Tender bell peppers filled with brown rice, vegetables, beans, and herbs.
Colorful bell peppers filled with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and herbs for a simple plant-based meal.
Prep
20 min
Cook
45 min
Total
65 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Beans, whole grains, vegetables, and herbs provide the foundation for this simple stuffed pepper recipe. It is a modern home-style dish rather than a traditional recipe from one specific Blue Region. The filling can also be adapted with other cooked grains, beans, or vegetables.
What you'll need
Let's cook
Combine the brown rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the diced tomato, black beans, corn, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir the cooked brown rice into the vegetable and bean mixture. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Arrange the bell pepper halves cut side up in a large baking dish. Spoon the filling evenly into each pepper.
Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the baking dish, about 1/4 inch deep. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the tops of the filling are lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and let the peppers rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with lime juice if using and serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories
399
Protein
14g
Carbohydrates
64g
Fat
11g
Fiber
13g
Cook the brown rice before starting the filling. Choose bell peppers that are similar in size so they cook at roughly the same rate.
Do not overfill the peppers because the filling will expand slightly as it heats. Covering the baking dish for the first part of cooking helps the peppers soften without drying out the filling.
Pinto beans can replace the black beans. Quinoa or cooked barley can replace the brown rice. Diced zucchini can replace the corn.
Serve warm with a simple green salad, avocado, or fresh tomato salsa. Add a squeeze of lime just before serving if desired.
Related reading
Blue Regions reviews recipes and related content before publication and makes corrections or updates when needed. Nutrition information, where provided, is an estimate and may vary. We may use AI tools to assist with writing and visual content. Some images may be AI-generated illustrations rather than photographs of the actual dish. We remain responsible for the content we publish.
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