Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers are loved all over the world. Perhaps it is because of the beautiful, vibrant color of the bell peppers, the protein-rich filling, or the comforting flavors. Whatever the reason, most places seem to have their own take on this very special stuffed pepper dish. And today, we are making quick and easy, nutritious, delicious vegetarian stuffed peppers.

Maybe you are one of those that grew up loving stuffed peppers. Perhaps it was even on your weekly menu. This was not the case in my home. It was rarely served, and when it was served, I was not super excited. I have always been extra sensitive to bitterness, and green peppers often taste bitter to me. Red peppers on the other hand taste wonderful and make delicious vegan stuffed peppers. I have since learned that blanching the green peppers makes them less bitter.

The Stuffed Pepper Recipe is one of those recipes that can be made into all sorts of exotic and fanciful dishes with the right filling, and I have given you suggestions below. However, today, we are making super simple, no-fuss vegan stuffed peppers.

Other recipes you may like?

• Vegan Lasagna Roll-Ups
• Taco Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing
• Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Sesame Garlic Tofu with Vegetables
• Creamy Cherry Tomato Soup

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Stuffed Pepper Recipe:

• Quick and easy to make: Whip up this vegan stuffed pepper recipe in minutes and have dinner on the table in no time. You can even meal prep and prepare the stuffed bell peppers ahead of time, pop them in the oven 30 minutes before you want to serve, and voilà, you have a dinner the whole family will love.  
• Protein-rich and hearty: This stuffed bell pepper recipe is rich in protein from the white beans and packed with healthy ingredients such as onion, garlic, and jalapeño.
• Delicious: Talk about a dish bursting with flavor. Vegan stuffed peppers are the perfect main dish to impress your friends and family. There is no lack of Mexican-inspired seasoning, such as cumin, smoked paprika, cilantro, jalapeño, and sweet peppers. 
• Nutritious and healthy: Bell peppers are super healthy, containing many vitamins, such as vitamin C, B6, and Potassium. White beans are nutritious and delicious, with lots of fiber, protein, and micronutrients. So get ready for this healthy and nutritious family meal. 
• Allergy-friendly: Perfect for a variety of diets, this stuffed bell pepper recipe is not only vegetarian but also vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. 
• Beautiful: These vegan stuffed bell peppers are stunningly colorful and will be the next winner at your family gathering. You can choose to use yellow, red, orange, or green bell pepper to make this dish come alive with extra color. Serve with fresh cilantro, vegan cheese, avocado, and my vegan ranch dressing for a show-stopping main dish. 

What are Vegan Stuffed Peppers?

Vegan stuffed peppers are carved peppers, filled with a flavorful, protein-rich, hearty filling, and then baked to perfection.

Vegan Stuffed Pepper Ingredients

• Olive oil: Quality extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for this recipe. Olive oil is preferred by many because it has a longer shelf life than most oils. It also adds to the flavor of the dish. You can also use vegetable oil or avocado oil.
• Onion: adds a tremendous flavor base to stuffed vegan peppers recipe. Often considered for their flavoring rather than their health benefits, onions are some of the most nutrient-rich and health-promoting foods on the market. It is a good thing they are so readily available.  
• Garlic:  Most people know garlic as a superfood because it contains healing properties. It is also one of the most excellent flavor enhancers of all time.  
• Jalapeño: an optional ingredient in these vegan gluten free stuffed peppers, but jalapeños add depth of flavor and heat to this bell pepper recipe.  
• Herbs: we use dried and fresh herbs in these vegan bean stuffed peppers. Do not worry; if you do not have fresh herbs available, use dried. Remember that dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh. Use one teaspoon dried to every tablespoon of fresh herbs. We use cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and fresh cilantro in these simple vegan stuffed peppers. Cumin, because it brings complexity and an excellent earthy flavor to stuffed peppers. The Smoked paprika and oregano add a comforting warmth, and the fresh cilantro add a peppery taste to the stuffed peppers.  
• Tomato Paste:  Tomato paste is used for its concentrated tomato flavor and beautiful color. Tomato paste is simply reduced tomatoes, so it also contains health benefits.  
• Small White Beans (navy beans):  We use small white beans in these stuffed peppers. I love their delicate and creamy texture. They are high in fiber, eleven grams per cup, and high in protein, making this dish hearty and healthy.  You can also use cannellini beans, black beans, or pinto beans. 
• Sweet Bell Peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green): This is the star of the vegan stuffed peppers, and with so many different colors to choose from, it can make quite an impressive meal. The red peppers are sweet and a favorite of mine for making vegan stuffed red peppers, but I also love the mild flavor of the yellow and orange peppers. The green pepper is slightly more bitter but adds a unique flavor to stuffed peppers. Experiment with various colors and find out which one you like the best in your stuffed peppers. A variety of colors also make an impressive presentation. High in nutrients and antioxidant properties, sweet bell peppers serve well as the star of this recipe. 
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is derived from corn and is used to thicken the vegan stuffed pepper filling.  
• Salt: Use sea salt if at all possible. It contains trace elements that add nutritional value to food. 

