Vegetarian Lentil Stuffed Peppers with Brown Rice
Lentil Stuffed Peppers are cozy, filling, and packed with plant-based goodness. Made with hearty lentils, brown rice, and a savory tomato kick, these veggie-packed peppers are perfect for meal prep and weeknight dinners. No meat, no problem—just all the comfort.
Servings 6 people
Calories 243kcal
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
- ¾ cup brown rice
- 1 cup water
Stuffed peppers
- 1 ½ cups lentils cooked or one can drained
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 red, yellow, or green bell peppers large
- ½ cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
Cook Rice
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan with a lid.1 tablespoon olive oil
- When hot, add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently so that onion doesn’t burn. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds stirring well.½ medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add one can of whole tomatoes along with the juice and break apart the large chunks into smaller pieces.1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes
- Add ¾ cup of rice and 1 cup of water. Cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Check frequently and add more water if needed while cooking.¾ cup brown rice
- When the rice is done cooking, add lentils, cumin, chili powder, oregano and cayenne pepper. Mix it up well.1 ½ cups lentils, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Prep and Stuff Peppers
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut peppers in half and remove the stem and seeds. Trim the inside to make more space.3 red, yellow, or green bell peppers
- Place the peppers with the open side facing up into a lightly sprayed baking dish.
- Fill each pepper with filling, gently press down but it’s ok if the filling mounds up over the pepper top. Depending on the size of the peppers, each one will hold about ½ cup or so of the lentil and rice mixture.
- Cover with foil, and bake at 350° F until heated and cheese is melted, approximately 20 minutes. In the last five minutes, top each pepper half with 1 tablespoon of cheese, and continue cooking until cheese melts.½ cup cheddar or mozzarella cheese
Notes
- Meal Prep Tip: Stuff the peppers (no cheese yet) and store in the fridge up to 2 days. When ready to bake, add cheese and cook at 375°F for 35–40 minutes. You can also prep the rice and clean the peppers ahead—just warm the filling on the stove before stuffing to cut oven time.
- Leftover Love: Extra lentil and rice filling? Save it for tacos, grain bowls, or reheat with salsa, avocado, and sour cream.
- Stuff Like You Mean It: Fill peppers generously so each one is packed with hearty, satisfying goodness.
- Cover to Cook Faster: Bake covered with foil to speed up cooking and keep the peppers tender and moist.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 563mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2479IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 4mg