Stuffed bell peppers are a gorgeous, mouthwatering, and satisfying dish with rice, lentils, and fragrant spices.
Our recipe is inspired by Mediterranean flavors. It’s really easy to make with simple pantry staples.
These easy stuffed bell peppers are excellent as a main dish, side dish, and meal prep.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet. It’s low in cholesterol and saturated fat.
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What are stuffed bell peppers?
Stuffed bell peppers are a popular dish in most Mediterranean countries, from Italy to Turkey, from Spain to the coasts of North Africa.
There, bell peppers of any color are sometimes stuffed with rice and meat, and other times are vegetarian, without meat.
Our stuffed peppers recipe is inspired by Mediterranean, Levantine, and Middle-Eastern flavors and will remind you of our heavenly lentil mujaddara.
Like our stuffed tomatoes, zucchini, and butternut squash, this recipe packs comforting flavors and excellent nutrition, making it perfect for a cozy family meal.
To spice things up, top them with crumbled feta cheese, a squeeze of lemon or caramelized onions, and a creamy yogurt tahini sauce.
Ingredients for stuffed bell peppers
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Bell peppers
You can use red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, orange bell peppers, or green bell peppers.
Rice
We use white long-grain rice.
Substitute arborio rice, basmati rice, or short-grain rice for long-grain.
You can also substitute wholegrain rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, and buckwheat for rice, but you’ll have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
White rice cooks faster, and we recommend it for this recipe.
Lentils
Use brown, black, or green lentils. You can use canned or dried lentils that you previously cooked in water until tender.
Here’s our guide on how to cook lentils.
Substitute black beans or chickpeas for lentils.
Tomatoes
We recommend canned diced tomatoes to make a hearty and rustic filling.
Substitute tomato puree, tomato sauce, whole canned peeled tomatoes, or ripe fresh tomatoes you previously diced.
Flavor base
We make a classic flavor base with extra virgin olive oil, white or yellow onion, and garlic. This first step adds flavor to the dish and shouldn’t be skipped.
Spices
We use cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes.
Substitute coriander for cumin and curry powder for turmeric.
If you dislike spices, substitute Italian seasoning for cumin and turmeric.
Vegetable broth
It helps the rice cook, and it’s necessary so that the stuffing won’t get dry as the stuffed bell peppers cook in the oven.
Parsley
We recommend Italian parsley, also known as flat-leaf parsley.
Substitute fresh dill or fresh coriander for parsley. You can even combine one or more fresh herbs.
Toppings (optional)
Toppings are optional, but they turn these fantastic stuffed peppers into a nutritious and satisfying meal. We recommend:
- Yogurt tahini sauce adds a refreshing feel and creamy texture to balance the warm spices.
- Caramelized onions: for a sweet and caramelized flavor boost.
- Lemon wedges: squeeze fresh lemon juice on the peppers and add freshness and tanginess.
- Feta cheese or non-dairy feta.
How to make stuffed bell peppers
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
1. Make the filling
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the chopped onion, and sauté it on medium heat for three minutes.
Add the rice, pressed garlic, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes and sauté while stirring for 60 seconds.
Stir in vegetable broth, rinsed lentils, and canned tomatoes, then season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off and stir in finely chopped parsley. Taste and adjust for salt.
Tip: We aim for the rice to be half-cooked when we finish cooking it in the oven.
2. Stuff the peppers
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
Rinse and dry the bell peppers, cut them in half, and remove the seeds and white membrane.
Add a pinch of salt in each pepper, then fill them with the rice and lentil mixture.
Important: If you think your peppers won’t stand up straight when cut this way, you can cut them in half lengthwise instead.
Arrange them on a baking dish or rimmed baking tray and bake in the oven at 350°F or 180°C for 40 minutes or until the peppers are fork tender.
If the filling starts to char, cover the peppers with aluminum foil.
Serving suggestions
Transfer onto a serving platter and serve with a sprinkle of parsley and lemon wedges.
Optionally, you can top them with:
- Feta or non-dairy feta, crumbled on top.
- Caramelized onions.
- Yogurt tahini sauce.
These stuffed peppers are main dish material as they contain a balanced amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
They are nutritious, healthy, and fulfilling, and you won’t need much else next to one of these.
Variations
We tested all these variations, and they all take the same time to cook and follow the exact instructions described in this article.
- Rice + meat (or vegan meat): Of course, you are free to make this easy stuffed peppers recipe with ground chicken, lean ground beef, ground turkey, or vegan ground meat.
In this case, substitute 10 to 12 ounces of meat for lentils and fry it with the onions and spices for 5 minutes before adding the rice and following the recipe.
- Rice + red lentils: use split red lentils instead of canned lentils.
- Quinoa + kidney beans + corn: This is a Mexican-inspired variation for stuffed peppers. Hearty, fulfilling, and with a Mexican spin. Here, you can replace the parsley with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime on top.
