Several years ago, I worked a call-center job. Some days, we'd be slammed, with mere seconds between calls. Other days, we might get a call that lasted all of two minutes, then have to wait anywhere from five to fifteen minutes between calls. Those days seemed to drag by slowly.
One good thing about the slow days was we'd talk with those sitting around us. The people I sat near all had one favorite subject: food.
"I've got to stop by the store on the way home to pick up something for dinner."
"What are you planning tonight?"
"Not sure. But last night, I fixed the best meal! We had...."
"Oooh, that sounds great! How did you make it?"
One of my co-workers loved stuffed peppers, especially vegetarian stuffed peppers.
To that end, here are six vegetarian stuffed pepper recipes, including Vegetarian Mexican Inspired Stuffed Peppers and Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers. Enjoy!
VEGAN STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Whitney English at the Food Network. The recipe begins, "Stuffed peppers go Tex-Mex style and vegan. Filled to the brim with black beans, corn, quinoa and spinach, these peppers make a hearty addition to your weekday dinner rotation--Meatless Monday perhaps? The cilantro-lime cream adds a welcome zesty kick."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 6 servings: Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/vegan-stuffed-peppers-12154163.
Ingredients
Stuffed Peppers:
6 medium sweet bell peppers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
Two 14.5-ounce cans chopped tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 14.5-ounce can corn kernels, rinsed
One 14.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Vegan Cilantro-Lime Cream:
1/2 cup vegan sour cream or vegan cream cheese (see Cook's Note)
1 teaspoon lime zest plus 1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt
Directions
For the stuffed peppers: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut off the bell pepper tops, up to about 1/2 inch; discard the stems. Cut the tops into small dice and reserve. Discard the seeds and white membranes from the insides of the peppers. If a pepper doesn't stand upright, trim the bottom until level.
Add the oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and diced bell pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer 1-1/2 cups of the tomato mixture to an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and use a spatula or spoon to spread over the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
Add the corn, black beans, spinach, quinoa, chili powder and cumin to the remaining tomato mixture in the sauté pan. Cook on low heat until the spinach is fully wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and let cool for 5 minutes.
Spoon the quinoa mixture into the cavity of each pepper, packing the mixture in. Arrange the peppers side by side in the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until the peppers are tender, about 45 minutes.
For the vegan cilantro-lime cream: Whisk together the sour cream, lime zest and juice and cilantro in a small mixing bowl until smooth and combined. Season with salt.
Top the peppers with the cream immediately before serving.
Cook’s Note
If substituting with vegan cream cheese, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin the mixture.
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS
This is from Leah Maroney, who writes for The Spruce Eats. She wrote, “Mexican quinoa stuffed bell peppers are the perfect, hearty vegetarian dinner. They’re full of spicy flavor, texture, and protein. Quinoa is packed with protein, fiber, and nutrition. It’s a great alternative to plain old rice or breadcrumbs. There’s also a punch of protein from the black beans and some cheesy goodness from the Monterey jack cheese. It will satisfy all of your dinner cravings without any meat. You can even omit the cheese if you are looking for a vegan dish.
“Serve on its own as a complete meal, or alongside a light salad. You can easily freeze the cooked, or uncooked stuffed peppers in a plastic bag for up to three months.”
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/quinoa-stuffed-peppers-2238585.
Ingredients
4 bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded, divided
Garnish: cilantro, chopped
Directions
Gather your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Cut the bell peppers in half. Remove the seeds and ribs from each half. Place the halves in a baking dish, cut side up.
Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. Add the onions and salt and saute for 1 to 2 minutes until just barely softened.
Stir the pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes to the onions in the pan. Cook for another minute to help deepen the flavor of the spices.
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato sauce. Then fold in the quinoa, black beans, and 1 cup of the Monterey jack cheese. Be careful not to smash the beans.
Fill each pepper half with an even amount of the filling.
Top each pepper with an equal amount of the remaining cheese.
