These vegan stuffed peppers are a quick and easy dish that uses up anything and everything! Filled with vegan ground beef and leftover rice, it’s affordable and takes seconds to prep.
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
When it comes to satisfying vegan main dishes, my favorite recipes to make are a burrito bowl, maple tofu burgers, and these vegan stuffed bell peppers.
Before going vegan, my mom would always use up all the leftover ingredients in the refrigerator to whip up something special. She’d often use up leftover veg to make a stir fry but if we ever had some leftover rice, she’d always make stuffed bell peppers.
Stuffed peppers have to be one of the easiest and most customizable dishes ever. You can stuff them with anything and everything, and they turn something simple into something quite fancy.
We tend to use rice, vegan meat crumbles, and tomatoes, but anything works! Perfect on their own or served with a salad or veggie side, these stuffed peppers freeze beautifully too!
How do you make vegan stuffed bell peppers?
The Ingredients
- Onions– Gives flavor to the filling mixture. Be sure to slice your onions finely, to ensure they cook evenly.
- Vegan ground beef– Any vegan beef substitute can be used, but we prefer using the minced/ground variety.
- Cooked rice– Basmati or jasmine rice is preferred. Either make it from scratch or use a shortcut and make microwave rice.
- Crushed tomatoes– Also known as diced or canned tomatoes. Use ones with no added sugar in them.
- Garlic and onion powder– Extra flavor without needing any extra minced garlic.
- Salt and pepper– To taste.
- Bell peppers– Use a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers. Scoop out the innards so they are ready to be filled.
- Vegan parmesan cheese– Optional, but fabulous to sprinkle over the top before baking.
The Instructions
Start by preparing the filling. Place an oiled non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and saute for a minute, before adding the vegan ground beef. Pan fry for 4-5 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the cooked rice, followed by the crushed tomatoes, then the spices. Stir fry everything together for 5-6 minutes.
Now, place the bell peppers into a greased baking dish. Distribute the filling evenly amongst the bell peppers and sprinkle with vegan parmesan on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden on top.
Flavor variations
- Protein– Swap out the vegan ground beef with sliced vegan chicken or beef.
- Vegetables– Add mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant.
- Legumes– Amp up the protein by adding black beans, garbanzo beans, or white navy beans.
- Spices– For a Mexican kick, add some cumin, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.
Storing, freezing, and reheating stuffed peppers
- To store: Leftover stuffed peppers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: Place stuffed peppers in a large container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
What to serve with stuffed peppers
- Hasselback potatoes
- Roasted brussels sprouts with garlic
- Lemon orzo salad with chickpeas
- Ratatouille
- Black bean and corn salad
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 lb vegan ground beef or vegan crumbles
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 lb can crushed tomatoes 425 grams
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 4 large bell peppers with innards scooped out
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a small baking dish and set aside.
- In a non-stick pan, add some olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the vegan ground beef crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, cooked rice, and spices, and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and distribute the mixture amongst the four bell peppers.
- Place the filled bell peppers into the baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake the bell peppers for 10-15 minutes, or until tender.
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