Vegan Italian Stuffed Peppers
A vibrant Mediterranean dish of bell peppers stuffed with a tomato-herb sauce, hearty grains or lentils, and creamy vegan cheese, perfect for a weeknight supper or special occasion.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6–8 pieces medium bell peppers (mixed colours: red, yellow, orange)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked brown rice (or quinoa, millet)
- ½ cup green or brown lentils (cooked) – or skip for beans/vegan sausage
- 2 cups marinara sauce (or crushed tomatoes + herbs)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (mix of dried basil, oregano, thyme)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1½ cups vegan cheese (shredded) – optional but comforting
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Wash the bell peppers. Cut off the top ~1 inch (or slice lengthwise) and remove seeds and membranes. Dice the pepper tops (to use in the filling).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion, and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and diced pepper tops; cook another 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cooked lentils (if using) and cooked rice. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and stir until filling is warm and well combined. Remove from heat.
Baking
- Arrange hollowed peppers upright in a baking dish. Spoon the filling into each pepper until heaping. If using, sprinkle 1 cup of vegan cheese into the filling or on top.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil, top with remaining ½ cup vegan cheese and return to oven for 10 more minutes until peppers are tender and cheese golden.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve warm.
Notes
Prepare the filling up to two days ahead and store in the refrigerator. Refrigerated leftovers last up to 4 days, and fully cooked peppers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 10gFat: 9gFiber: 6g