Mexican Inspired Vegan Stuffed Peppers

These Mexican inspired vegan stuffed peppers are easy to make and the perfect vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. Stuffed with Mexican rice and drizzled with my homemade cashew queso.

Any meal that allows me to smother my cashew queso over it is a win in my book!! These vegan stuffed peppers are stuffed with a Mexican inspired rice and bean mixture, baked until soft and flavorful and topped with lots and lots of queso, avocado, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

There isn’t a single bite that isn’t bursting with flavor and I promise even the pickiest of eaters will love these. They’re totally versatile too, so feel free to use lentils instead of beans, quinoa instead of rice or even add some ground meat or Beyond Meat!

Plus, they only take about 15 minutes of active cooking, then you’re just waiting for them to roast and eat! The perfect meal prepable and cozy recipe.

How to make this recipe

If your rice isn’t cooked already, do so now and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. I like to use my instant pot jasmine rice for ease! You can also use quinoa instead if you prefer.

Add the diced onion and olive oil to a large skillet and saute over medium heat.

Once it starts to look translucent, add in the garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add in the corn and saute to defrost. Add in all remaining ingredients and mix well. Let simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, wash and halve the peppers and remove the seeds.

Add to a large baking dish. Scoop the filling into each pepper, using about 1/3 cup worth in each half, though it depends on the size of the pepper.

Top with vegan cheese if desired (I like the brand violife or the Chao creamy original slices). Otherwise, just drizzle with olive oil so they don’t dry out.

Bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the filling has browned.

Remove from the oven and serve with cashew queso (highly, highly recommend!), avocado, chopped cilantro, and fresh lime.

Do they keep?

Once prepared, these vegan stuffed peppers will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. You can reheat them in either the oven or microwave, but I think the oven works best!

You can also make a big batch of the filling and freeze it for easy meals! Just defrost it on the stove with some oil and proceed with the rest of the recipe as usual.

FAQ’s

What’s the best way to cut the peppers? I like to cut the peppers in half, starting at the stem. I kept the stems on because I like how it looks in photos (my motivation for most things!), but you don’t want to each them so it’s easiest to cut them off before baking.

Another option is to just slice off the tops and stuff them while they’re still (mostly) whole. The bake time will be slightly longer this way (closer to an hour).

Odd question, but how do you eat them?! When it comes to eating, I generally like to get some of the stuffing, some pepper and some queso in every bite, so a knife is essential! Some people like to eat the stuffing first and then the pepper, so it’s just a matter of personal preference.

Are they spicy? As written, these vegan stuffed bell peppers are not spicy, but there are a few things you can do if you want them to be. One, add some diced jalapeno to the rice mixture when you’re sauteeing the onion. The seeds are the spiciest part, so you can include those if you really like spice. You can also add some hot sauce or extra red pepper flakes to the rice mixture or final dish when you serve.

How do you prevent the peppers from getting watery? The longer the peppers roast, the more water they will release, which will soften them quite a bit. You can cook the peppers for as long or short as you like. If you prefer them firm and not watery, just cut back on the back time slightly! Heavily salting the peppers on the inside and out before roasting can also prevent the watery texture.

You’ll also love…

• Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
• Vegan Tofu Tacos
• Cilantro Lime Rice

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