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This Dump and Bake Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole is cheesy, flavor-packed, and simple – dump everything in the oven, then bake until bubbly!
I’m back with another easy/convenient/delicious Dump and Bake recipe, and this one does not disappoint. This Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole has all the good flavor of a classic stuffed pepper with none of the hassle! Dry rice and lentils combine with peppers, seasonings, and tomato sauce to create a bubbly, cheese, flavor-packed recipe that’s perfect for meal prep or a weeknight dinner.
INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION
Like all of my other dump and bake casseroles, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and made from budget-friendly and pantry-friendly ingredients. Since we’re baking everything in the oven all mixed together, I guess you could call it an unstuffed pepper casserole instead 😉
Stuffed peppers are normally made with ground beef or chicken, but I decided to use dry lentils, which are a great natural source of plant-based protein and fiber. Plus I love their hearty flavor, and texture too! The combination of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes adds a lot of umami flavor and keeps the casserole perfectly saucy. The melty vegan cheese on top is technically optional, but I’d recommend using it for the classic stuffed pepper flavor.
HOW TO MAKE STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE
The dry-to-wet liquid ratios are *perfectly* calculated for this recipe, so all you have to do is mix everything together and let it bake – yes even the rice and lentils – in the oven! Baking in the oven is way more convenient than in a skillet on the stovetop too – there’s much less hands-on time, and no need to stand over a steamy simmering pot.
- Combine the broth ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil on the stovetop
- In the meantime, combine the dry rice and lentils with all of the veggies in a casserole dish. Mix well.
- Pour the broth over the lentil and rice mixture, then cover and bake.
- Uncover and stir, then top with cheese and broil until bubbly!
Let me tell you – tossing dry ingredients into the oven and uncovering them have a fully cooked casserole? Incredibly satisfying. I love to serve this wholesome and hearty dish as a fuss-free weeknight dinner, but it’s also great for meal prep since you can easily reheat the leftovers in the microwave!
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
- How should I store leftovers? Store any leftovers in the refrigerator – in the casserole dish or in a new airtight container – for up to 5 days.
- Can I freeze this casserole? Yes lalala thaw completely before reheating to prevent the dish from cracking.
- Flavor variations: to give this casserole more of a Tex-Mex vibe, add 1 cup of corn kernels along with the veggies, plus 1 tbsp chili powder (or taco seasoning) to the broth mix! You can also top with fresh cilantro instead of parsley 🙂 For more of an Italian vibe, keep the ingredients the same but top with fresh basil instead of parsley!
If you like this Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe, you’ll also love these Curried Lentil Stuffed Peppers, this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, and these Kale & Quinoa Stuffed Peppers! Or, check out this blog post for 13 more Dump & Bake Recipes!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintVegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole | Dump-and-Bake
This Dump and Bake Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole is cheesy, flavor-packed, and simple – dump everything in the oven, then bake until bubbly! Naturally gluten-free, protein-packed, and totally delicious.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 65 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the Broth:
- 1 cup (245 ml) marinara sauce
- 2 1/2 cups (590 ml) vegetable broth
- 1 14.5 (440 g) ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
For the Casserole:
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 1/4 cup (218 g) dry brown or green lentils, rinsed well
- 3–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (180 g) dry brown rice
- 10 ounces (280 g) frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
- 1 1/2 –2 cups dairy-free cheese, to put on top (optional)
- Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F and set a 9×13″ casserole dish aside. Mix the sauce, broth, diced tomatoes, cumin, and Italian seasoning together in a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Dump: While the liquid is heating up, add the onion, bell peppers, lentils, garlic, and rice to the casserole dish. Use your hands to separate and sprinkle the thawed spinach over the veggies, then mix together with a spatula until everything is evenly combined.
- Bake: Remove the broth from the heat once it comes to a boil and pour evenly over the casserole dish. Cover the casserole with a lid, aluminum foil, or parchment paper followed by aluminum foil and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 60 minutes.
- Broil: Remove from the oven, uncover, and stir well to incorporate the sauce evenly. If you are not using vegan cheese, serve here. Otherwise, top the casserole with vegan cheese and return to the oven; broil for 2 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with fresh parsley and serve warm.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to one month.
Notes
- White Rice: replace the brown rice with equal parts white rice. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes instead of 400F for 60.
- Flavor variations: to give this casserole more of a Tex-Mex vibe, add 1 cup of corn kernels along with the veggies, plus 1 tbsp chili powder (or taco seasoning) to the broth mix! You can also top with fresh cilantro instead of parsley. For more of an Italian vibe, keep the ingredients the same but top with fresh basil instead of parsley!
Keywords: stuffed pepper casserole, vegan stuffed peppers, vegan casseroles, vegan dump and bake
This was delicious. I will definitely be making it again.
★★★★★
Thank you, Monica!
Absolutely Delicious! So easy to make and we ate it all today so will be making it again tomorrow. Nutritious and Satisfying with great flavor!!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Sydney! We’re happy you loved it.
Do you think quinoa could be substituted for the rice? I assume cooking time would change… any recommendations on how long to cook if quinoa is used instead?
★★★★★
Yes, quinoa can be substituted for the brown rice in this recipe. Since quinoa cooks faster than brown rice, the cooking time will be reduced. Here’s how you can modify the recipe:
Rinse and drain 1 cup of quinoa.
Follow steps 1 and 2 of the original recipe.
Add the quinoa to the casserole dish along with the lentils, vegetables, and spinach.
Pour the hot broth mixture over the casserole and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake the casserole at 400F for 30-35 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
Follow steps 5 and 6 of the original recipe.
You can also check for doneness by making sure the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid and has become tender. You may need to adjust the cooking time based on your oven and the size of your casserole dish, so keep an eye on it towards the end of the baking time. Enjoy!
Could white rice be substituted for the brown rice without making alterations to the cooking time?
They have different cooking times so the alteration is necessary.
This was really delicious! I’m usually not much of a lentil fan, but I loved the “dump and bake” idea, and it worked out perfectly. It tastes really good and not too.. lentil-y. Next time, I’d probably also chop some cherry tomatoes in there as well. Love it, and will definitely cook this again!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it, Sandra!
Would I be able to use fresh spinach?
Sure you can!
My boyfriend and I have been vegan for the past few years but I’m always looking for new recipes to try! This is absolutely delicious and super simple! I’ve made it twice in the last two weeks… it’s become a staple for us!
★★★★★
This was super quick to throw together and it was delicious! My young kids also enjoyed it!
★★★★★
So glad you all enjoyed it, Robyn!
So easy and flavorful! I made a lemon herb sauce to dress it up. Make this, you won’t be disappointed!
★★★★★
Happy you liked it, Pat!
I made this last week for a friend, it felt fancy enough to serve for guests but easy enough to make any time! I love how healthful it felt with brown rice, lentils, spinach, veggies… but also such comfort food. The rice came out perfect with tin foil in a glass Anchor baking dish. I’m so impressed, I’ll definitely be making some other dump and bake casseroles based on how much I loved this one.
★★★★★
So glad you loved the recipe, Jessica! 🙂
Delicious. I added diced mushrooms and kale so that little ones could not find them!( Shhh! Don’t tell!) Family approved!!!
★★★★★
So happy you and your family found it delicious, Brenda! 😊
Easy to make and great flavor! Next time I’m going to add mushrooms and up the tomato sauce. I found it a little heavy on the rice, but my carb-loving husband thought it was perfect!
★★★★★
This unstuffed pepper casserole is delicious! It is full of flavor and easy to make. I had cooked brown rice on hand so I used that (2 cups). I then cooked the lentils (al dente) so that I could adjust the baking time correctly for all ingredients. I reduced the broth to just 1/2 cup, baked it at 375 for 25 minutes and it came out great!
★★★★★
So happy to hear that!
Another winner! I love these easy yet delicious casserole recipes. The only modification I made is I used farro instead of rice because that’s what I had on hand but I actually think it worked really well with this! Next time I might add some mushrooms too. Excited to try this with your Tex Mex variation!
★★★★★
Glad it worked out really well for you, Jen! Thanks for the review.
Love this! Made it tonight for the first time and it was perfect. So hearty and filling.
★★★★★
Flavorful and easy to make!
★★★★★
Made this last night and it was amazing!! Looking forward to having the leftovers throughout the week. Love your dump&bake recipes, so easy and delicious!!
★★★★★
We’re happy you love the recipes, Anna! Thank you so much for the review!
Could you use canned lentils
Canned lentils can certainly be used as a quick alternative, but look for varieties with low sodium content, and be sure to rinse them well before use. Also, they cook quicker than dry lentils so you have to adjust the baking time.
Caitlin how did you know these were the exact ingredients I had leftover from my last grocery trip? Absolutely delicious recipe, might be my new favorite dump and bake recipe so far! Thank you for always making so many easy and tasty recipes!
★★★★★
Lucky guess! 😁 Thank you Charlotte. Glad you loved the recipe!
This couldn’t have come at a better time! A friend gifted me a whole box of red and orange peppers. Going to make some veggie broth now so that I can get this made for dinner tonight. Thank you 😊
You’re welcome, Amber! Your friend’s gift came at the perfect time. Hope you enjoyed the recipe!