Vegetable and Rice Stuffed Peppers
These vegetable and rice stuffed peppers are the most delicious way to eat your summer peppers and make a super filling and nutritious dinner.
Jump to RecipeIf you, like me, were never a fan of bell peppers growing up, you need to try these vegetable stuffed bell peppers. Baking the peppers gives them a sweet roasted flavor and a delightful texture that pairs perfectly with the rice stuffing.
Along with the peppers, these stuffed peppers are full of a variety of other vegetables, sausage, and seasonings that pack them with flavor and nutrients. If you have children who, like my own, refuse to eat peppers, the filling on its own makes a delicious and nutritious dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers (any color: red, orange, yellow, and green all work well, though green bell peppers tend to be a little bitter rather than sweet)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups brown rice
- 4 cups chicken, veggie, or bone broth
- 1/2 lb pork sausage (optional or can be substituted for vegan sausage)
- 2 small zucchini or yellow squash
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 2 cups chopped spinach or kale (optional)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (optional)
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
How to Make Vegetable and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the rice. Toast the rice until it starts to color.
Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to maintain a low boil for 45 minutes. Check to see if the rice needs more liquid. If it does, add one cup at a time and continue cooking until the rice is soft.
While the rice boils, dice the vegetables into very small pieces.
Cook the sausage, onion, and carrots in a large frying pan. Brown the sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks.
When the carrots begin to soften, add the zucchini or squash to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings.
Once the veggies are soft, add chopped spinach or kale (if using) and stir until it wilts, then remove from heat.
Cut each pepper in half and remove the seeds.
After the rice is done cooking, add the veggies to the rice and mix to combine.
Stuff each pepper with a heaping scoop of the rice mixture, dividing it evenly between the peppers.
Bake in a 400° F oven for 30 minutes. Then top with cheese (if using) and return to the oven until peppers are soft and the cheese begins to bubble (5-10 minutes).
Vegetable and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers any color: red, orange, yellow, and green all work well
- 2 tbsp butter or oil
- 2 cups brown rice
- 4 cups broth chicken, veggie, or bone broth
- 1/2 lb pork sausage optional or can be substituted for vegan sausage
- 2 small zucchini or yellow squash
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 2 cups spinach or kale optional
- 2 cups shredded cheese optional
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Melt butter or oil in a pot over medium heat, then add the rice. Toast the rice until it starts to color.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to maintain a low boil for 45 minutes. Check to see if the rice needs more liquid. If it does, add one cup at a time and continue cooking until the rice is soft.
- While the rice boils, dice the vegetables into very small pieces.
- Cook the sausage, onion, and carrots in a large frying pan. Brown the sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks.
- When the carrots begin to soften, add the zucchini or squash to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings.
- Once the veggies are soft, add chopped spinach or kale (if using) and stir until it wilts, then remove from heat.
- Cut each pepper in half and remove the seeds.
- After the rice is done cooking, add the veggies to the rice and mix to combine.
- Stuff each pepper with a heaping scoop of the rice mixture, dividing it evenly between the peppers.
- Bake in a 400° F oven for 30 minutes. Then top with cheese (if using) and return to the oven until peppers are soft and the cheese begins to bubble (5-10 minutes).