This Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole is made of lentils, rice, peppers and non dairy cheese for the flavors of traditional stuffed peppers with less work.
We love cozy, hearty meals like this Vegan Stuffed Pepper Casserole. It has all the flavors of the traditional dish without meat and dairy and you'll need less time to assemble. Traditional stuffed peppers are made with beef. To make our vegan version we use lentils, which are hearty, a great source of protein and full of fiber. Another great thing of this dish is it can be made all in pot if you have an oven safe skillet or dutch oven.
Looking for more one pot dishes? Try my Vegan Navy Bean Soup.
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Ingredients
This casserole is made primarily with pantry ingredients making this a fairly inexpensive dish.
- bell peppers
- lentils
- long grain white rice
- olive oil
- tomato paste
- fire roasted tomatoes
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- oregano
- smoked paprika
- salt
- vegetable broth
- non dairy cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spicy - add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give this dish some heat or chop up spicy peppers in addition to bell peppers.
- Rice- you can use brown rice instead of white. Increase broth by ½ cup. Check if the rice is tender at 50 minutes. Bake longer, if needed.
How to make Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Stuffed Pepper Casserole is simple to make with little hands on time needed. If you are using dried lentils prepare ahead of time to keep cooking time down. Prep all ingredients before getting started as this recipe moves quickly. Start by removing seeds from peppers and chop into bite size pieces. Measure out spices, paste, broth etc. having everything ready to add when needed before you heat the pan.
Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add peppers and sauté for 5-10 minutes until they begin to soften. Add spices, tomatoes and paste, cook for 1 minute longer.
Add lentils and broth stirring to incorporate.
Add rice to skillet and stir to incorporate. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 oven safe dish, if skillet is not oven safe.
Top with non dairy cheese and cover with foil or lid. Bake at 375 degrees farenheight for 50 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes to brown cheese, if desired.
Top Tip
Wash the rice. This helps to remove dirt and excess starch that can make the rice sticky. Washing the rice will yield a fluffier texture after cooking.
Equipment
An oven safe skillet makes this dish super easy to prepare without dirtying up excessive dishes. If you don't have an oven safe skillet you can transfer the mixture to a 9x13 casserole dish.
Storage
Store leftover casserole in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Good for 3-4 days.
Freezing is not recommended.
Related
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Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think! Leave a review and rating in the comments below. This helps me continue to provide great recipes for you.
Recipe
Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Equipment
- 1 oven safe skillet OR 9x13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry green lentils see note below to use canned lentils
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped any color or combination of colors will work
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt add more if using unsalted vegetable broth
- 2 garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 14 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup long grain white rice washed
- 1 cup non dairy cheese optional
Instructions
- Wash the lentils and pick out any small rocks. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add lentils. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, you can use canned lentils to reduce overall cook time.1 cup dry green lentils
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large oven proof skillet or dutch oven, if you have one. If you don't have either you can use a regular skillet. You will need an oven safe casserole dish to transfer the mixture before baking.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add peppers to skillet and sauté for 5-10 minutes until they begin to soften. Add spices, salt, garlic, diced tomatoes and tomato paste, cook for 1 minute longer.2 bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped, 2 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 garlic powder, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 14 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Add lentils and broth stirring to incorporate. Add rice to skillet and stir again.1 ½ cup vegetable broth, 1 cup long grain white rice
- Transfer mixture to a 9x13 oven safe baking dish if your skillet is not oven safe.
- Top with non dairy cheese and cover with foil or lid. Bake at 375 degrees farenheight for 50 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes to brown cheese, if desired.1 cup non dairy cheese
- Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!