- Millet + Chickpea: Have you ever tried millet? It’s perfect in this recipe. Millet is a super healthy ancient grain cultivated by humans for over 7000 years.
It’s come back in fashion in the last couple of years, and you can find it in most supermarkets in the grains and legumes section.
- Buckwheat + chickpea + beans: Another delicious ancient grain, buckwheat is the perfect substitute for rice in this recipe. It has a nutty taste and a funny triangular shape. Try it, and we are sure you will love it.
- Cheesy topping: If you want to top the peppers with cheese, we recommend mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, or melty vegan cheese.
Add it 5 minutes before the peppers are done baking.
Tips
- Taste the filling before stuffing the peppers: We do this to adjust for salt and to ensure that the rice is not overcooked. Try not to overcook the filling by tasting it around the 8-minute mark.
- Can I use green peppers instead? You can use green, orange, or yellow peppers; they all work here. Red bell peppers are sweeter and are the richest in nutrients.
That’s because they stay on the vine the longest, giving them time to develop more flavor and a richer nutritional profile.
For example, did you know they are packed with vitamin A, potassium, and fiber? They also have about three times more vitamin C than oranges.
Questions
You can make stuffed bell peppers up to three days in advance, then store them in the refrigerator or freeze them.
They are perfect for meal prep because their flavor is even better the day after.
Yes, however, you need to adjust the cooking time. With whole grain rice, for example, you’d need to cook the rice almost entirely in the pan first, or else it won’t cook when in the peppers.
There is no need to boil bell peppers before stuffing them. Baking them in the oven with the stuffing is enough to ensure they are fully cooked.
Storage
Make ahead: Stuffed peppers are excellent for meal prep. On the second day, they are even tastier as the flavors have time to meld. You can bake them up to three days in advance.
Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: First, let the bell peppers cool thoroughly. If you have a freezer-safe pot and a large enough freezer, just put a lid on and freeze.
Alternatively, you can place each pepper in a single freezer bag. That’s the easiest way to defrost them individually. Thaw in the microwave.
Reheat: Microwave is the best and fastest option.
More Mediterranean-Inspired Recipes
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 medium bell peppers any color
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander or ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 cup rice
- 1 can (15 ounces) lentils green, black, or brown. Substitute 1½ cups cooked lentils / or ½ cup dried boiled in 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt until tender.
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup Italian parsley chopped
Topping suggestions
- 4 wedges lemon and /or caramelized onions, yogurt tahini sauce, crumbled feta cheese.
Instructions
- MAKE FILLING: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, add 1 large onion (chopped), and sauté it for three minutes.Add 1 cup rice, 3 cloves garlic (pressed), 1½ teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric,¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté while stirring for 60 seconds.Stir in 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 can (15 ounces) lentils (drained), and 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, then season with 1 teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off and stir in ½ cup Italian parsley (chopped). Taste and adjust for salt. The rice should be half-cooked.
- STUFF PEPPERS: Preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C.Rinse and dry the bell peppers, cut them in half, and remove the seeds and white membrane.Add a pinch of salt into each pepper, then fill them with the rice mixture.
- BAKE: Arrange them on a baking dish and bake at 350°F or 180°C for 40 minutes or until the peppers are fork tender.If the filling starts to char, cover the peppers with aluminum foil.
- SERVE: On a serving platter sprinkled with parsley and fresh lemon juice.Optionally, top them with feta or non-dairy feta, crumbled on top, caramelized onions, and/or yogurt tahini sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked these stuffed bell peppers, you might also enjoy:
Delicious! We were short on time, so I made the filling, but instead of stuffing the peppers, I sliced and roasted them while the filling was simmering. Served the roasted peppers alongside, and saved 40 minutes! Thanks so much.
Hi Lisa! 😊 That’s such a clever idea — I love how you made it work with less time!
Roasted peppers alongside the filling sounds absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for sharing and for trying the recipe, YAY.
Kindest,
Louise
Can I use red lentils instead of the other types you recommended?
Hi Amy,
Yes you can use red lentils, but make sure that they are cooked well. You might need to extend the cooking time for a few more minutes if the lentils are dried.
The texture will be slightly different as red lentils have less of a bite and are creamier. If that’s ok for you, go ahead. And do let us know what you think!!
Kindest, Louise
That sounds so good! I’m planning on making it for a larger group so I think I will make it the day before. What do you recommend for reheating- temp and time?
Hi Terrie,
Great idea, the stuffed peppers are excellent for making ahead. You can bake them up to three days in advance (without cheese) and cover tightly with aluminum foil before reheating.
Add a couple tablespoons of water to keep them moist, sprinkle with your cheese of choice (optional), and reheat at 350°F (180C) for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
I hope this helps – have a wonderful time and happy 2025 🎉🎉