Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Name: Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 47 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 large bell peppers, cut vertically in half, seeds and membranes removed; ½ cup cooked black beans; ½ cup cooked rice; ¼ cup onion, diced; ¼ cup tomato, diced; ¼ cup corn; Replace rice with quinoa, bulgur, or another cooked grain; Use pinto beans or kidney beans instead of black beans; 2 - 3 tbsp oil, as needed; to taste Salt; to taste Black pepper; to taste Chili flakes; ½ cup shredded cheese; or; 1 slice cheese per pepper half

Global Food & Fusion

Protein: Black Beans
Complete the plate: A full plate on its own
Serves: 2
Hands-on · total: 15 min · 47 min (est.)
Walk-away: No

Plan ahead: soak black beans overnight. Canned works too - rinse and skip the soak.

From my
kitchen

Worth knowing

Stuffed vegetables always feel fancy, but this recipe is actually a simple way to turn everyday ingredients into a fun meal.
Blanching the bell peppers before baking helps them become tender while still holding their shape.
If you want to make this more protein-rich, increase the beans or add tofu/soy crumbles into the filling.
You can prep the filling ahead of time and assemble the peppers when ready to bake.
For a dairy-free version, simply skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.

Day 2 plan

Store portions covered in the refrigerator. Reheat until hot; add fresh toppings after reheating for better texture.

Black Beansmedium effortweeknight-friendlyleftover-friendlyprotein-forwardhigh-fiber

- Cook this meal

Ingredients & method

Prep

15 mins

Cook

32 mins

Total

47 mins

Serves

scaled from 2 servings - quantities marked “to taste” or “as needed” aren’t adjusted

Ingredients

Bell Pepper Base

4large bell peppers, cut vertically in half, seeds and membranes removed

Filling

1 cupcooked black beans1 cupcooked rice½ cuponion, diced½ cuptomato, diced½ cupcorn(optional)

Optional substitutions

Replace rice with quinoa, bulgur, or another cooked grain

Use pinto beans or kidney beans instead of black beans

Seasoning

4-6 tbspoil, as neededto tasteSaltto tasteBlack pepperto tasteChili flakes

Topping

1 cupshredded cheese

2 slicecheese per pepper half

Instructions

Prepare the Bell Peppers
01
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
02
Add the vertically cut bell peppers and cover with a lid.
03
Blanch for 7 - 8 minutes until the bell peppers slightly soften and the color deepens.
04
Remove and set aside.
Prepare the Filling
05
Heat a little oil in a pan.
06
Add onions and sauté until they begin to soften.
07
Add tomatoes and cook until they become slightly soft.
08
Add optional vegetables like corn or butternut squash and sauté until cooked.
09
Add black beans and cooked rice.
10
Season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes.
11
Mix well and cook until everything comes together.
Assemble and Bake
12
Preheat oven to 350°F.
13
Stuff the blanched bell pepper halves generously with the prepared filling.
14
Place them in an oven-safe tray.
15
Drizzle a little oil on top and lightly coat the bottoms of the peppers with oil.
16
Bake at 350°F for 12 - 14 minutes.
17
Remove from the oven, add cheese on top, and bake again for 4 - 5 minutes until the cheese melts.
18
Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
19
These Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers are a colorful, filling one-dish meal packed with beans, rice, and vegetables. The best part is how customizable they are - you can change the grain, beans, vegetables, and toppings depending on what you have available.
20
They taste great on their own, but are even better topped with cheese, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime.

Worth knowing

Stuffed vegetables always feel fancy, but this recipe is actually a simple way to turn everyday ingredients into a fun meal.
Blanching the bell peppers before baking helps them become tender while still holding their shape.
If you want to make this more protein-rich, increase the beans or add tofu/soy crumbles into the filling.
You can prep the filling ahead of time and assemble the peppers when ready to bake.
For a dairy-free version, simply skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.

Day 2 plan

Store portions covered in the refrigerator. Reheat until hot; add fresh toppings after reheating for better texture.