Rice And Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
These vegetarian stuffed bell peppers are the ultimate weeknight meal.
As far as stuffed bell pepper recipes go, these Rice And Vegetable Stuffed Peppers are some of our top contenders. This is an easy dinner recipe that is sure to become a favorite at your family table even though it's completely meatless. As delicious as these stuffed peppers are, you won't miss the meat! But if you're one of those people that needs or enjoys meat in every meal, it's super simple to add ground beef or turkey to this recipe.
Make a batch of these easy stuffed peppers next time you're wondering what to make for dinner - you won't be sorry!
Preparation Time30 min
Cooking Time35 min
Ingredients
- 4 medium bell peppers (use red, yellow, orange, green, or a combination)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 zucchini, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 (14-1/2-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes in puree
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn (see note)
- 2 cups cooked rice (brown, white or a rice mix)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds and ribs.
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Place cut side down in a bake dish just large enough to hold them upright (ie 8 inch x 8 inch) and add ½ cup water.
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Place in microwave and cook on high 2 minutes until peppers just begin to soften (see notes). Remove and wipe dry the peppers and the dish. Spray the dish with cooking spray and place the peppers in it cut side up.
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Trim out the stems and chop the pepper tops into ¼ inch pieces.
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In a medium skillet heat the oil over medium high heat and sauté the onion, garlic and chopped pepper until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
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Use a kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
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Add the zucchini, tomatoes and their can juices, spices and basil and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
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Remove about 1 cup of this mixture and set aside.
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Add corn and rice and half of the cheese to the ingredients in the pan and stir to mix completely.
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Spoon filling mixture into the peppers and cover bake dish with foil. Bake 20 minutes, then uncover and add distribute the remaining cheese equally on top of the peppers. Continue to bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
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While filled peppers finish baking, place the reserved cup of tomato mixture into blender or food processor and puree.
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Place into a small saucepan with the water and additional salt and pepper to taste and heat until it boils, then lower heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Serve peppers from the bake dish and serve the sauce on the side for diners to spoon over individual servings.
Notes
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If using frozen corn, remove from freezer and place in a wire sieve. Run cool water over the corn to thaw it, then dry on paper towels before using in the recipe.
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The peppers can also be precooked by placing them in a steamer basket over boiling water and cooking for 4 minutes.
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AmyJackson
Jul 20, 2018
Love that this adds zucchini! Once when I was pretty young my dad and I made stuffed peppers together, which is one of the only memories I have of him + homecooked meals together. It really brings me back and makes me happy!
Zeemer
Apr 07, 2018
Wow. Princess Diana. The fashion icon, the ideal Royal Mom who was bold enough to defy royal protocol, the trailblazer, the champion of the poor and underprivileged, the jilted wife. She died in a car crash in Paris with her boyfriend Dodi al Fayed. She is my idol, my fashion icon. I have a collection of her magazines, new articles, anything. I wish you didn't have to die early.
Rnbowgrl
Feb 05, 2018
Stuffed peppers with veggies and rice are wonderful to not only to get a full tummy but the flavors go together really well. I'll probably use pepper jack cheese for a little extra spice and throw in some black beans to make it more hearty...and I'm not sure what my issue is with corn but I'd definitely leave it out or, you can puree it and mix it in with the veggies and sauce. Hmmm, that's actually a good idea to get me over my corn phobia. lol
vickier53 4775217
May 15, 2017
what do you do with the reserved cup of tomato mixture? it doesn't say in the directions.
BettyVedder
May 07, 2017
This is a great adaptation of the stuffed peppers I'm used to seeing. We are trying to eat less meat, and I think this will be perfect!
Gck24 7816915
May 01, 2017
My family doesn't eat alot of meat, so I am always looking for new vegetarian recipes to try. This looks like a great one to try, and pretty enough to serve to guests! I really like meals that can be prepared ahead of time for busy weeknights, or that make great leftovers for freezer or lunches. This would be especially great in the fall when bell peppers are abundant!
msdeb21
Apr 30, 2017
This a very healthy and pretty meal. It would be great for meatless Monday. I grow bell peppers and I end up with a lot of them that I need to use in recipes. I'll make this recipe, and fajitas, and another stuffed pepper recipe I make in my slow cooker.
Lynn K
Apr 18, 2017
Usually on a Sunday evening we have a light vegetarian dinner and this Vegetable Stuffed Pepper dish is just perfect for us. We had it this past weekend and it was very nice indeed. The only changes I made was to add some fresh chopped chili because that is what we like plus I added some chopped walnuts that were in the fridge. Because it is a quick, easy and very tasty recipe that I know we will return to often.
bambakes7
Feb 22, 2017
The last time I made stuffed peppers, I didn't pre-cook the rice, so there were definitely some crunchy pieces. I like how this recipe has you cook the rice beforehand!
Sara R
Feb 05, 2016
These look so freaking good. I didn't know what I was going to eat this weekend, but now I must have these!!
Emily Michelle
Jan 13, 2016
I loved these stuffed peppers! They taste great and they look beautiful. It's so fun serving a pretty dinner.
ecartinian
Jun 19, 2015
Just bookmarked this recipe! The pictures are gorgeous, I really cannot wait to try these soon.
bpeterson
Jun 17, 2015
Thanks for the step-by-step instructions! I'll have to make a vegan version of these babies soon.
Lex Erin
Jun 01, 2015
I wonder if instead of rice you use Quinoa. It's becoming a thing lately!
Zimm102090
May 01, 2015
I really liked these peppers. I much prefer these to meat-filled ones. I also liked the added zucchini touch. Next time, though, I'd add a bit more spice or something because they weren't as flavorful as I'd like.
CreativityGoddess
Apr 30, 2015
I loved that these were a lighter option than traditional meat-filled stuffed peppers. I'd add meat for a heartier winter meal, but leave them vegetarian for summer dining!
Dieter 5227013
Apr 30, 2015
I loved these but my favorite part was the rice mixture inside the peppers. The tomatoes, corn and zucchini were especially delicious. I would totally make this for myself.
Dr Oz
Apr 30, 2015
How do you eat stuffed peppers?! Do you eat the stuffing first and then the pepper? Do you cut into it like a steak and attempt to scoop up the innards with each bite? Besides that, it was great. I'd probably add some srirachi to it for some heat though. Oh, and some meat too.
caitlinmm
Apr 30, 2015
The pepper stuffing was very good, but I would have liked it to be spicier.
JennyBee1
Apr 30, 2015
Very tasty! I usually include some sort of meat in my stuffed peppers, but this was an excellent vegetarian option. Very impressed!
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