Red, yellow and green bell peppers make magic in this healthy stew. Gluten-free, low-fat, hearty and something you can prepare in advance and even freeze for later use if desired.
Oh the Beauty of a Bell Pepper!
As much as I love the idea of a 1 pot dinner, in order for these peppers to turn out amazing we have to cook them separately. Brown rice pilaf and sautéed mushrooms both get their own skillets then come together in one big pot to marry with the peppers and the broth. Add a handful of toasted pine nuts into the mix and maybe even some hemp hearts for a nice protein boost.
MY LATEST VIDEOSStuffed Peppers are beautiful thing, I hope you give them a go!
Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers
Easy, vegan stuffed bell peppers Italian style, stuffed with an amazing plant-based filling of brown rice, wild mushrooms and herbs.
Ingredients
- 7 bell peppers - mixed colors
- 1 bell pepper - diced
- 1 cup brown rice - organic
- 1 carrot - grated
- 1 lb mushrooms - rinsed and chopped
- 1 spanish onion - diced
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
- 28 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes - crushed
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock or water
- 3 leaves bay
- 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley - chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 drizzle olive oil or a splash of water
- 1 pinch sea salt - to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper + more to taste
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
- 1/3 cup plant based yogurt - for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Brown Rice Pilaf:
Preheat a large skillet over medium flame. Add half of the onion with a drizzle of olive oil or a splash of water and a pinch of sea salt. Sautee for a few minutes until traslucent. Stir in the carrot, diced belle pepper and smoked paprika together with the brown rice and toss to coat well. Pour in 2 cups of water or vegetable stock, add 1 bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight lid, turn flame to medium -low and cook for 45 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Allow to sit covered for 10 minutes then discard the bay leaf and fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile in a separate skillet add a drizzle of oil or water and sautee the other half of the onion for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of sea salt together and cook together until wilted and all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl combine the cooked brown rice pilaf together with the mushrooms, parsley and thyme leave ( reserve some for garnish). Taste and adjust seasonings with more sea salt and black pepper. Add the pine nuts at this point if using but totally optional.
Stuff the Peppers:
Rinse the bell peppers and slice the tops. Discard the chore and the seeds. Using a spoon start filling each pepper with the brown rice and mushroom mix.
Place the peppers inside a large heavy stock pot standing up. Pour in the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and 2 cups pf water or vegetable stock. Add enough liquid to almost cover the peppers. Taste the broth at this point and season with sea salt to taste. Add 2 bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 30 minutes until the peppers have softened.
Serve hot with a drizzle of vegan plant- based yogurt and garnished with fresh thyme.
Oven Method:
Follow the above steps then bake at 375"F for 30 minutes.
Go Vegan:
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I can’t believe how delicious these peppers are. No yogurt for me just lots of that tomato broth and herbs. Fantastic recipe, thank you for sharing Florentina!