These vegetarian Italian stuffed peppers are a hearty, delicious dinner ready in just over an hour. Filled with rice, beans, veggies, and melty cheese, they’re the perfect meatless meal for any day of the week!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Italian Stuffed Peppers Recipe
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make Italian Stuffed Peppers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers With Rice
- What To Serve With These Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Other Tasty Vegetarian Recipes To Try
- Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers
Why You’ll Love This Italian Stuffed Peppers Recipe
Stuffed peppers are one of those cozy meals that feel like a hug in dinner form. This version is totally meatless but still super satisfying thanks to the combination of hearty rice, creamy beans, melty cheese, and savory vegetables. Even the most devout meat-eaters at my table love them!
They're easy to make, and the leftovers reheat beautifully, making them great for meal prep or a next-day lunch. Plus, you can prep parts of the recipe ahead of time to make dinner even quicker. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Flavorful, cheesy goodness
- Really satisfying
- Uses pantry staples
- Easily customizable
- Great for leftovers
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Olive oil- For sautéing. Can sub with avocado oil or canola oil.
- Mushrooms- Bring umami flavor! Any variety works — cremini or white buttons are great options.
- Onion- Adds savory depth. Yellow or white onion both work.
- Garlic- Boosts aroma and taste. Fresh cloves are best, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Seasonings- Kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper (optional), and Italian seasoning.
- Grated Romano cheese- For a salty, cheesy bite. Parmesan is the best substitute.
- Roma tomatoes- These hold up well, but any diced tomato will work.
- Great Northern beans- They add protein and creaminess. Cannellini or navy beans are good substitutes.
- Tomato sauce and water- The water helps rinse out every last bit from the can.
- Cooked rice- Hearty filler that soaks up flavor. White, brown, or even quinoa can be used.
- Fresh spinach- You can also use kale or chopped swiss chard.
- Bell peppers- Use any color! Red tends to be the sweetest, green are slightly bitter, and yellow and orange fall somewhere in the middle.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese- Melty, cheesy topping. Feel free to try a blend with provolone or cheddar.
How To Make Italian Stuffed Peppers
Step 1- Sauté the veggies.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 3 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until it smells amazing.
Step 2- Build the filling.
Add salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), Italian seasoning, grated cheese, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, and water. Cook everything together for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the cooked rice and spinach. Cook for 2 more minutes until the spinach is wilted and everything is nice and warm.
Step 3- Fill the peppers.
Cut the bell peppers in half (through the stem) and remove the ribs and seeds. Spoon the filling into each half, gently pressing down so they’re full. Nestle into the baking pan so they are snug.
Step 4- Bake and add the cheesy topping.
Cover the dish, pop it in the oven, and bake for 45 minutes. Next, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top of each pepper and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve them up warm and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Mozzarella is a classic choice because it melts beautifully and adds that gooey, cheesy finish we all love. But feel free to switch it up! Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even a little Pepper Jack for a kick would work great.
Absolutely. You can stuff the peppers and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake. Just let them sit out for about 30 minutes before putting them in the oven — I usually do this while I preheat the oven.
I don’t usually par-bake them as I like a little bite left in the pepper. But if you prefer a softer texture, you can pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes while you prep the filling.
Tips For Making Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers With Rice
- The number of peppers you’ll need depends on their size. Just make sure they fit snugly in your baking dish.
- Instead of cutting off the tops, slice them in half from stem to bottom. They’re easier to fill and even easier to eat this way.
- Don’t forget to scoop out the seeds and ribs inside each pepper so they’re ready for filling.
- Don’t skimp on the filling. When you spoon it in, press it down gently before adding more to really fill those peppers up.
- You can use leftover rice! This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe is perfect if you’ve got some cooked rice sitting in the fridge.
- Got extra stuffing? Spread it on the bottom of the pan before placing the peppers inside.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Dice the onions and mushrooms, cook the rice, and shred the cheese.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. You can also freeze the stuffed (but unbaked) peppers for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With These Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers
This hearty meal is filling on its own, but you can easily turn dinner into something extra special. Whether you're looking to round things out with a veggie side or a sweet treat to finish, these recipes make the perfect companions to your classic stuffed peppers:
- Crispy Fried Potatoes
- French Carrot Salad
- Mushrooms in White Wine Sauce
- Orange Cake with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Other Tasty Vegetarian Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 8 ounces mushrooms, diced
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper,
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed red pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 Tablespoons grated Romano cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 14 ounces Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
- 8 ounces Tomato sauce
- 4 ounces water (fill empty sauce can half way to get out residual sauce)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup roughly shopped fresh spinach.
- 4-5 bell peppers sliced in half down the middle and hollowed out
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering.
- Add onion and cook for 3 minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Add mushrooms and and saute for 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic and saute for another minute until fragrant.
- Combine salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper (if using), Italian seasoning, Romano cheese, tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce and water. Cook for 5-7 minutes until well combined, stirring periodically.
- Stir in rice and spinach and cook for 2 minutes until spinach is wilted and rice is heated through.
- Stuff the filling into the pepper halves, gently pressing in so they're nice and full (the peppers should be snug in the pan).
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove cover and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
- Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- The number of peppers you’ll need depends on their size. Just make sure they fit snugly in your baking dish.
- Instead of cutting off the tops, slice them in half from stem to bottom. They’re easier to fill and even easier to eat this way.
- Don’t forget to scoop out the seeds and ribs inside each pepper so they’re ready for filling.
- Don’t skimp on the filling. When you spoon it in, press it down gently before adding more to really fill those peppers up.
- You can use leftover rice! This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe is perfect if you’ve got some cooked rice sitting in the fridge.
- Got extra stuffing? Spread it on the bottom of the pan before placing the peppers inside.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Dice the onions and mushrooms, cook the rice, and shred the cheese.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. You can also freeze the stuffed (but unbaked) peppers for up to 3 months.
Lynn says