Vegan Stuffed Peppers with Lentils

Delight in these easy vegan stuffed bell peppers, filled with a high-protein mixture of lentils and rice, perfect for a comforting meal-prep. This modern American or Mediterranean-inspired dish delivers a symphony of flavors, with rich tomato-lentil filling and melted vegan cheese, making it a hearty and satisfying main course.

Ingredients

🌶️ 4 large bell peppers, halved with seeds removed
🫒 3 tablespoons olive oil
🧅 1 medium red onion, finely diced
🥣 1.5 cups cooked brown/green lentils
🍚 1.5 cups cooked white rice
🌶️ 1/2 cup additional finely diced bell peppers
🧂 1 tablespoon mixed spices (paprika, cumin, salt, pepper)
🍅 1 to 1.5 cups tomato sauce
🧀 1 cup vegan cheese shreds (mozzarella-style)
🌿 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1- Preheat and Prepare Peppers:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Halve the bell peppers lengthwise and remove seeds. Arrange in a large glass baking dish.
Drizzle olive oil over peppers. Cover with foil and pre-bake for 15-20 minutes until tender.

2- Prepare Filling:

Dice 1 medium red onion and approximately 1/2 cup of mixed-color bell peppers.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sauté red onion until softened.
Add diced bell peppers and sauté until slightly tender.
Mix in cooked lentils and rice, then season with mixed spices. Stir well.
Pour tomato sauce into the mixture, stirring to combine. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.

3- Stuff and Bake Peppers:

Remove pre-baked peppers from the oven. Spoon lentil-rice filling into each pepper half.
Top each stuffed pepper with vegan cheese shreds.
Return to the oven. Bake until cheese is golden and melted, about 10-15 minutes.

4- Garnish and Serve: