In this easy dinner recipe of vegan stuffed peppers, colorful bell peppers (capsicum) are stuffed with a hearty, protein-packed filling of quinoa, veggies and vegan meat or beans, then topped with melty vegan cheese that turns crusty when baked. It's a one-dish meal to love for it's ease, deliciousness and visual appeal!
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this vegan stuffed peppers recipe
- Savory and cheesy. The delicious and meaty filling of quinoa and vegan meat (you can also use beans) is loaded with flavor. The baked stuffed peppers are perfectly tender, and the vegan cheese on top adds another layer of yum to the recipe.
- Easy recipe. The filling for the stuffed bell peppers is simple and comes together quickly. After that it's one hour of mostly hands-off time until the bell peppers have baked to tender deliciousness.
- One-dish meal. There's tons of protein in this recipe and you also have healthy veggies, making this a complete one-dish meal.
- Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free. These baked bell peppers are friendly to all diets. Kids will love the savory filling and the cheese, even those who don't usually like bell peppers!
- Healthy. There are 466 calories in each serving of two bell pepper halves, and you also get a whopping 20 grams of protein and 11 grams of dietary fiber. The dish is also loaded with vitamins A and C and calcium, among other nutrients.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil. Or use another oil, like avocado oil or grape seed oil.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers (see note below on choosing colors), onions and celery. Use any edible trimmings from the bell peppers, like ribs, that you will remove in order to create a cavity to fill with the stuffing. If you want more veggies, add a finely chopped carrot along with the onions and celery.
- Garlic. Use loads of garlic for amazing flavor. I use six large cloves.
- Herbs: Oregano and fresh parsley. If you have fresh oregano in your fridge or your herb garden, this is a great recipe to add it to. Or use dried oregano. Good herb substitutions are thyme or sage.
- Spices: Paprika, red pepper flakes and ground cumin. You can also use cayenne alone or instead of the red pepper flakes and skip the paprika.
- Tomato paste. This adds lots of umami to this meatless dish.
- Vegan meat substitute. I used Impossible meat this time, but I've also made this dish with black beans with stunning results. Use any meat substitute or vegan sausage of your choice or black beans, kidney beans or lentils.
- Quinoa. Quinoa adds more heart-healthy fiber and protein to this recipe, and a nice texture. You can use brown rice or white rice instead.
- Salt and ground black pepper.
- Vegan mozzarella shreds. You can substitute these with ½ cup panko bread crumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- Vegetable stock or vegetable broth. Or use a mushroom stock. If you don't have these, use ½ cup of a dry white wine for the best flavor.
- Lemon. This adds more flavor to the bell peppers as they cook in the broth.
What color peppers to use?
Bell peppers are not all created equal when it comes to flavor. Green bell peppers are savory, while orange and yellow bell peppers are sweeter, with red bell peppers being the sweetest. I love them all, but depending on your tastes you might want to choose a certain color pepper. Using multicolored peppers in this recipe adds both stunning visual appeal to the dish and gives different tastebuds in the family a chance to pick their favorite color and flavor!
How to make vegan stuffed peppers
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and saute for a minute.
Add the tomato paste and mix it in.
Stir in the parsley and ground cumin...
...followed by the paprika or cayenne and red pepper flakes.
Stir in the vegan beef substitute and mix it well. Let it cook 2-3 minutes until it has browned a bit.
Add the quinoa and mix it in. Warm the stuffing through.
Stir in the parsley, check for salt, and turn off heat.
Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. You can add the ribs to the stuffing, they are perfectly edible and they will add more flavor and nutrition. Stuff the cut peppers with the filling, then sprinkle on some vegan mozzarella cheese shreds.
Mix vegetable stock with lemon juice and pour it into the baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit/205 degree Celsius oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 more minutes.
Serving suggestions
You don't really need a side with these vegan meat and quinoa stuffed peppers because you have everything you need in this dish, and enough texture and flavor to keep your mouth happy. If you want to go all out, top with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
A delicious vegan salad, like this vegan Caesar salad or a side of vegan garlic butter beets or roasted golden beets would be wonderful as well and would add more fresh healthfulness to the meal.
How to store the stuffed bell peppers
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: These stuffed bell peppers freeze well. Store in a single layer in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat the bell peppers in a 400-degree Fahrenheit/205-degree Celsius oven until warmed through.
More delicious one-dish meals
Love this stuffed bell peppers recipe? Be sure to check out more gluten-free vegan recipes on Holy Cow Vegan.
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- 9 X 12 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil or grape seed oil)
- 1 large onion (finely diced)
- 2 stalks celery (finely diced)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced or crushed through a garlic press)
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoon dried oregano)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika (optional)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or use cayenne. Adjust the quantity up or down depending on how spicy you want this dish to be.)
- 12 oz vegan ground beef substitute (or use a 14-oz can of black beans or lentils. Drain before using)
- ¾ cup cooked quinoa
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3 large bell peppers (any color. See note above.)
- 4 oz vegan mozzarella shreds
- ¾ cup vegetable stock (or mushroom stock)
- Juice of 1 lemon or lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add the tomato paste and mix it in. Stir in the parsley and ground cumin followed by the paprika and cayenne/red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the vegan beef substitute and mix it well. Let it cook 2-3 minutes until it has browned a bit. Add the quinoa and mix it in. Warm the stuffing through. Stir in the parsley, check for salt, and turn off heat.
- Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. You can add the ribs to the stuffing, they are perfectly edible and they will add more flavor and nutrition. Stuff the cut peppers with the filling, then sprinkle on some vegan mozzarella cheese shreds.
- Mix vegetable stock with lemon juice or lime juice and pour it into the baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit/205 degree Celsius oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 more minutes until the cheese has melted and the tops are crusty.
Recipe notes
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the stuffed peppers in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: These stuffed bell peppers freeze well. Store in a single layer in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat the bell peppers in a 400-degree Fahrenheit/205-degree Celsius oven until warmed through.
Tricia Sutton
What brand of cheese is good?
Vaishali
I use whatever I have on hand, usually the Aldi vegan mozzarella or Daiya.
Sheela
Hello Vaishali, Hope all well on your side. Long time since i dropped a line. Although, I have been visiting your virtual kitchen on and off. Just that work life has become crazy with too many organizational changes and deadlines.Nevertheless, I tried your stuffed bell pepper for today's dinner. just tasted a bite and messaging you. It is so yummy. I have no words....Simple and elegant too.
Many thanks for sharing.
A big hug!
Sheela
Shani
I make these at home with an Indian spiced potato, pea and brown rice mixture . I need to try this too:) roasted capsicums are so delicious!
Vaishali
Hi Shani, I sometimes stuff them with brown rice and veggies too. Yours sound delicious. And absolutely agree-- roasted capsicums, especially the green ones, are amazing!
JoanC
Are coriander leaves the same as cilantro leaves? Vaishali, I must thank you again for this blog. I have used so many of your recipes and every single one has been outstanding. They've really upped my veg cooking game.
Vaishali
Hi Joan, yes, cilantro and coriander are the same! You can also try mint or even dill leaves for a delicious variation. And thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words about the blog-- I appreciate it! A happy Fourth to you. 🙂
Shannon
These stuffed peppers are perfection! The filling looks really satisfying, and I love the flavor profile that you used.
Vaishali
Thanks, Shannon. 🙂