Delight in these easy vegan stuffed bell peppers, filled with a high-protein mixture of lentils and rice, perfect for a comforting meal-prep. This modern American or Mediterranean-inspired dish delivers a symphony of flavors, with rich tomato-lentil filling and melted vegan cheese, making it a hearty and satisfying main course.
Ingredients
🌶️ 4 large bell peppers, halved with seeds removed
🫒 3 tablespoons olive oil
🧅 1 medium red onion, finely diced
🥣 1.5 cups cooked brown/green lentils
🍚 1.5 cups cooked white rice
🌶️ 1/2 cup additional finely diced bell peppers
🧂 1 tablespoon mixed spices (paprika, cumin, salt, pepper)
🍅 1 to 1.5 cups tomato sauce
🧀 1 cup vegan cheese shreds (mozzarella-style)
🌿 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
1- Preheat and Prepare Peppers:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Halve the bell peppers lengthwise and remove seeds. Arrange in a large glass baking dish.
- Drizzle olive oil over peppers. Cover with foil and pre-bake for 15-20 minutes until tender.
2- Prepare Filling:
- Dice 1 medium red onion and approximately 1/2 cup of mixed-color bell peppers.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sauté red onion until softened.
- Add diced bell peppers and sauté until slightly tender.
- Mix in cooked lentils and rice, then season with mixed spices. Stir well.
- Pour tomato sauce into the mixture, stirring to combine. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
3- Stuff and Bake Peppers:
- Remove pre-baked peppers from the oven. Spoon lentil-rice filling into each pepper half.
- Top each stuffed pepper with vegan cheese shreds.
- Return to the oven. Bake until cheese is golden and melted, about 10-15 minutes.
4- Garnish and Serve:
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve hot.
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 35-50 minutes
Total Time: 50-70 minutes
Servings: 4
Equipment:
- Large glass baking dish
- Wooden cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Large non-stick pan
- Wooden spatula
- Metal spoon
- Standard kitchen oven
- Fabric oven mitt
Cooking Tips
- Pre-baking peppers ensures they are tender and not crunchy.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste.
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Ahmad Noori: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.vegann