Garnishes for Vegan Stuffed Peppers:

• Cubed or sliced avocado:  Avocado adds a beautiful touch to these easy vegan stuffed peppers. The nutty flavor and creamy texture elevate the dish to another level.  
• Minced fresh cilantro:  Adding some fresh herbs for garnish adds debt to the flavor, but even more importantly, it provides a sense of freshness that is particularly important to baked casserole dishes.  
• Sliced green onions: Finely sliced on the diagonal, green onions are a beautiful and fresh garnish for these stuffed peppers with bean filling.  
• Sliced or minced jalapeño:  This is an excellent garnish for those people who like spice and heat in their dishes. You can also add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the filling for a spicy vegan stuffed pepper variation. 
• Minced sweet peppers with contrasting colors: Since the star of the dish is the sweet bell pepper, I like to garnish with some minced fresh pepper of various colors for a beautiful presentation.  
• Avocado cilantro or ranch dressing: Try my avocado cilantro or ranch dressing to finish this dish. You will not be sorry. Its white color adds beauty to the vegan stuffed peppers, but even more importantly, the creamy, delicious flavor levels up the whole dish.  

Recipes that pair well with Vegan Stuffed Peppers:

Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions and recipes that will shine next to your stuffed bell peppers vegan recipe.

• Bread: Serve these beautiful vegan stuffed peppers with some vegan cornbread or corn tortillas. This will add a nice touch and you can even fill the tortillas with the stuffed peppers for an easy stuffed bell pepper taco variation. 
• Meatless Crumbles: Add some more texture to the bean filling by adding some meatless crumbles. 
• Dressing: Take this stuffed sweet pepper dish to the next level by pouring some vegan ranch dressing or my oil-free avocado cilantro dressing. It will not only add to the beauty of this dish but also to its flavor. 

How to make Vegan Stuffed Peppers:

Here is my step-by-step DIY guide on how to make easy vegan stuffed peppers at home. You will love how this simple casserole dish can become a show-stopping main meal in just a few minutes.

Step 1: Prepare Filling:

Sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño in olive oil. Add herbs: cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and tomato paste.

Make a slurry of water and cornstarch and add to the filling. Add white beans, cilantro, and salt
Bring to a boil, let simmer for 1-2 minutes

Step 2: Prepare the Peppers

Wash the peppers and cut them either lengthwise or crosswise according to preference.
Cut out core and deseed.

Step 3: Assemble the Stuffed Peppers

Preheat oven and grease a baking dish. Arrange the peppers in the baking dish and fill each half pepper with 1/4 of the filling. Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes.

Garnish the vegan stuffed peppers with avocado, cilantro, chopped pepper, or dressing.

Vegan Stuffed Pepper Recipe Variations and Substitutions:

Change up the filling: Replace the white beans with black beans, pinto beans, cooked rice either white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, cooked lentils,  meatless crumbles, cooked quinoa or a combination.

