Stuffed Bell Peppers | Oil-Free

These bell peppers are stuffed with black beans, corn, peas, and rice with a gentle kick from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you are seeking some good ol’ comfort food, you will love these hearty, filling, and oh-so flavorful stuffed peppers. They are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, soy-free…what else can I tell you that they are free from, except for flavor! I will NEVER skimp on flavor.

I have been craving stuffed bell peppers for quite some time—actually, my mom’s stuffed bell peppers. Every time I visit home, I put a request in, and every time I do, it slips through the cracks due to our jam-packed days. So, it was left up to me to create my own. Talk about perfect timing, because throughout the week, whenever I opened the fridge, I had these beautiful bell peppers staring back at me. And each passing day, they would gain a wrinkle or two (like me). Finally, I decided it was high time to do something with those beauties before I lost them. So, stuffed bell peppers it was!

Stuffed Pepper Tips

When adding the chipotle peppers, start with one tablespoon, continue making the filling, then give it a taste test. These peppers can be a bit spicy, and if you are sensitive to heat, it’s best to add gradually because you can’t take it away once added.
If you already cooked the dish and you find that it’s a bit too spicy, garnish it with diced avocado, since fats help to mellow out the heat in a dish.
For a beautiful presentation, sprinkle fresh arugula microgreens around it. Their peppery taste pairs wonderfully with these stuffed peppers.
Make sure to cook long enough for the bell peppers to soften.
The filling is great on its own so if you don’t have any bell peppers…no problem! Spread the filling in a 9×13″ baking pan and bake as instructed below, minus a few minutes.

Well, I am going to leave you to it. You need to make this recipe, and I need to go do dishes. I hope your day is filled with joy and peace. amie sue

Ingredients

yields 5 servings

5 large bell peppers
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup organic corn
3/4 cup organic peas
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups packed cooked brown rice
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp sea salt

Preparation

Preparing the Bell Peppers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Trim the bell peppers about 1/2 inch from the top and clean out the stem and seeds.
Place the peppers, cut side up, on an 8×8″parchment-lined baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
- If you skip this process, it will take much longer to cook the dish as a whole.
Set aside and allow the peppers to cool while you work on the rest of the recipe.

Cooking the Filling

Preheat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of water over medium heat. Once the water starts to steam, add the diced onions.
Continue to stir, adding more water as it burns off, so the onions don’t stick to the pan and burn.
Once the onions become translucent (about 4-5 minutes), add the minced garlic, chipotle peppers, tomato paste, corn, and black beans. Cook for 3 minutes and pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic, or it will give the dish a bitter taste.
- If any of the ingredients are sticking to the pan, add a tablespoon or two of water to deglaze the pan. Deglazing helps to remove stuck food from the pan and adds flavor to the ingredients.
Add the diced tomatoes, brown rice, and cilantro to the mixture and stir well to combine.
Evenly fill each pepper with the rice mixture. If you have extra filling, you can either save it and eat it later as a side dish, or you can just pile those peppers high!

Baking

Slide the peppers into the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Remove the from the oven and enjoy immediately. Blow on that forkful; it’s going to be hot!

Storage for Leftovers (or if making ahead of time)

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: To keep longer, store stuffed peppers in the freezer. Place the cooled stuffed peppers in an airtight, freezer-safe container, freezing for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Let thaw before reheating. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F) and place the peppers in a baking dish, warming them for about 15 minutes.