Healthy Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers

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These stuffed vegetarian bell peppers are full of Mexican flavors and are perfect for a weeknight meal. They are gluten-free and can easily be made vegan too!

Sometimes, dinners don’t turn out the way you plan. This recipe started out as one of pure necessity, but ended up being a totally delicious and easy weeknight meal! I didn’t set out to make stuffed peppers – I didn’t have any dinner plan really. It was one of those evenings that totally got away from me with the kids running around and all kinds of things going on.

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7pm rolled around and we were hungry but my husband and I didn’t want to order takeout – both of us were craving something homemade and healthy.

In the fridge I had: 3 bell peppers, refried beans, cooked brown rice, corn, cheese and salsa. No other fresh produce except a few herbs! Initially I was thinking – Tacos? Burritos? But I didn’t really feel like a wrap-situation. So I decided to try to make these Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers out of what we had in our fridge! It turned out to be such a delicious vegetarian Mexican recipe that I’ve added it to our regular rotation!

Tools and Equipment You’ll Need

• Baking Sheet
• Chopping Knife
• Cutting Board

There are tons of options with the filling of this dish, but no matter what you do with it, it’s guaranteed to be delicious. The recipe is below – I’m sure you will love it as much as we did!

What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Stuffed Peppers?

• 3 bell peppers (I had one yellow, one orange and one red – but any colors will do)
• 1 15oz can refried black beans
• 3/4 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
• 6 tbsp Mexican cheese blend
• Your favorite salsa (for topping)
• 3/4 cup corn kernels (either frozen/defrosted or fresh)
• Cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, paprika to taste
• ~1/2 tbsp Taco seasoning (I like the one from Trader Joe’s)
• Salt to taste

How To Make Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers – Step by Step

Step 1: Roast the peppers under a broiler (350 degrees for 5 min – or until the top of the peppers begins to blacken). At the same time, cook the brown rice (if it’s not already pre-cooked).

Step 2: Cut off the tops of the peppers, take out the seeds/etc. Set aside.

Step 3: Heat the corn in a microwave safe bowl (or on the stovetop). Once warmed, stir in ~1/2 tsp cumin, ~1/2-1 tsp chili powder and 1/8-1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.

Step 4: Heat the refried black beans on the stove, add taco seasoning to taste.

Step 5: Spread the black beans at the bottom and along the sides of each pepper.

Step 6: Top with corn mixture, then with brown rice, then with corn again. Spoon 1-2 Tbsp Mexican cheese blend on top of each pepper.

Step 7: Broil at 350 degrees on low for 5 min until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with salsa and/or guacamole. Enjoy!!

What Makes These Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers Healthy?

• High in Fiber: One serving of these peppers comes in at 7g of fiber — that’s over 25% of your daily fiber needs!
• Plant Based Protein: Thanks to the black beans, each serving of these peppers contains over 10g of plant-based protein.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Bell peppers are rich in Vitamins A, C, Potassium, Folate and Iron! Black beans are also rich in magnesium, folate and iron; and corn provides folate, iron and Vitamin C!

Will Kids Enjoy These Stuffed Peppers?

This is such a simple recipe, but turned out to be absolutely delicious. My kids gobbled it up and then asked for seconds! I just had to cut it into super small pieces for them since they were both under 5 when I made this the first time and it was a bit hard for them to maneuver the utensils to cut into this properly themselves.

Recipe FAQs

How to Serve

These peppers are so hearty and filling they are a great meal on their own. But if you’re looking to add to your dinner table, here are some sides that would go well with this recipe:

• A garden salad
• Some fresh cornbread
• Fresh guacamole
• Stewed black or pinto beans

How to Store and Reheat

• To Store: You can store these peppers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge!
• To Reheat: Place in a microwave safe dish and warm gently in the microwave.
• To Freeze: Place in an air-tight freezer safe container. These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let these defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Top Tips for Making Stuffed Vegetarian Peppers

• Watch the peppers carefully when you are broiling them to make sure they don’t burn.
• If you want to add some extra veggies, you can add some chopped baby spinach into the corn filling!
• If you don’t have corn or rice, just about any vegetable and grain will work well to stuff these peppers. Try zucchini, squash, carrots, quinoa, barley or farro!
• For additional toppings, try guacamole, crushed tortilla chips, plain Greek yogurt, or organic sour cream.
• When serving to little kids, cut into tiny pieces to make it bite-sized and easy to eat!
• These peppers can be prepared ahead of time, and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking in an airtight container.

Check Out These Other Delicious Mexican Inspired Dishes!

• Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
• Vegetarian Taco Lasagna Recipe
• Healthy Vegetarian Mexican Flautas
• Mexican Black Bean Soup with Tortillas
• Easy Veggie Enchiladas by Pinch of Yum
• Crispy Cauliflower Tacos by A Couple Cooks

If you have tried these stuffed vegetarian peppers, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family friendly food!