Stuffed Peppers — Karen Smith RD

Easy, cheesy, and packed full of fiber and nutrients. My whole family loves this recipe!

Click here for a video demo of how to make this recipe.

Stuffed peppers

Makes 6-8 depending on size of peppers

*see notes at bottom for substitutions

Ingredients:

6-8 bell peppers, whatever color you want (I like to use a variety), topped and cored (don’t throw away the tops - you will use them in the filling)

For the cheesy sauce:

*1 cup raw cashews (if you do not have a high-speed blender, you’ll want to place the cashews in a bowl, pour boiling water over them so they are completely covered, and let them soak for 15 minutes so they blend more easily)

¾ cup vegetable broth

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp cumin

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (next time I am going to try adding 1 cup of a chunky salsa instead)

For the filling:

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

*¼ tsp chipotle chili pepper

½ tsp cumin

Tops of the bell peppers, chopped

*1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn

*3 cups cooked basmati brown rice - this is my favorite method for cooking brown rice

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Salt and black pepper, to taste (I don’t add either)

Directions:

Wash the bell peppers. Cut off the tops and remove the core and seeds. Save the tops for the filling. Place the peppers in a baking dish.
Combine all the ingredients for the cheesy sauce in your blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add more broth or water, if needed, until the consistency is pourable.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped onions. Stir the onions, to prevent them from burning and sticking. Add water, in small increments (1-2 tablespoons), as needed, if the onions start to stick to the pan.
Add the minced garlic and spices, and stir to combine. Let cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the chopped bell pepper tops, and mix to combine.
Add the black beans, corn, rice, cilantro, and about half of the cheesy sauce. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until the mixture is warmed through.
Stuff each pepper with the rice mixture until full.
Pour the remaining cheesy sauce over top of the peppers. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes.

*Substitution notes

Instead of cashews, 1 cup of white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, can be used, or you can use ½ cup of cashews and ½ cup of white beans.

You can sub any spices you like! Try ½ - 1 tsp of taco seasoning or chili powder in place of the chipotle chili pepper.

Any kind of legume can be used in this recipe. Try chili, pinto, or kidney beans or lentils or peas instead of black beans.

Any kind of whole grain can be used in this recipe. Try quinoa, black or wild rice, oat groats, sorghum, barley, or farro instead of brown rice.