This vegan stuffed peppers recipe is packed with delicious Italian flavors and made with wholesome ingredients. Enjoy the savory goodness of hearty veggies, quinoa, and lentils in every bite. Perfect for a satisfying and nutritious dinner!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Protein-packed dinner. This recipe is packed with lentils and quinoa, which are both rich in protein.
- Perfect for meal prep. Make the filling ahead, refrigerate or freeze it, and serve with bell peppers when ready.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free for everyone to enjoy!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this vegan stuffed peppers recipe, you’ll need bell peppers, olive oil, onion, garlic clove, white mushrooms, tomato paste, cooked quinoa, cooked lentils, ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro.
Variations & Substitutions
- Bell peppers. Use red or yellow bell peppers.
- Mushroom. Use white mushrooms or portobello mushrooms.
- Tomato paste. Adds a rich flavor.
- Quinoa. Cook quinoa before adding. You can also use cooked brown rice.
- Lentils. Cook lentils before adding to the filling. You can also use black beans or chickpeas.
- Garlic and onion. Use fresh garlic and onion to sauté the filling.
- Maple syrup. Adds sweetness to balance the flavors.
- Seasonings. I used a blend of oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper. You can also use an Italian seasoning blend.
- Fresh herbs. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves or parsley before serving!
- Toppings. Completely optional, but you can top it with vegan cheese or a dollop of vegan sour cream or yogurt.
📖 How to make vegan stuffed peppers
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2:
Slice the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membranes.
Step 3:
Lightly brush the pepper halves with olive oil and place them cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until peppers are slightly softened. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 4:
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and crushed garlic, sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5:
Add sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown about 5-6 minutes.
Step 6:
In the skillet, stir in tomato paste, cooked quinoa, and cooked lentils, along with ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 7:
Carefully spoon the quinoa and vegetable mixture into the roasted pepper halves, dividing it evenly among them.
Step 8:
Place the stuffed pepper halves back onto the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
Step 9:
Garnish the stuffed peppers with chopped cilantro before serving.
How to cook quinoa:
- Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water and drain.
- In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and water is absorbed.
- Fluff with a fork and use according to your recipe.
How to cook lentils:
- Rinse 1/2 cup of lentils under cold water.
- In a saucepan, combine the rinsed lentils with 1 1/2 cups of water or broth.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the lentils simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until they are tender.
- Once the lentils are cooked, drain any excess liquid, and they’re ready to serve or use
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best vegan stuffed bell peppers
⭐ Fill peppers evenly. Spoon the filling mixture generously into each pepper half, pressing down gently to pack it in. This ensures that each pepper is evenly filled and holds together well during baking.
- Allow the mushrooms to brown slightly in the skillet. This caramelization adds depth of flavor to the filling. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can cause the mushrooms to steam instead of brown.
- Don’t overcook the quinoa and lentils in the skillet. They should be fully heated through but still retain their texture. Overcooking can result in a mushy filling.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the filling for vegan stuffed peppers in advance. Refrigerate the filling in an airtight container for 2-3 days. When you’re ready to cook, spoon the filling into the pepper halves and bake as directed.
Before stuffing, roast the peppers until slightly softened. Pack the filling tightly into each pepper half and arrange them closely together on the baking sheet to provide support while baking.
🍴 How to serve quinoa stuffed peppers
Vegan stuffed peppers makes a filling and satisfying meal all on its own! But to make your meal more complete, you can serve it with side dishes like green beans and potatoes, vegan chopped salad, vegan cabbage soup, or air fryer smashed potatoes.
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
Transfer the stuffed peppers to an airtight container or wrap them in a plastic wrap. Refrigerate them for 3-4 days.
You can reheat them in a microwave for 1-2 minutes or oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes.
🍴 More vegan recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other delicious vegan recipes:
Vegan Fajitas
Easy Mushroom Ragù (Vegan)
Vegan Rasta Pasta
Nigerian Fried Rice
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 large bell peppers, red or yellow
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, small, diced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 cup white mushroom, sliced
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup cooked quinoa, see notes on how to cook dried quinoa*
- ½ cup cooked lentils, can be used canned, see notes on how to cook dried lentils*
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and membranes.
- Lightly brush the pepper halves with olive oil and place them cut side down on a baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are slightly softened. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and crushed garlic, sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, about 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, cooked quinoa and cooked lentils to the skillet, along with ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully spoon the quinoa and vegetable mixture into the roasted pepper halves, dividing it evenly among them.
- Place the stuffed pepper halves back onto the baking sheet.
- Roast in the oven for an additional 15 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through.
- Garnish the stuffed peppers with chopped cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Fill peppers evenly. Spoon the filling mixture generously into each pepper half, pressing down gently to pack it in. This ensures that each pepper is evenly filled and holds together well during baking.
- Allow the mushrooms to brown slightly in the skillet. This caramelization adds depth of flavor to the filling. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this can cause the mushrooms to steam instead of brown.
- Don’t overcook the quinoa and lentils in the skillet. They should be fully heated through but still retain their texture. Overcooking can result in a mushy filling.
- Rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water and drain. In a saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa with 2 cups of water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and use according to your recipe.
- Rinse 1/2 cup of lentils under cold water.
- In a saucepan, combine the rinsed lentils with 1 1/2 cups of water or broth.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the lentils simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until they are tender.
- Once the lentils are cooked, drain any excess liquid and they’re ready to serve or use
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
