It’s pepper season and we are getting fabulous plump peppers at the farmer’s market and in our home gardens. Here is a recipe that will use up as many peppers as you want and turn them into a one pot meal – it has everything – veggies, beans, cheese, rice, and spices. A fabulous one dish wonder!

About the recipe

This is a great recipe for those times when you have leftover rice or quinoa. A cup or two of cooked rice is all you need to stuff 6 peppers. Between all the veggies, rice and legumes like canned pinto beans and black beans, you get a nice substantial stuffing for these big peppers.

The cooked peppers come out of the oven juicy and delicious!

Make it vegan or add the cheese 🧀

This recipe is so versatile. You can add in cheese for a gooey cheesy stuffed pepper or leave it out and still get all the flavors from the spices and veggies.

Quick and easy

As fancy as these peppers look it’s actually very easy to make. In a large bowl combine day old rice or quinoa with grated zucchini, 1 bag of greens of your choice (about 4 cups), a can of beans, plus a little cheese.

Then in another pan shallow fry onions with spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric. Add the fried onions to the rice mixture and stuff the peppers. Bake for 30 minutes until warmed through. Quick to assemble and easy to make with stupendous results!

Stuffed peppers with Leftover Rice, Zucchini , Pinto Beans and Greens

Ingredients:

6 large bell peppers cut in half
1 bag of greens of your choice such as kale, chard, spinach or arugula. Cut them finely.
2 zucchini grated
1 can pinto beans or black beans rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheese any variety – or leave it out to keep it vegan
1 large onion chopped
Salt
Olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder or paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F

Make the stuffing.

In a large bowl combine the rice, grated zucchini, greens, beans, and cheese. Set aside.

In a pan warm 2 tbsp olive oil and shallow fry the onions until tender and slightly browned. To the onions add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and chili powder. Stir in and then turn the stove off. Add the onion mixture to the rice mixture and combine. Add salt and combine. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

Get ready to stuff the peppers. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil. Then coat each pepper with olive oil. Start stuffing the peppers and place on the baking sheet. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and change oven setting to broil. Broil for 5 minutes to brown the cheese slightly.

Take out of oven and serve warm with drizzle of chili oil if you like.