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Learn how to make these 5-ingredient stuffed peppers with simple, wholesome, and nutritious ingredients. They’re easy, gluten-free, and ready in under an hour!
During these times, we know how important it is to make the most of the food you have in your fridge and pantry. We thought it would be helpful to create some new minimal-ingredient recipes using everyday items. Think quinoa, chickpeas, nut butter, canned beans, etc.
Today we are focusing on using pantry items and fresh produce to make these mouthwatering Italian-inspired stuffed peppers. All you need is five ingredients and one hour to make this hearty and delicious meal. Stuffed peppers were always on the menu in my house growing up. It was a meal I enjoyed with my family time and time again, so this recipe is very special to me.
Making this stuffed pepper recipe is just about effortless. All you need to do is mix a few simple ingredients, stuff your peppers, pop them in the oven, and in minutes you will be enjoying a high-quality dinner. They’re also naturally gluten-free!
While you can stuff your peppers with just about anything your heart desires, we are stuffing ours with the following:
- Quinoa – We used tri-color quinoa, but you can use any type of quinoa. If you don’t have quinoa, you can also use (precooked) rice, couscous, orzo, or the grain of your choice.
- Chickpeas – We used canned chickpeas but you can also you can also make your own at home from dry, and just add in about 1 1/2 cups. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can substitute them for lentils or any other beans you have in your pantry!
- Vegan Cheese – whatever shreds you have on hand will work!
- Marinara Sauce – Feel free to use your favorite / whatever you have on hand– we used Muir Glen Tomato Basil Sauce. Salsa would be great in place of this as well!
- Bell Peppers – Any color bell pepper works for this. If you don’t have bell peppers on hand, you can always hollow out and stuff other veggies like zucchini, tomato, or eggplant, but the cook and prep times for those may vary.
More Simple 5-Ingredient Recipes to Try:
- Potato & Bean Quesadillas
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Veggie Burgers
- Vegan Chicken Pesto Pizza
- Creamy White Bean Pasta
- Classic Vegan French Crepes
- Vegan Miso Soup (5-Ingredients + 15 Minutes)
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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5-Ingredient Stuffed Peppers (Gluten-Free)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make these 5-ingredient stuffed peppers with simple, wholesome, and nutritious ingredients. They’re easy, gluten-free and ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa (see notes)
- 2 cups water
- 4–6 medium bell peppers (any color), tops cut off and cores removed (see notes)
- 1 can (1 1/2 cups) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (see notes)
- 1 cup shredded vegan cheese
- 1 marinara sauce + more for on top (see notes)
- Optional: Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a small pot with 2 cups of water over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover reduce heat to a simmer until water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat for 5 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set aside 9×13 baking dish or a large baking dish of your choice. If you do not have a large dish, feel free to use a few small ones or make this recipe in multiple batches.
- Slice the peppers in half (or alternatively you can just remove the tops), and clean out the inside. Arrange the peppers in the baking dish with the cut side facing up.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, 1 cup marinara sauce and vegan cheese. Mix everything together until well combined, and then spoon the mixture evenly into the bell peppers. If you’d like, you can top them with an additional sprinkle of vegan cheese if you have extra.
- Place the baking dish uncovered into the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm. Top each pepper with parsley (if using) and drizzle of marinara. If your marinara is cold we suggest warming it up. Enjoy!
Notes
- Another ingredient that could elevate this dish is vegan sausage! You can either add it into the quinoa mixture or serve it on top. We like the Beyond Meat Sausages.
- Quinoa – We used tri-color quinoa, but you can use any type of quinoa. If you don’t have quinoa, you can also use (precooked) rice, couscous, orzo, or the grain of your choice. Keep in mind that the cook time/water required will vary, so be sure to look at the package directions or find the proper cook time online.
- Chickpeas – We used canned chickpeas but you can also you can also make your own at home from dry, and just add in about 1 1/2 cups. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can substitute them for lentils or any other beans you have in your pantry!
- Marinara Sauce – Feel free to use your favorite / whatever you have on hand– we used Muir Glen Tomato Basil Sauce. Salsa would be great in place of this as well!
- Bell Peppers – You will use 4-6, it depends on the size of the bell pepper/how much of the filling can fit inside of it. Any color bell pepper works for this.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
