Description
These hearty, delicious vegan stuffed peppers have a flavorful Italian-seasoned risotto rice, vegetable and tofu crumble filling that resembles meat. They make for a balanced meal, with plenty of vegetables, plant-based protein and carbs. We're pretty sure you'll go back for seconds!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked arborio rice (2/3 cup dry, cooked in vegetable broth)
- 4 red bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise and deseeded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced shallots or yellow onion
- 2 tsp finely minced fresh garlic
- 7-8 oz firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 ¼ cup zucchini, finely diced
- 1 ¼ cup button mushrooms, stems removed and finely diced
- 1 cup chopped, deseeded roma tomatoes (2-3 tomatoes)
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded vegan mozzarella, divided
- 1/4 cup grated vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Cook arborio rice according to package directions, using vegetable broth instead of water to add more flavor. If using water, season with salt and 1-2 tbsp olive oil.
- Remove tofu from packaging, drain well and pat dry with a paper towel. Wrap in another dry paper towel and set something heavy on top while you prep the rest of the ingredients (this helps remove as much moisture as possible).
- Slice red peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes.
- Use your hands to crumble tofu into small pieces directly into the pan (see photos for visual guide). Add tomato paste, water, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook on medium-high for 7-8 minutes, stirring often.
- Add mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and parsley and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of mozzarella, parmesan and the cooked arborio rice.
- Brush each red pepper half with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place in a deep baking dish. Fill each half with the rice/vegetable mixture and top with remaining cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (this helps vegan cheese melt) and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for additional 5-10 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.
Notes
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days. Reheat in a microwave or if reheating the whole baking dish, heat in a 350˚F oven until warmed through.
Freezer storage: You can freeze the cooked stuffed peppers whole! Store in an airtight container (or freeze on a tray and then wrap in aluminum foil) for up to 6 months. Reheat in a 350˚ F oven until warmed through.
Bell peppers: you can use orange, yellow or red bell peppers in this recipe. You could also use green, but neither of us really like the taste, so we don't suggest it. Opt for medium-large bell peppers that have plenty of space for filling.
Rice: arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice that's used to make risotto. It's very starchy, so it gets super creamy. We cook ours in vegetable broth for added flavor. If you don't have any arborio rice, you can sub with regular long or short-grain white rice, brown rice or even quinoa.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 299
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 539.6 mg
- Fat: 13.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.5 g
- Fiber: 4.9 g
- Protein: 10.8 g
