These stuffed peppers are a vegetarian dinner that everyone will love. They are filled with rice and beans and topped with a layer of melted cheese.
These stuffed peppers deserve a spot in your dinner rotation! They’re the perfect combination of freshness and comforting flavor, filled with a delicious rice and bean mix and topped with melted cheese. Yes, they’re vegetarian, but these stuffed peppers are so tasty that everyone, including carnivores, will love them.
I’ve shared other stuffed pepper recipes on the blog before, but this one is definitely my favorite. Here’s why:
- The filling is very tasty. It starts with a base of hearty brown rice, black beans for protein, and corn kernels for crunch. Onions, garlic, and tomato paste make it nice and savory, and chili powder and cumin add an earthy, spicy flavor. DELICIOUS!
- It’s great for meal prep. Prepare the rice filling a day or two ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That way, you can quickly prepare the peppers for an easy weeknight meal.
- It’s healthy! These stuffed peppers are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and of course, fresh veggies. Anyone up for seconds?
Let’s cook!
How to make stuffed peppers
This recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers has three main steps:
- Roasting the peppers. Baking the peppers alone before adding the filling gives them the perfect tender texture.
- Preparing the filling. It is prepared in a few minutes on the stove.
- Assembling and baking the peppers. You will fill the peppers with the rice filling and roast them until the cheese melts and turns golden.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Roasting the peppers
The first step in this recipe is to roast the peppers. It only takes 10 minutes and gives them the perfect tender texture.
Any sweet bell pepper works well here. I typically use red peppers, but feel free to use other colors if you like. Orange and yellow peppers are also delicious. Just avoid the green ones, they’re not sweet enough for this recipe.
Cut them in half vertically, remove the membranes and seeds, and place them cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper, then bake at 450°F until the peppers are tender.
After roasting, drain any liquid that has accumulated inside the peppers and set them aside while you prepare the filling.
Preparing the filling
While the peppers are roasting, we prepare the filling. If you don’t already have cooked brown rice on hand, start making it. (See tip below!)
When ready, sauté the onions, jalapeño, and garlic until softened. Then, add the tomato paste and spices. Cook until the tomato paste darkens and the spices become fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the rice, beans and corn. Add fresh lime juice and lemon zest for a burst of intense flavor. Season to taste.
Recipe Tip
Cook the rice in advance. Brown rice takes almost an hour to cook on the stove, so to speed up this recipe I recommend cooking it in advance.
Cooked rice can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. Check out my guide on how to cook brown rice for instructions and preparation tips! In a pinch, cooked white rice will work here too.
Another option is to prepare the filling ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble and bake the peppers.
Finally, we assemble and bake!
Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and cover with the cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted and golden, 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Variation: Make vegan stuffed peppers!
Replace the cheese with your favorite shredded vegan cheese. You can also omit the cheese and serve the peppers with avocado slices and a drizzle of chipotle sauce. In that case, there’s no need to roast the peppers.
What to serve with stuffed peppers?
Want to make these vegetarian stuffed peppers even tastier? Serve with avocado slices or guacamole and your favorite salsa!
Peppers are a satisfying meal on their own, but if you’re looking for something to serve as a side, you can’t go wrong with any of these recipes:
Storage
Store leftover peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They reheat perfectly in the microwave or in a 350°F oven.
More easy vegetarian recipes
If you love these stuffed peppers, try one of these easy vegetarian recipes below:
Vegetarian stuffed peppers
Serves 4
These healthy stuffed peppers are filled with a tasty blend of rice, beans and vegetables and topped with melted cheese. They are naturally gluten-free; see notes below for how to make them vegan.
- 4 red peppers, cut lengthwise in half, seeds and membranes removed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and more to drizzle
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, destemmed and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Teaspoons chili powder
- 2 Teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, and more to sprinkle
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups cooked brown rice
- 1½ cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, More wedges to serve
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese*
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Dip, Optional, to serve
- Avocado, or guacamole, optional, to serve
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the peppers, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes or until tender. Pour out and discard any liquid that collects inside the peppers. Set the peppers aside while you prepare the filling.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes or until the tomato paste darkens and the spices become fragrant.
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Remove from heat and add brown rice, black beans, corn, and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste.
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Stuff the peppers with the rice mixture and top with the cheese. Place in a large baking dish and roast for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
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Top with fresh cilantro and serve with salsa and avocado, if desired, and lime wedges for squeezing.
