Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Not only are bell peppers healthy, but they’re also flavorful too. That must be why we love to fill them with good stuff and call it dinner! These vegan stuffed bell peppers are easy to make and create a dinner you’ll want to make on repeat.

Have you heard of vegan stuffed capsicum? If not, don’t worry! Because capsicum is the scientific name for bell peppers. However you pronounce them, it’s a delicious and nutritious vegetable sure to please.

Ingredients & Substitutions

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

• Bell peppers — You’ll need 6 bell peppers. Select peppers that are big, with plenty of room for stuffing, and with a relatively flat bottom (so they’ll sit upright).
• Olive oil
• Onions — I prefer a yellow onion, but you can substitute a white onion.
• Garlic — you’ll need 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
• Veggie crumbles — There are many crumbles to choose from, including Gardein Beyond Beef and many plant-based meat substitutes, like Impossible Burger and Pure Farmland. For a whole foods plant-based option, you can use an equal amount of cooked brown lentils.
• Black beans — Use a 15-ounce can of black beans, or you can substitute 1 3/4 cups cooked black beans.
• Diced tomatoes — I recommend petite diced tomatoes.
• Cooked brown rice — I prefer brown rice, but you can substitute other grains such as quinoa.
• Spices — I prefer Italian spices, like dried basil and dried oregano.
• Optional: Add 3 tablespoons of vegan cream cheese for a creamy sauce.
• Vegan cheddar shreds

Ingredient Spotlight

Best Peppers for Stuffed Peppers

Large bell peppers — otherwise referred to as capsicum — are best for stuffed peppers.  Look for peppers with a flat base. Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are best because they are sweeter and milder than green peppers. I like picking similarly-sized peppers.

How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers

If you’re using a plant-based meat substitute, it may need to be pre-cooked before adding it to the skillet with the onions.

These vegan stuffed peppers with rice are so easy to make. Here’s a more detailed step-by-step guide:

Step One: Prepare the Peppers

1. Turn the peppers on their sides and cut the tops off, reserving the tops.
2. Scoop out the seeds and membranes.
3. Place pepper cups in a baking dish.
4. Brush the insides with half of the olive oil.
5. Then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes, so that they’re just becoming tender. Remove from oven and then set aside.

Step Two: Cook Onions and Crumbles

1. In a skillet, heat the remaining oil, then add the chopped onions, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Finally, add the vegan crumbles and cook until heated through.

Step Three: Make the Filling

1. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and rice.
2. Add the basil and oregano.
3. Optional — stir in vegan cream cheese to the filling to make it extra creamy.

Step Four: Fill the Peppers & Bake

1. Spoon the filling into the bell peppers.
2. Top the stuffed peppers with vegan cheese.
3. Spray the bottom of a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Then cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Use tongs to remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the peppers are golden around the edges.

Serving Suggestions

Serve vegan stuffed peppers with any of the following delicious side dishes:

• Balsamic Roasted Carrots
• Vegan Broccoli Casserole
• Vegan Caesar Salad
• Air Fryer Potatoes

That’s it for these vegan stuffed peppers. Enjoy!

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Vegan Main Meal Recipes

These plant-based stuffed peppers are so good, they’ll have you craving even more plant-based main meal recipes. These Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers are another great option Here are some more recipes to inspire your meal planning:

Beyond Meat Shepherd’s Pie

50 mins total

Vegan Cheesy Hamburger Helper

25 mins total

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

62 mins total

Vegan Chicken Parmesan

45 mins total

Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Vegan stuffed peppers are loaded with a seasoned filling of plant-based meat, rice, and black beans. Then they're topped with vegan cheese and then baked until perfectly tender.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 peppers

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 medium bell peppers
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
• ▢ 1 cup chopped onions
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
• ▢ 2 cups veggie crumbles (see note)
• ▢ 1 15 oz can black beans
• ▢ 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 cup cooked brown rice (see note)
• ▢ Optional: Add 3 tablespoons of vegan cream cheese
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Turn the peppers on their sides and cut the tops off, reserving the tops. Scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place pepper cups in a baking dish. Brush the insides with half of the olive oil. Then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, so that they're just becoming tender. Remove from oven and then set aside.
3. In a skillet, heat the remaining oil, then add the chopped onions, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Finally, add the vegan crumbles and cook until heated through. (See note if using plant-based meat substitute)
4. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, rice, basil, and oregano. Spoon this mixture into the bell peppers. Optional: Stir in vegan cream cheese to the filling to make it extra creamy.
5. Top the stuffed peppers with vegan cheese. Spray the bottom of a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Then cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Use tongs to remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the peppers are golden around the edges.
6. Allow peppers to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Recommended Equipment

9×13 Casserole Dish

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Notes

If using standard veggie crumbles, cook them in the skillet until heated through. 

For plant-based meat, follow the package instructions to cook it in the skillet. It may take up to 5 to 7 minutes.

For a more melty vegan cheese, I recommend using vegan cheese sauce.

Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 404mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3878IU | Vitamin C: 161mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 4mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!

This post was originally published in 2020 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.

About the Author

Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›