A fork-and-knife vegetarian main, Southwestern Stuffed Peppers have the smoky and mildly spicy flavors we crave! Stuffed with veggies like zucchini and corn, with brown rice and black beans, the bell peppers are par-cooked, stuffed, and then baked again, creating a tender yet firm texture just right for cutting into with a knife. Vegetarian stuffed bell peppers are hearty, flavorful and freezer friendly.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review “This went straight in to my favourite recipes of all time book!!! Loved all the flavours and how wholesome and delicious it is…. will be making this as often as I can eat it 😀” ~ Liz
Highlights of Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers
The flavors of these Southwestern-style stuffed bell peppers take me right back to my Texas roots. They’re similar to my Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers because they’re full of late summer veggies like zucchini, corn and poblano peppers with hearty brown rice and black beans.
These stuffed peppers are infused with bold spices and are a hearty and satisfying veggie main.
This Recipe Is
- packed with veggies
- make tasty leftovers
- freezer friendly
If you love Mexican Inspired Recipes, then you’ll enjoy these stuffed bell peppers.
About the Key Ingredients
- Green Bell Peppers – mild in flavor and savory rather than sweet, a delicious pairing with southwestern flavors.
- Poblano Pepper – generally have a mild spice but add a unique smoky flavor to this recipe.
- Sweet Corn – use in season corn for freshest flavor or frozen may be used.
- Zucchini – look for late summer, in season zucchini, firm to the touch.
- Brown Rice – we’ll use my Fluffy Stovetop Brown Rice Recipe to cook long grain brown rice like pasta so it’s easy to do.
- Cooked Black Beans – use canned or make Black Beans from Scratch. You can also try my Slow Cooker Pinto Beans or canned pintos in this recipe. Choose your favorite!
- Pepper Jack Cheese – adds an overall mild spiciness to this dish. However, you can use Monterey Jack, medium cheddar or a mixture of the two if you prefer a milder stuffed pepper.
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How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers with Rice
step by step
To make the peppers tender, yet keep em’ sturdy enough to stuff, we’re par-cooking them in the oven while the rice cooks. Par-cooking renders the bell peppers easier to cut and softer, but not mushy, to the tooth. While the peppers are roasting, gather and chop the veggies. There’s some overlap during the prep/cooking process.
I love this recipe for meal prep. It reheats and freezes beautifully. Pop one or two halves in a to-go container and lunch is ready.
Condiments to Share with Stuffed Bell Peppers
Share your favorite Mexican inspired condiments with your stuffed peppers. Here are a few ideas:
- Avocado Cream Sauce (seen in the pictures)
- Fresh Pico de Gallo
- Sour Cream
- Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
- Quick Jalapeno Aioli
- Mexican Red Salsa (made in the blender!)
- Creamy Guacamole with Sour Cream
- Chili Lime Pepita Crema
Traci’s Tips
- Make it Vegan: omit the cheese (or stir in your favorite shredded vegan cheese) and share the peppers with a creamy condiment such as vegan sour cream, guacamole or my Chili Lime Pepita Crema.
- Pro Tip: a #20 cookie scoop makes scooping the filling and transferring it to the bell pepper a snap. I use about 1 1/2 – 2 scoops of filling per pepper.
Southwestern Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers with Rice
A fork-and-knife vegetarian main, Southwestern stuffed peppers have the smoky and mildly spicy flavors we crave! Stuffed with veggies like zucchini, and corn, with brown rice and black beans, the bell peppers are par-cooked, stuffed, then baked again creating a tender yet firm texture just right for cutting into with a knife. Vegetarian stuffed bell peppers are satisfying, hearty and freezer friendly. *Note there is some overlap in cook and prep time.
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Ingredients
- 5 Large Green Bell Peppers, sliced in half from stem to bottom, seeds and membranes/ribs removed
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil, + pan spray, I use avocado, olive or coconut oil
- 5 cups (1.2 kilograms) Water
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) Long Grain Brown Rice, rinsed through a strainer and drained
- 1 cup (115 grams) Red Onion, diced small, about 1/2 an onion
- 3/4 cup (85 grams) Poblano Pepper, diced small, about 1 medium pepper
- 1 cup (135 grams) Zucchini, diced medium, about 1 small zucchini
- 1 cup (145 grams) Sweet Corn, fresh, about 1 ear, or frozen
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Smoky Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced, about 2 large cloves
- 1/2 cup (150 grams) Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes, including juice (you can freeze the remaining)
- 1/4 Fresh Squeezed Lime
- 1 3/4 cups (425 grams) Cooked Black Beans, drained and rinsed, one can
- 2 cups (8 ounces / 225 grams) Pepper Jack Cheese, grated, divided, use Monterey jack for less spicy
- Cilantro, chopped fine for serving
Instructions
- Get Ready: Arrange an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius). Lightly oil two bakers with pan spray (I use a 9×13 inch baker and a smaller, 7×6 inch baker or loaf pan). Set aside.
- Cook the Rice: In medium pot, bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Drop in the rinsed rice and cook on a low boil, unlidded, for about 25, or until the rice is tender (cook it like pasta). Drain remaining water, and set the rice aside.
- Par Cook the Peppers: While the rice cooks, place the cut peppers, side by side, flesh side up, in the bakers. Slide the peppers into the oven and cook for about 15-20, just until the peppers are fragrant, a little softer and with a bit of light charring around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside until ready to stuff.
- Make the Stuffing: In a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute' the onion and poblano pepper for about 7 minutes on medium heat, or until softened. A little charring is okay. Add the zucchini and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally for about two minutes, or just until the zucchini is slightly soft. Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and minced garlic. Stir to coat the veggies, about one minute. Remove from heat. Add the tomatoes, squeeze in a 1/4 lime juice. Stir. Add the beans, cooked rice and half the cheese. The pan will be full, so carefully fold the ingredients together until evenly distributed.
- Stuff the Peppers: Scoop the stuffing into the peppers. A #20 cookie scoop makes scooping the filling and transferring it to the bell pepper a snap. I use about 1 1/2 – 2 scoops of filling per pepper. Use the back of a spoon to press the filling into each pepper half, mound if needed. Top each pepper with remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are warmed through.
- Remove from oven and serve with your favorite Mexican food condiments like cilantro, lime wedges, Avocado Cream Sauce and Chipotle Red Salsa.To freeze, store in a lidded container, in the freezer for up to two weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Gently reheat at 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius), covered for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.
Video
Notes
Make it Vegan: omit the cheese and share the peppers with a creamy condiment such as vegan sour cream, guacamole or Chili Lime Pepita Crema.
Inspired by my Ma’s stuffed bell peppers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1whole pepper | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 699mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1601IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 428mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
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Love it, we did this last Monday, I didn’t have green peppers but used red instead, it was a big hit my hubby said to put it on the list.
As always Thank you so much for all the beautiful recipes and hard work that u put into these amazing tasty recipes 😋
Hi Kim! Thank you giving the recipe a go, sharing your red pepper tip and sending a smile! Hooray for a win-win!
Delicious! Labor intensive but soooo worth it. Thank you!
So happy to hear, Kate! I’m soooo with you! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note!
This went straight in to my favourite recipes of all time book!!! Loved all the flavours and how wholesome and delicious it is…. will be making this as often as I can eat it 😀
Oh my gosh Liz… I missed this.. a year later :/ ! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note! So happy you enjoyed the recipe and, despite the amount of time it takes to prepare … you did it! Some things are just worth it and this is one of those recipes! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Looks so good, love your step by step images, I really want to eat this.
Hi Simi! Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the recipe!