Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers
Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers feature hollowed bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of cooked white rice, mushrooms, chickpeas or vegan crumbles, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings. The filling is cooked in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with garlic, onion, and herbs before being topped with a breadcrumb and vegan cheese mixture. Baked until peppers are tender and the topping golden, this dish offers a hearty, balanced meal combining textures and rich flavors in a wholesome vegan format.
Ingredients
- 2 bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cup white rice 3/4 cup uncooked will make about 1.5 cups cooked, cooked
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped, sweet white or red
- 2 bay leaves optional
- 3 garlic chopped, large cloves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt depends on salt content in sauce
- 1 tomato very ripe; diced
- 2-3 tsp Italian seasoning basil, oregano, thyme
- 1 cup mushroom thinly sliced
- 2 cups spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3/4 Cup chickpeas Half of 15 oz jar drained) or use 1/2 cup veggie crumbles or omit, cooked
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup vegan cheese shredded; mix of vegan mozzarella and Parmesan style
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (206 c)
- Start by cutting off the tops of your green peppers and remove all seeds, until cavity is completely hollow.
- Bake the peppers: Sprinkle inside with a dash of salt and pepper. Place in any oven safe bake ware, that will allow peppers to stay in place w/open tops facing upright.
- Bake for aprox 20 mins, or until almost tender
- While baking, cook rice if you haven’t already (3/4 cup dry will make about 1.5 cups cooked. Wash the rice and soak for 15 minutes. The drain, combine with 1.5 cups water and cook in a saucepan over low heat partially covered for 20 minutes)
- While peppers and rice are cooking, mince garlic, and finely chop the onion, mushrooms,coarsely chop tomato.
- Make the sauce: Preheat olive oil in a fairly large deep skillet pan on medium-high heat, add onion, and a pinch of salt. cook for about 3-4 mins. You can also add 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper here for variation.
- Add garlic, cook until almost golden. Add tomato, salt, pepper, mushrooms. Mix well, cook until tomato breaks down a bit.
- Now add your sauce, chickpeas, brown sugar, seasonings. Mix well
- Simmer on medium low for 10-15 mins. Taste and adjust salt and flavor of this spaghetti sauce.
- Remove peppers from oven set aside to cool. Mix rice into your 'spaghetti sauce' with half of the cheese, let rest.
- When cool enough to handle, spoon sauce/rice mixture into the peppers. Leave enough room for your topping
- Now take another portion of cheese, the breadcrumbs, garlic powder and olive oil, mix well and top each pepper generously.
- Return the stuffed peppers into oven and bake for about 20 min or until topping is nicely browned and fork easily penetrates through the walls of the peppers. Serve with breadsticks or french bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For extra protein, add lentils or vegan meat crumbles to the filling.
- Gluten-free bakers can substitute breadcrumbs with gluten-free options like almond flour mixed with crushed oats.
- Mushrooms can be omitted based on preference without altering the recipe's integrity significantly.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 466kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 72g | 24% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 780mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 1134mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 19g | 38% |
| Vitamin A | 2945IU | 59% |
| Vitamin C | 97mg | 108% |
| Calcium | 145mg | 15% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.