Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

• A Complete Meal in One Package. You get your protein, grains, and veggies all neatly packed into a delicious, edible vessel. It means less fuss with multiple side dishes and even less cleanup afterwards.
• Endlessly Customizable. The filling is a blank canvas. Not a fan of black beans? Use lentils. Have some quinoa instead of rice? Go for it! This recipe is a fantastic guide, but feel free to play around with your favorite ingredients.
• Perfect for Make-Ahead Meals. You can assemble these peppers a day in advance, keep them covered in the fridge, and just pop them in the oven when you’re ready. They’re also fantastic as leftovers, tasting even better the next day.
• Naturally Impressive with Minimal Effort. They just look so good! The colorful peppers standing tall, filled to the brim and topped with golden, melted cheese… it’s a dish that says you put in a lot of effort, even when the process is actually quite simple.

Ingredients & Tools

• 4 large bell peppers (any color—a mix is lovely)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked rice or quinoa (about ½ cup uncooked)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, divided
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Tools: A sharp knife, a cutting board, a large skillet, a 9×13 inch baking dish (or similar), and a spoon for stuffing.

Don’t stress if you’re missing an ingredient or two. The beauty here is in the flexibility. That said, using a good melting cheese and fresh aromatics like onion and garlic really forms the foundation of the flavor.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Pepper Selection is Key. Look for peppers that have a flat bottom so they stand up straight in the baking dish. They should feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, unblemished skin.
• To Parboil or Not to Parboil? I don’t usually parboil the peppers. I find that baking them from raw gives them a better texture—they hold their shape and have a slight bite, rather than becoming too soft. The longer bake time ensures they cook through perfectly.
• Your Grain Choice Matters. If using leftover rice, that’s perfect! If cooking from scratch, make sure it’s cooled slightly before mixing. Brown rice, white rice, or quinoa all work wonderfully, but just note that quinoa will give a slightly lighter, nuttier result.
• Don’t Skip the Spices. The oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika aren’t just background notes—they create the core savory, slightly smoky flavor profile. If you have fresh oregano, you can use about 1 tablespoon chopped.

How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A simple green salad with a lime vinaigrette — The crisp, acidic freshness of the salad cuts through the richness of the peppers beautifully, balancing the meal.
• Garlic bread or warm tortillas — For those who want to scoop up every last bit of the delicious filling, a side of something bready is absolutely perfect.
• Cooling avocado slices or a dollop of sour cream — The creaminess provides a lovely temperature and textural contrast that really elevates each bite.

Drinks

• A crisp, citrusy lager or pale ale — The carbonation and hop bitterness cleanse the palate between bites of the savory, cheesy filling.
• Sparkling water with a squeeze of lime — A non-alcoholic option that still offers that refreshing fizz and acidity to complement the dish.
• A light-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir — Its bright red fruit notes won’t overpower the peppers and will harmonize nicely with the tomato base.

Something Sweet

• Mango sorbet — The tropical fruitiness feels like a light, refreshing palate cleanser after the hearty main course.
• Dark chocolate squares with sea salt — Just a small piece of rich, bittersweet chocolate is a sophisticated and simple way to end the meal.
• Orange and almond cake — The citrus notes are a fantastic echo of the bell peppers, creating a lovely thematic connection from savory to sweet.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Using peppers that are too small. Smaller peppers can’t hold enough filling to make a satisfying meal and might cook too quickly, becoming mushy. Go for large, sturdy ones.
• Mistake: Overcooking the filling before baking. You’re just bringing the ingredients together in the skillet. If you cook it too long, the tomatoes can break down too much and make the filling watery.
• Mistake: Skipping the water in the baking dish. I’ve messed this up before too… without that steam, the outer skin of the peppers can become tough and leathery instead of tender.
• Mistake: Not letting them rest after baking. It’s tempting to dig right in, but those 5 minutes allow the filling to firm up just enough so it doesn’t spill out everywhere when you cut into the pepper.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Add a flavor boost with umami. Stir a tablespoon of tomato paste into the onions while they’re cooking, or add a dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (check for vegetarian version) to the filling. It deepens the savory flavor incredibly.
• Tip: Make them gluten-free or vegan easily. This recipe is naturally gluten-free if you use tamari instead of soy sauce. For a vegan version, simply use your favorite plant-based cheese or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
• Tip: Create a crispier top. For an extra-golden, almost crunchy cheese top, switch your oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Watch it like a hawk though—it can burn in seconds!
• Tip: Freeze them for later. Assemble the peppers completely but do not bake them. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

FAQs

Can I use uncooked rice in the filling?
I don’t recommend it. The cooking time for the peppers isn’t long enough to fully cook raw rice from scratch, and the rice would absorb all the moisture from the filling, leaving it dry. Using pre-cooked rice ensures a perfect texture every time. If you’re in a pinch, you could use instant rice, but the result won’t be as good as using properly cooked grain.

How long do leftovers last in the fridge?
Leftover stuffed peppers will keep beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They reheat really well—just pop them in the microwave until warmed through, or back in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes to get the cheese melty again. The flavors often meld and improve overnight!

My filling is a bit watery. What happened?
This usually happens if the canned tomatoes were particularly juicy or if the filling wasn’t simmered long enough to reduce the liquid before stuffing. Don’t worry! You can drain the diced tomatoes a little next time, or just let the filling simmer for a few extra minutes until it thickens up. For this batch, just use a slotted spoon to serve.

Can I use a different type of bean?
Absolutely! Black beans are great, but pinto beans, kidney beans, or even chickpeas would work wonderfully. Each bean will bring a slightly different texture and flavor. I love using pinto beans for a more Southwestern vibe. Just make sure they are rinsed and drained well.

The peppers aren’t getting tender. What should I do?
If your peppers are still firm after the recommended baking time, it’s likely they were very thick-walled. Simply re-cover the dish with foil and continue baking in 5-minute increments, checking each time, until they are tender when pierced with a knife. The water in the bottom of the pan should help steam them through.