Vegan Stuffed Peppers

What Makes These Stuffed Peppers Impossible to Resist

• Easy to find ingredients. You more than likely have the ingredients for these meatless stuffed peppers in your pantry and fridge already.
• Flavorful stuffing. Quinoa is filling, foolproof, and easy to make. I love the Southwestern vibes it brings to these spicy, savory stuffed peppers, and recipes like my quinoa enchilada skillet. It’s the perfect filling, but if you don’t have it, rice works great here, too.
• Customizable. I make these vegan stuffed peppers Tex-Mex-style. You can season the filling and adapt the ingredients any way you’d like. And if you love stuffed peppers as much as I do, try this (easily adaptable) stuffed pepper casserole, too.
• Great for meal prep. These vegan stuffed bell peppers store well in the fridge. Hello, meal prep magic!!

Notes on Ingredients

Alrighty, let’s get into the key ingredients for these vegan stuffed peppers. As I mentioned above, I bet you already have a bunch of them. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts.

• Bell Peppers – I like to use red, orange, and yellow. You can use all one color, do a mix, etc. Whatever you feel like!
• Coconut Oil – You can use other cooking oils like olive oil and canola oil, too.
• Onion and Garlic – I tend to use white or yellow onion. Minced garlic adds great savory flavor. Otherwise, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove. Jalapeños would also taste amazing in the filling!
• Black Beans – I love the texture that canned black beans add to these peppers. Other good choices are pinto beans, navy beans, and kidney beans.
• Corn Kernels – Another great Tex-Mex style addition! You could also shave the kernels from leftover corn on the cob or Mexican elote.
• Seasoning – I throw in some ground cumin, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley, plus chili powder for a touch of heat. Feel free to substitute another seasoning, like cayenne, taco seasoning, or Cajun spice.
• Cooked Quinoa – I have an in-depth tutorial on how to cook quinoa if you need it. White or brown rice is an easy substitution for this if you need it.
• Marinara Sauce – Use homemade marinara sauce or choose your favorite jarred sauce from the store.
• Vegan Cheese – I love to add vegan mozzarella shreds for a cheesy topping. Vegan cheddar would also work well.

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers are as easy as mixing all the ingredients in a skillet over heat, softening the onions and garlic, and then stuffing the peppers. Seriously, easy as pie. Well, savory pie. Here are more in-depth instructions for the best vegan stuffed peppers:

• Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, slice the tops off the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Arrange the hollowed-out peppers in a casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other so they don’t tip.
• Sauté the aromatics. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until slightly translucent. This usually takes about 5 minutes.

• Mix the filling. Next, stir in the black beans, corn, seasonings, and quinoa. Add the marinara sauce and a fistful of vegan cheese. Stir again to combine, and let the mixture sit until the cheese has melted slightly. Take the skillet off the heat.

• Stuff the peppers. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it tightly. Sprinkle more cheese on top of the peppers.
• Bake. Bake the stuffed peppers at 350ºF for 40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. You can also lightly broil the tops for a minute or two, if you like. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn!

Can I Grill These?

Sure! To cook these vegan stuffed peppers on the grill, first, grill the empty peppers for 5-10 minutes until they’re softened. Then, take them off the grill, stuff them with the filling, and return the peppers to the grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over towards the end of the cooking time.

Recipe Tips

• Cook the quinoa ahead of time. You can totally make the quinoa right before you stuff the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
• Texture tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
• Switch up the flavors. That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers. They can be made Spanish, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, pizza, or even Cuban-style. It’s totally up to you!
• Make them “meaty”. Stir vegan taco meat into the quinoa for a heartier, but still meatless, stuffed peppers.

Optional Toppings

Vegan mozzarella is by far my favorite topping for these vegan stuffed peppers. It’s so gooey and delicious! However, you definitely have options:

• Add a dollop of vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt.
• A sprinkle of Italian seasoning or chopped parsley.
• Restaurant-style blender salsa.
• Taco toppings like avocado slices, diced tomatoes, etc.

What to Serve With Vegan Stuffed Peppers

I used large bell peppers for these, and one of them can easily serve a single person for dinner. That said, there’s no reason you can’t bring in some tasty additions to make it a fuller meal! Serve these vegan stuffed peppers with Tex-Mex dishes like vegan fajitas, chips and guacamole, or a refreshing, sharing-style cucumber and tomato salad. These Southwest egg rolls make a great starter, washed down with a peach sangria.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store leftover quinoa-stuffed peppers in an airtight Tupperware container for 3-4 days.
• Reheat. To reheat, pop them in the microwave or the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
• Freeze. Freeze your leftover peppers in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before digging in again!

More Vegan Dinner Recipes

• Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings
• Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
• Cheesy Taco Pasta
• Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Pizza