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 cup 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.