These Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers are so delicious I love to make them as a main dish or as a delicious side, depending on how hungry I am! If you use large peppers, you should have just the right amount of filling in this recipe but if you have extra filling, save it to serve as a side dish.
To make these delicious stuffed peppers, I start by roasting pepper halves. Cook rice to make the filling. To prepare the filling, I simply saute onion and add tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chili powder and cumin. I then remove the pot from the heat and add the rice, beans, lime juice, and about 10 twists of black pepper. I use this mixture to stuff the pepper halves and top with cheese before baking in the oven until heated through and bubbling.
To make my Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers, you will need the following ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
Place the halved peppers in a large 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the peppers and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Rub the oil over both sides of the peppers, and arrange them with the cut sides facing up.
Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until the peppers are tender when pierced and blistered and charred around the edges. Remove the peppers and set aside. Leave the oven on.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Rinse ½ cup of rice grains under running water until it runs clear. Add the rice to the boiling water and continue boiling, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain any remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and ½ a teaspoon salt. Cook while stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
Add ½ a cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons of chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. Cook for 30 - 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the cooked rice, 1 can of pinto beans, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and about 10 twists of black pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and black pepper to taste.
Pour off any excess liquid pooled within the pepper halves. Stuff each pepper generously with the rice mixture. Top with the vegetarian mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro leaves and serve with optional garnishes. I like sliced ripe avocado with a drizzle of cilantro-hemp pesto, red salsa and sour cream.
These Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers are healthy, wholesome and absolutely delicious! Try them soon and come back to leave a comment below letting me know what you think.
Great recipe! I love stuffed peppers. Thanks!
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