Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers (Printable Version)
Colorful peppers stuffed with seasoned rice, vegetables and cheese, baked until tender and golden.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
06 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
→ Grains & Dairy
07 - 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
08 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry & Seasonings
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking dish.
02 - Cut tops off bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Arrange peppers upright in prepared baking dish.
03 - Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes; cook 5-6 minutes until softened.
04 - Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
05 - Add cooked rice, 3/4 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
06 - Spoon filling evenly into each bell pepper. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
07 - Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and cheese is golden.
09 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The filling gets ridiculously creamy without any heavy cream, just the right balance of vegetables and melted cheese
- These reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, maybe even better than fresh
- You can swap ingredients based on whatever's wilting in your crisper drawer
02 -
- Overstuffed peppers will burst during baking, leave about half an inch at the top for the rice to expand
- Choose peppers with flat bottoms so they stand up straight in your baking dish
- The filling needs to be fully cooled before stuffing or it will continue cooking and get mushy
03 -
- If the peppers wobble, slice a tiny piece off the bottom to make them flat but do not cut all the way through
- Place any leftover filling in a small ramekin and bake alongside the peppers for the cook's snack