Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers
Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers with quinoa, mushrooms, onion, garlic, white beans, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese make a fabulous vegetarian meal that is great for a weeknight dinner. This versatile recipe can be prepped in advance and cooked in either the oven or crock pot - slow cooker. These are also gluten free and can be made vegan.
Ingredients
- 3 bell peppers
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ½ cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 ¼ cup pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 cup Italian Cheese Mix or Mozzarella, grated
- garnish: fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Stuffing:
- To prepare the stuffing, start with a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Heat your olive oil and then add the onions and carrots, stirring often until the onions and carrots are softened, for about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the mixture and cook for 2 more minutes until they are starting to turn tender. Sprinkle the vegetable mixture with salt and pepper. Add the garlic at the end and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the white beans, cooked quinoa, pasta sauce and Italian Seasoning to the vegetable mixture. Stir until well combined and heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in ⅔ of the cheese mixture. Save ⅓ cup of the cheese for the tops of the peppers. If making these vegan, skip this step.
For the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare the stuffing according to the directions above.
- Slice the bell pepper in half and scoop out the white parts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Carefully stuff the bell peppers with the prepared stuffing. Top with the last ⅓ cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes and then sprinkle with fresh chopped basil before serving.
For the Crock Pot:
- Prepare the stuffing following the directions above.
- When prepping the bell peppers, instead of cutting them in half, cut the tops off leaving bell pepper bowls. I like to use four smaller bell peppers instead of three when making this in the slow cooker.
- Put the stuffing into the bell peppers and stand them up in the crock pot or slow cooker.
- Put ½ inch of water in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours until the peppers are tender. Remove the lid and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the peppers. Cover the lid and let melt.
- Pull the stuffed peppers out of the crock pot and allow to cool. Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
When making the oven version I like to use 3 large bell peppers, which you cut in half, yielding 6 pepper halves. When making this in the crock pot, I like to use 4 smaller bell peppers. When making it in the crock pot you just cut the top off the peppers, so you will yield 4 peppers.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These reheat well for leftovers or meal prep in the microwave or oven.
Make as a freezer meal by prepping the stuffing and filling the bell peppers. Freeze before baking. When you are ready to eat them, bake them from frozen at 400 degrees for 75 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 8gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 373mgPotassium: 511mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 4000IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 133mgIron: 2mg
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