegetarian stuffed peppers for dinner tonight with a recipe that is sure to satisfy any anyone in your circle.
Those fall days are already here! For me that means I’ll be inside baking a lot more. Summers just get too hot in our cottage up on the hill. The sun beats down on us and even our new a/c unit struggles to keep up on extremely hot days. I only have the oven on in the early morning if at all in the summer.
I am so happy to get to bake more and come up with some new, cozy fall recipes like my Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.
My husband still eats meat occasionally, but since I don’t cook with it, by default, we only eat vegetarian meals for our family meals. I’m well equipped with many bulked up recipes like these Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
I personally love all the new pea protein meat alternatives coming out these days. I am obsessed with Impossible plant-based meat and love using it in this recipe.
High in protein and iron, it bleeds like the real deal when you cook it and tastes nearly identical to ground beef. I love that it doesn’t have grease in it when cooked and is the exact same consistency as ground beef. Thus far, out of plant-based proteins, it’s the closest thing to the real deal.
This recipe is also versatile. If you are a meat eater, you can easily substitute in chorizo or ground beef. Veggies can vary, too. This week I had garden fresh tomatoes and frozen corn I wanted to use up, so I threw those in.
Chopped spinach could be added in with the onions and garlic. If you don’t like rice, you could just double the protein and veggies and it would still be delicious. There are so many ways to make this dish…
Tools You Need
Cutting board and knife
Garlic press
Large saucepan
Small pot
Measuring cups and spoons
Cheese grater
8×8 casserole baking dish, glass or ceramic
Ingredients for Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Bell peppers
Impossible plant-based meat
Jasmine rice
Corn
Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic
Cumin
Chili powder
Salt
Cheese
How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Preheat oven to 375°F. Start by preparing your rice on the stove, according to the package directions.
As the rice cooks, cut out the stems and seeds from bell peppers. You can cut the peppers in half or leave them whole with the center hollowed out.
As you’re making your rice, start simmering a pot of water to submerge and blanch your bell peppers in. Make sure the peppers are covered in water, cooking them for about 2-4 minutes, until slightly soft. Don’t boil too long or they will get mushy and begin to leech nutrients out. Remove the peppers and lay them in a casserole dish, standing them up straight.
Next, start chopping any veggies (onion, tomato, etc.) you’ll be using into small, bite-size pieces. Then, begin browning your plant-based meat in a pan on the stove along with the onion. (No added oil is necessary, but if you prefer you can about a tablespoon or two of oil now.) Stir often, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add the corn and all other veggies into the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the veggies are fully cooked. Now stir in the salt, cumin, chili powder, and fresh garlic.
Once your rice is prepared, stir it into the cooked plant-based protein mixture.
Load your bell peppers with this filling and top with as much cheese as you desire. Bake at 375°F for about 15-20 minutes, until cheese has melted and slightly browns. Let cool for several minutes before serving.
Tips for Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- I use jasmine rice because it’s my favorite. It doesn’t take long to cook and I enjoy the finer, longer grain. You can of course use a different type if you prefer.
- Use whatever veggies you have on hand. I’m not going to tell you you have to use tomatoes if you hate them. You can use more chopped up peppers if you want instead. Make it the way you enjoy it.
- Black or pinto beans are another great addition if you’re looking to bulk up on protein and fiber. Just add them in with the veggies and rice before stuffing the peppers.
- Squeeze some fresh lime juice on the peppers just before serving
More Recipe Inspiration
Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- garlic press
- cutting board and knife
- large saucepan
- small and large pot
- measuring cups and spoons
- cheese grater
- 8×8 casserole baking dish
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers
- 1 package Impossible plant-based meat or soy chorizo
- 1/2 cup uncooked jasmine rice
- 2/3 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 2 small Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 medium onion yellow or red
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, pressed
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 8 oz. block of pepper jack or cheddar cheese, grated
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Start by preparing your rice on the stove, according to the package directions. As the rice cooks, cut out the stems and seeds from bell peppers. You can cut the peppers in half or leave them whole with the center hollowed out.
- As you’re making your rice, start simmering a pot of water to submerge and blanch your bell peppers in. Make sure the peppers are covered in water, cooking them for about 2-4 minutes, until slightly soft. Don’t boil too long or they will get mushy and begin to leech nutrients out. Remove the peppers and lay them in a casserole dish, standing them up straight.
- Next, start chopping any veggies (onion, tomato, etc.) you'll be using into small, bite-size pieces. Then, begin browning your plant-based meat in a pan on the stove along with the onion. (No added oil is necessary, but if you prefer you can about a tablespoon or two of oil now.) Stir often, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the corn and all other veggies into the pan and cook for a few more minutes until the veggies are fully cooked. Now stir in the salt, cumin, chili powder, and fresh garlic.
- Once your rice is prepared, stir it into the cooked plant-based protein mixture.
- Load your bell peppers with this filling and top with as much cheese as you desire. Bake at 375°F for about 15-20 minutes, until cheese has melted and slightly browns. Let cool for several minutes before serving.
Notes
- I use jasmine rice because it’s my favorite. It doesn’t take long to cook and I enjoy the finer, longer grain. You can of course use a different type if you prefer.
- Use whatever veggies you have on hand. I’m not going to tell you you have to use tomatoes if you hate them. You can use more chopped up peppers or spinach or squash if you want instead. Make it the way you enjoy it.
- Black or pinto beans are another great addition if you’re looking to bulk up on protein and fiber. Just add them in with the veggies and rice before stuffing the peppers.
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