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Vegan stuffed peppers on a white plate.
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5 from 3 votes

Vegan stuffed peppers recipe

These vegan stuffed bell peppers are loaded with a satisfying, flavorful filling of quinoa, vegan meat (or beans) and veggies. It's a simple recipe with very little hands-on time.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 3 servings (two bell pepper halves each)
Calories: 466kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

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.)
  • 12-14 oz vegan ground beef (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 parsley (chopped)
US Customary - Metric

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.
    Celery and onions in skillet.
  • Stir in the garlic and saute for a minute.
    Garlic added to celery and onions for bell pepper filling.
  • Add the tomato paste and mix it in. Stir in the parsley and ground cumin followed by the paprika and cayenne/red pepper flakes.
    Oregano and cumin added to skillet with celery, onions and tomato paste.
  • 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.
    Vegan beef added to veggies and tomato paste in skillet for bell peppers.
  • 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.
    Bell peppers stuffed with vegan meat and vegan cheese filling.
  • 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.
    Vegan stuffed peppers in plate.

Notes

  • Substitute vegan mozzarella with ½ cup panko bread crumbs mixed with 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt, ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
  • Meal prep: Cook the filling up to three days in advance and refrigerate. About 1 ½ hours before serving, cut bell peppers, stuff and bake them in time for dinner!
  • Serve: Serve the bell peppers on their own, or with a delicious vegan Caesar salad, or with a side of vegan garlic butter beets or roasted golden beets.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 stuffed vegan bell pepper halves | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Potassium: 696mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 6210IU | Vitamin C: 220mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 4mg