Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Updated May 17, 2024
These Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers are filled with a delicious black bean, corn, and rice mixture and topped with with Monterey jack cheese!
These are the best stuffed peppers!
These vegetarian stuffed peppers are one of our favorite Mexican inspired meatless dinners. Filled with a hearty black bean, corn, and rice filling and topped with freshly grated cheese, they are so flavorful!
These stuffed peppers are so fresh and cooked to the perfect tenderness. They are made with easy to find ingredients and the perfect spice blend to really make all the flavors pop. Try these for your next meatless Monday!
Some of our favorite Mexican inspired dinners include mexican rice casserole, vegetarian enchiladas, and sweet potato tacos.
Eating Mexican meals as a vegetarian is so easy to do and you can make so many different tasty dishes.
You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you will need.
Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Ingredients
- whole bell peppers: any color
- garlic and onion: fresh garlic and onion is key for adding flavor to this dish
- olive oil
- black beans
- corn
- cooked white rice: or substitute brown rice
- cilantro: freshly chopped
- seasonings: chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt
- lime juice: freshly squeezed
- monterey jack cheese: freshly grated from a block
How to make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Step 1: Wash and cut the bell peppers in half down through the middle of the stem and clean out the insides.
Step 2: Drizzle the pepper halves lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to rub the oil into the peppers and place them on a baking sheet.
Should peppers be precooked before stuffing?
Yes, you need to pre-bake your bell pepper before stuffing. This ensures that they are the perfect tenderness.
Step 3: Bake the pepper halves on a baking sheet at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. While those are cooking, go ahead and cook your rice also. You can do this on the stovetop or in a rice cooker.
Step 4: While those are baking, in a large skillet, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Step 5: Add the frozen corn and black beans. Stir for 5 minutes, until the corn is thawed.
Step 6: In the skillet (if it’s big enough) or a mixing bowl, and add the rice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, cilantro, lime juice, and ½ cup of the monterey jack cheese to the black bean and corn filling. Stir well to combine the vegetarian stuffed pepper filling.
Step 7: After the bell pepper halves have finished baking drain off any liquid.
Step 8: Stuff the bell pepper halves with the filling.
Step 9: Top the peppers with the remaining fresh grated monterey jack cheese.
Step 10: Bake the stuffed pepper halves at 425 for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly on top.
How to serve Stuffed Bell Peppers
Serve these with all of your favorite toppings! Here are some ideas for serving:
- sour cream
- fresh lime juice
- avocado slices
- guacamole
- salsa
How to store
To store: Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To reheat: place the peppers on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until heated through.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers FAQs
Pre-baking the peppers before stuffing will soften them and allow for a perfectly tender stuffed pepper. There is no need to boil your peppers before stuffing.
After pre-baking your peppers, drain off any excess liquid prior to stuffing the peppers. Avoid overcooking the stuffed peppers to prevent them from getting soggy.
Cut the bell peppers in half from the stem end down through the base. Clean out the insides of the peppers and remove all seeds.
More Recipes You’ll Love
These vegetarian stuffed peppers are one of our favorite mexican inspired dinner recipes and a delicious flavorful and filling meatless dinner!
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 5 bell peppers: any color
- 10 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 can of black beans, drained
- 1 ½ cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 oz monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- ½ lime, juiced
Instructions
- Cut the bell peppers in half down through the middle of the stem and clean out the insides
- Drizzle the peppers lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to rub the oil into the peppers
- Bake the pepper halves on a baking sheet at 425 degrees for 20 minutes
- While those are baking, cook the rice on the stove top, or in a rice cooker.
- In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoons of olive oil, the onion, and the garlic. Cook the garlic and onion over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft
- Add the frozen corn and black beans. Stir for 5 minutes, until the corn is thawed
- In the skillet (if it’s big enough) or transfer to a mixing bowl and add the cooked rice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, cilantro, lime juice, and ½ cup of the monterey jack cheese.
- Drain any liquid from the bell peppers after the 20 minutes cook time is done, then stuff with the rice mixture and return to the baking sheet
- Top the peppers with the remaining fresh grated monterey jack cheese
- Bake the vegetarian stuffed pepper halves at 425 for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbly
- Serve topped with fresh squeezed lime, diced avocado, sour cream, or toppings of choice
Hi Joy,
Can you suggest how I could make this recipe as deconstructed stuffed peppers?
It all sounds great, but my husband prefers having the peppers cut and having it all mixed together.
Thank you for any help you can give!
Hi Christi,
Sure thing! I would suggest adding the diced up bell peppers to the skillet at the same time as the onion and garlic in step 5. But with it being in the filling I would probably only do 2 or 3 bell peppers, you could eyeball that part. Then instead of mixing the filling in the bowl, I would mix it all in the skillet you are using to cook the bell pepper/onion in. It will need to be a large skillet. Taste to adjust the salt if necessary. Simmer it all for 5-10 minutes until heated through, then top with the remaining cheese covering the top in an even layer. Put a lid on it until the cheese melts, then serve! Hope that helps 🙂
So delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Vicky!