Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed with a hearty lentil and rice filling and topped with a gooey layer of melted vegan cheese, these Vegan Stuffed Peppers are perfect for easy weeknight family dinners! Vegan and Gluten-Free.

Course Main

Cuisine Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 477kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing
1/2 yellow onion fine dice
4 ounces mushrooms fine dice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 to 5 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry lentils sorted and rinsed
1/2 cup white rice rinsed or sub quinoa
1 1/4 cup ml low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 bell peppers cut in half lengthwise and cored
1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F and set a 9x13” baking dish aside.
Filling: Warm the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and tomato paste and sauté for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, add the garlic, cumin, Italian seasoning, and nutritional yeast (if using). Sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, until fragrant.
Simmer: Add the tomatoes, lentils, rice, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 28 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
Roast the Peppers: In the meantime, cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove their cores and seeds. Add 1/2 cup of water to the baking dish so there is a thin layer of water across the bottom. Arrange the pepper halves skin-side-down in the baking dish; brush or spray with oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast peppers in the middle rack of the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
Stuff: Remove the peppers from the oven; if any of the peppers have liquid in their centers I like to dump it out. Generously stuff each pepper with the cooked lentil and rice filling, creating a mound on the top of each pepper half. Sprinkle the peppers with cheese.
Final Bake: Return the baking dish to the top rack of the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. If the cheese is still not melted, you can broil the peppers for 1-2 additional minutes until they reach your desired doneness.
Serve & Store: Sprinkle the peppers with chopped parsley, then serve warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or you can freeze these vegan stuffed peppers for up to 2 months.

Notes

Gluten-Free: This recipe is gluten-free as written!

Oil-Free: Omit the oil and sauté the vegetables in step 2 with water or vegetable broth.
Cooked Lentils: You can also make this recipe with pre-cooked or canned lentils. Add 1-1 1/4 cups of cooked lentils to the sauté pan along with the other ingredients in step 3. Reduce the vegetable broth to only 3/4 cup.

Nutrition