Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sweet roasted peppers packed with herby rice, black beans and melted cheese, a full meal in one dish.
Pre-roasting the peppers before they are stuffed is the step that makes these good rather than watery. They soften and sweeten first, then get filled with a rice and bean mixture that is already seasoned and ready. The second bake is just about melting cheese.
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How to make Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
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Peppers
Filling
Topping
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Large skillet
- Foil
Method
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1
Pre-roast the peppers
Heat the oven to 200C / 400F. Rub the pepper halves with oil, season, and roast cut-side down for 15 minutes until they start to soften and collapse slightly. Drain off any liquid.
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2
Start the filling
Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika and oregano and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
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3
Build it
Stir in the rice, black beans, corn and passata. Cook 4-5 minutes until heated through and thickened, then fold in the coriander and season well. Taste it now, because it will not get more seasoned in the oven.
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4
Stuff
Turn the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish and pack the filling in generously, mounding it slightly above the rim.
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5
Bake covered
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, so the peppers finish softening without the filling drying out.
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6
Cheese and finish
Uncover, scatter over the cheese, and bake 8-10 minutes more until melted and blistered. Rest 5 minutes, then serve with sour cream and lime.
Cook’s tips
- Pre-roasting and draining the peppers is what prevents a pool of liquid in the dish.
- Season the filling until it tastes slightly too bold on its own; the sweet pepper mutes it considerably.
- Halve the peppers lengthways rather than cutting off the tops. They sit flat, cook evenly and serve more neatly.
Variations
- Add cooked ground beef, turkey or chorizo to the filling.
- Swap rice for quinoa, farro or cauliflower rice.
- Use a Mediterranean filling of orzo, feta, olives and dill instead.
Storage and make-ahead
Keeps 4 days refrigerated and reheats well, covered, at 180C / 350F for 15 minutes. Assembled but unbaked peppers can be frozen for 2 months.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 398 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 16 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fibre | 11 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 620 mg |
Nutrition is estimated from ingredient averages and will vary with brands and portioning.
