The Best Vegan Stuffed Peppers

These are the Best Vegan Stuffed Peppers. They are very flavorful and taste just like traditional stuffed peppers. This recipes uses vegan ground beef, rice and veggies to create a delicious main dish perfect for any time.

Vegan Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

This recipe uses healthy ingredients and simple seasoning to make a delicious meal.

• Peppers - You can use any combination of bell peppers. I love using green peppers and red peppers, but you can make it more colorful with orange and yellow peppers.
• Vegan ground beef - You can use any kind of vegan ground beef you like. My favorite is Beyond Meat.
• Rice - I use white rice but you can use brown rice for added nutrition. You can also use leftover cooked rice.
• Olive oil
• Onion - I prefer yellow onion but white onion is fine.
• Mushrooms - I usually stick with white mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms.
• Zucchini - Cut the zucchini to whatever size suits you. I like bigger pieces but some may prefer smaller ones.
• Tomato sauce - I use plain canned tomato sauce. You can use reduced sodium if that's a concern for you.
• Salt
• Pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning

Stuffed Peppers Variations

There are a few different ways that can change up the flavor.

• Make it spicy.  You can add some hot sauce to the rice mixture as it cooks. You can also add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top.

• Make it cheesy.  When you remove the aluminum foil, top with vegan shredded cheese for the final 15 minutes of baking.

• Make it Mexican. Instead of zucchini, add black beans, corn kernels, and some ground cumin and chili powder or taco seasoning. I recommend using green bell peppers instead of the other colors. Serve with vegan sour cream.

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers

To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the rice (white or brown) according to the package instructions. If you have any leftover rice in the fridge, you can use it instead and skip this step. You will need about 1 cup of cooked rice.

Find a baking dish that will fit the peppers without too much extra space so the peppers don't fall over. If you have extra space, crumple some aluminum foil to fill it in. Prepare the baking dish by lightly coating with non-stick oil spray.

Next, chop the onion, mushrooms and zucchini and set aside. I like bigger pieces for texture but the size is up to you.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the vegan ground beef to the onions and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Break up the mock meat into small pieces.

Add the chopped vegetables and all the seasonings. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.

Add the canned tomato sauce and stir well to combine. Cover the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the peppers. Cut off the top of the peppers and remove all the seeds and the pepper membrane from inside. If your peppers can't stand up and are leaning a lot, carefully cut a small piece off the bottom of the peppers to level them out. Make sure you do not cut a whole in the bottom of the pepper.

Add the cooked rice to the veggie mixture and stir well.

Next, spoon the veggie and rice filling into each pepper. Use the spoon to push down the filling to fill the peppers completely.

Cover the pan in aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Remove the peppers from the oven and serve.

Stuffed Peppers Storage

Store any leftover vegan stuffed peppers with rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can microwave it for about a minute. You can also reheat in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.

FAQ

Can you freeze stuffed peppers?

Yes. After they have cooled, wrap the peppers individually with plastic wrap and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Thaw peppers in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave or oven.

Should peppers be precooked before stuffing?

There's no need to precook the peppers. They will be thoroughly baked in the oven.

How can I keep the peppers from falling over?

Try to find a baking dish where the peppers fit snugly. If you have additional space, fill with crumpled aluminum foil. You can also cut a small piece of the bottom of the peppers off to even them out. Make sure you don't cut through to the bottom of the colorful bell peppers and make a hole.

What can I do with the bell pepper tops?

I usually toss them but you can also bake the peppers with them on to make a pretty presentation.

Summary

These Vegan Stuffed Peppers are a great main dish recipe and one that the whole family loves. They are easy to make but somehow feel fancy! Use whatever color of bell peppers you like in this delicious vegan recipe. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread for a perfect meal.

Looking for other vegan main dishes? Check out:

• Easy Vegan Creamy Pasta With Peas
• Easy Tofu Coconut Curry With Vegetables
• Easy Vegan Mexican Casserole With Rice