Ingredients

• 8 medium bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup diced vegetables of choice (such as mushrooms, carrots, or broccoli – optional)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups vegan Italian sausage or another vegan protein (crumbles, cooked beans, or lentils)
• 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice (or quinoa, couscous, millet, or another grain)
• 1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce or 3 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups vegan cheese, divided
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat the Oven

• Set your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Prepare the Peppers

• Rinse the bell peppers thoroughly. Slice off the top inch, including the stem, then remove all seeds and white membranes from inside.
• Chop the removed pepper tops into small pieces and set aside.

Make the Filling

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over low heat. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 3–5 minutes until softened.
• Increase the heat to medium and stir in the chopped pepper pieces along with the Italian seasoning.
• Cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add your chosen vegan protein and sauté for a few more minutes.
• Stir in the cooked brown rice (or grain of choice) until well combined.
• Pour in the spaghetti sauce and mix thoroughly.
• Add 1 cup of the vegan cheese and stir until evenly distributed.

Stuff the Peppers

• Place the hollowed peppers upright in a baking dish. Spoon the filling evenly into each pepper.
• Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup vegan cheese over the tops.

Bake

• Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove the cover and return the dish to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Notes & Variations

Slow Cooker Option

Follow steps 1–9 as written.
Add 1 cup vegetable broth to the slow cooker.
Arrange the stuffed peppers inside, top with vegan cheese, and cook on low for 4½–5½ hours, until tender.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

To make this recipe into an appetizer, cut the recipe in half and use mini bell peppers.
Remove the tops, slice them in half, and clean out the seeds and membranes.
Place on a baking sheet, spoon on the filling, and top with vegan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 8 minutes.
Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Mexican-Style Variation

Replace the Italian seasoning with taco seasoning and swap the spaghetti sauce for 3 cups of salsa. Corn, beans, and squash make great additions to the filling.