Vegan Cheese: Consider adding some vegan cheese to the top before baking or add some nutritional yeast flakes to the filling for a cheesier taste

Change up the peppers: Experiment with different pepper varieties. Sweet peppers, sweet bell peppers, poblano peppers, or even mini peppers will work beautifully in this easy vegan stuffed peppers recipe. 

Switch up the seasoning: Use flavors from different parts of the world. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Mexican stuffed peppers: Bring out the classic Mexican flavor with some fresh salsa, vegan guacamole, chili peppers, lime juice, chopped cilantro, chili powder, beans and rice. Talk about a delicious combination.
• Italian vegan stuffed peppers: Taste the flavors of Italy with chopped tomatoes, basil, tomato sauce, artichokes, pine nuts, red pepper flakes, capers, and olives. Mixed with white beans, onion, and garlic, these vegan Italian stuffed peppers are sure to be a winner.
• Indian flavors: Use cumin, curry, cilantro, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, and lentils for a delicious Indian-style recipe variation.
• Middle Eastern: Travel to the Middle East and add lemon, dill, lentils, za’atar, olives, cumin, coriander, sesame, and couscous to your stuffed peppers.
• Chinese-inspired: For a delicious Chinese-inspired dish, change up this classic recipe and use ingredients like cabbage, garlic, ginger, scallion, peanuts, sesame oil, tofu, soy sauce, or Braggs Liquid Aminos.

Allergy-friendly Options:

Gluten free: Vegan stuffed peppers are naturally gluten free. 

Soy free: This stuffed bell pepper recipe is naturally soy free. 

Nut free: Natually nut free, these vegan stuffed green peppers are perfect for lunch or dinner. 

Oil free: Healthy vegan stuffed bell peppers can easily be made oil free by using a little water instead of oil in this recipe. 

How to store Stuffed Peppers:

• Cool the white bean stuffed peppers completely, and wrap the baking dish with foil or plastic wrap, or store the stuffed peppers in an airtight container. 
• Store in the Fridge (preferred method): These easy stuffed peppers will store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Store in freezer for up to 3 months.
• How to reheat stuffed bell peppers: To reheat your simple vegan stuffed bell peppers, bake the stuffed peppers at 350F until warm.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need to pre-bake or blanch the peppers before making this recipe?

No, for these quick and easy vegan stuffed peppers, it is not necessary to pre-baked or blanch the peppers. I prefer my stuffed peppers a little crunchy.
Some people prefer to blanch the peppers before baking them; it softens the peppers and may help with the bitterness of the peppers. Others prefer to roast the peppers before adding the filling.

How do I blanch peppers?

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the prepared peppers and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the blanched peppers to ice water to stop the cooking.

How do I roast peppers?

Preheat oven to 375 F. Brush the prepared peppers with a little olive oil
Bake for 15 minutes, then add the filling.

Should the peppers be crunchy?

I prefer a little crunch to my stuffed peppers, but it all depends on your taste and preference.
If you want your peppers soft, consider either pre-baking or blanching the peppers before stuffing.

How do you cut the peppers when making stuffed peppers?

There is no right or wrong way to cut the peppers for this vegan stuffed pepper recipe. We chose to cut the peppers crosswise for the video, but we could just as well have cut them lengthwise. The important thing to remember is to carve out enough room for the filling. Remove as much of the core, seed, and stem as possible.
Lengthwise: Easier to eat, easier to prepare
Crosswise: Prettier, provides a deeper pocket for the filling.

Which color pepper do I use for stuffed peppers?

Use either red, green, yellow or orange for this stuffed pepper recipe or use a mixture for a more colorful and festive look.
Red gives a milder and sweeter flavor. I prefer the red pepper for my vegan stuffed peppers.

I hope you enjoy my recipe for vegan stuffed peppers. Let me know if the comments if you try it!

Watch My Vegan Stuffed Peppers Recipe Video:

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