Bake, covered for 30 minutes, or until the peppers have softened. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the pepper is hot. Top with chopped cilantro if you wish.
Recipe Variations
You can also add chopped tomatoes, corn, or even diced zucchini. Add some chopped jalapenos for even more spice.
Use a variety of colors of bell peppers. Some are sweeter than others, but they all work great.
You can add ground beef or ground turkey if you are looking to add meat and aren't adhering to a vegetarian diet.
There's so many different ways to change up the flavors in this dish. Keep the quinoa and onions as a base and then try these variations.
Italian: garlic, parmesan cheese, vegetable broth, chopped tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese replace the other vegetables and cheese.
Savory Veggie: Cannellini beans, cremini mushrooms, chopped celery, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese replace the other vegetables and cheeses.
Greek: chick peas, feta cheese, garlic, kalamata olives, spinach, chopped tomatoes replace the other vegetables and cheeses.
VEGETARIAN MEXICAN INSPIRED STUFFED PEPPERS
This is from Allrecipes. It begins, "This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe is not too spicy, but it is packed with flavor. My kids loved it! For variety, add corn or other vegetables, or switch to other canned tomato varieties. Follow the boiling method prior to baking if you don't want a crispy bell pepper. If you have small peppers, use more of them for this recipe. They taste great with a dollop of sour cream on top."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total tTime: 55 minutes; Yield: 4 stuffed peppers
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231514/vegetarian-mexican-inspired-stuffed-peppers/.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon salt
4 large green bell peppers - tops, seeds, and membranes removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cooked rice
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can chili-style diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese blend (such as Sargento® Authentic Mexican)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add green bell peppers and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes; drain and arrange cut-side up in a 9x9-inch baking dish.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer cooked onion into a large bowl; add rice, black beans, and tomatoes. Stir in chili powder, garlic salt, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined. Fold in 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend. Spoon rice mixture evenly into bell peppers; sprinkle with remaining Mexican cheese blend.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
BARLEY-STUFFED RED PEPPERS
This comes from the January 2003 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 21. It begins, “Baked, stuffed bell peppers make an ideal budget main course but usually require lengthy cooking time. This speedy version calls for steaming the red peppers to soften them before you fill them to the brim with zesty barley-mushroom stuffing.” Serves 3 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/barley-stuffed-red-peppers/.
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
3 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
3 large red bell peppers
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
6 oz. presliced portobello mushrooms, cubed
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley sprigs for garnish
Combine barley and 2 cups vegetable broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice tops off red peppers, and remove seeds and inner membranes. Reserve tops for later use. Place peppers on steaming rack over boiling water, and cover saucepan. Steam peppers for about 15 minutes, or until tender but not soft. Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley and any remaining cooking liquid, and stir until grains are coated with oil. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 cup vegetable broth, and sauté mixture for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften and liquid absorbed. Stir in feta, lemon juice, parsley, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Stand peppers upright, and spoon barley mixture into them. Fill each pepper, and serve with tops over the filling or propped alongside. Garnish with parsley and serve.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 460; Protein: 14 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 62 g; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Sodium: 900 mg; Fiber: 13 g; Sugar: 13 g
STUFFED PEPPERS
Recipe Yield: Servings: 8
Source: The New American Heart Association Cookbook
Book Title: The New American Heart Association Cookbook
View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/stuffed-peppers.
Ingredients
4 large bell peppers, any color or combination
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium crookneck squash, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup diced onion (1 medium)
2 medium cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 cups cooked brown rice (1/2 to 2/3 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup grated fat-free or low-fat Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts (2 ounces)
1 cup no-salt-added tomato juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing stems, ribs, and seeds. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat bottom. Saute tomatoes, crookneck squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic until zucchini is tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't overcook.
In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, and water chestnuts. Gently stir into skillet. Stuff pepper halves with vegetable mixture. Place in 9-inch round or square casserole dish, then carefully pour tomato juice around peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 119; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 68 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Protein: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Low-Fat Milk, 2 Vegetable
