Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (2024)

Vegetarian stuffed (can be vegan!) Bell Peppers. I like how this recipe uses pantry staples like canned beans and pasta sauce. It's so easy, and it can be done all in the crockpot. :-)

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (1)

Look! It's another vegetarian (could easily be vegan) main course! Woo hoo!

and just to be inclusive the carnivores could easily throw in some meat when no one's looking...

The Ingredients.

serves 6


Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (2)

6 bell peppers (your choice of colors)

1/2 cup prepared or premade pasta sauce

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8-ounce ) can corn (there's a picture of a 16-ounce can; I only used half)

1 small onion, diced

2 cups cooked long grain rice

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup water

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes from the inside of each.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pasta sauce, beans, corn, onion, rice, spices, and cheese. Mix well to combine----it will be quite gloppy.

Shove as much of this concoction as you can into each of your cored peppers. Carefully nestle the peppers into the pot. Pour 1/3 cup water around the pepper bases.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4. The pepper will wilt a bit, but still be intact.

Carefully remove them with serving spoons.

The Verdict.

They're delicious! My kids were cranky from soccer practice (it's been super hot lately) and each ate a few bites just to be polite, but mostly filled up on quesadillas while we watched last week's Project Runway.

Adam ate leftover sausage. My mom, grandma, and I all loved them though!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (3)


Are you looking for more Vegetarian Options?

you're in luck, I have a WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM!!! :-)

Posted by: Stephanie O'Dea | A Year of Slow Cooking at June 16, 2017

Labels: budget friendly, crockpot, gluten free, light and healthy, main course, Mexican food, slow cooker, Stephanie O'Dea, vegetarian,

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What they say about this article

  1. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (4)

    Amie10/13/2010

    congrats to you!! and I love bell peppers, growing them in my garden as we speak. (grow little seedlings, grow!)

    ReplyDelete

  2. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (5)

    Natasha10/13/2010

    What a great picture, these look so good we're going to have them for dinner tonight!

    p.s. I made your stuffed artichokes last night, thank you for teaching me the real way to cook artichokes: in the slow cooker! They are no longer a vegetable I love at restaurants but never get right at home! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

  3. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (6)

    SaraK10/13/2010

    Mmmm....this looks and sounds super yummy! I may add some soy crumbles to the stuffing, as well. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

  4. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (7)

    Mrs.Brewer10/13/2010

    how do i follow your amazing blog? i can't find the follow button =(

    ReplyDelete

  5. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (8)

    Anonymous10/13/2010

    I realize you will probably delete this comment, but I respect you as a writer and wanted to comment about Smithfield. Are you aware that this company has a long and documented history of animal abuse and very poor employee work conditions? Oh, my dear - rethink this avenue of income and take the higher ground!

    ReplyDelete

  6. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (9)

    Stephanie ODea10/13/2010

    Mrs Brewer, there is a 'subscribe' button in yellow under the header that should help you!

    anon, no, I don't delete comments unless they are blatantly self-promoting or mean (so far not many of those, knock-wood!).

    I haven't looked into the politics surrounding this particular company, and thanks to your comments, I now will. Thank you! I have a signed contract, though, and will fulfill my duties.

    I don't know much about food/meat manufacturing, and would like to learn more.
    My curiosity was piqued a year ago when I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and then I kind of dropped the whole thing due to life and being pregnant and tired.
    It sounds like a cop-out, I know, but that's truly what happened.

    thank you for the food for thought!

    ReplyDelete

  7. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (10)

    Lindsey10/13/2010

    I live very close to Smithfield. Yes, THAT Smithfield, home of pork. Nice little town. Unfortunate when you get stuck behind a pig truck on the road- not so good smelling- and we once made the mistake of trying to take the kids to a playground near the plant. Not a nice smelling part of town. (No clue why there's a playground there).

    It's a nice town though with nice people. I don't know much about the plant, etc. itself. But good luck!

    ReplyDelete

  8. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (11)

    This is almost identical to my recipe for the same! I've made it for years, and my family loves it.

    The first time I made it though, I had to do a few substitutions. These I recommend to you now:
    For a "Mexi" version -
    Sub salsa for the pasta sauce and pepper-jack cheese for the cheddar. You could also throw in a can of green chilies instead of the salsa/pasta sauce.

    Somehow I *always* end up with extra filling which makes a great burrito stuffing the next day. :)

    ReplyDelete

  9. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (12)

    Anonymous10/14/2010

    These sound so super tasty.... this would make a great lunch to bring to work!

    ReplyDelete

  10. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (13)

    I love stuffed peppers! My family are freaks though and always just tell me, "why do you go through the work of putting all the stuff IN the peppers, just chuck it all in a casserole". Ugh! Apparenly, they aren't into appearance! I LOVE them!

    ReplyDelete

  11. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (14)

    Laura10/15/2010

    One way to learn more about agriculture is to check out choose2choose. Its from Iowa and has farmers, nutritionists, and researchers. You can learn about the farmers and ask questions. There are also a number of farmers blogging on blogger.

    ReplyDelete

  12. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (15)

    redkathy10/16/2010

    Love the pepper! Checking out your new gig too, congrats on that!

    ReplyDelete

  13. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (16)

    ~Alissa10/17/2010

    I too always sign the Announcements song to myself when someone says they have an announcements. Girls Scout to the death!! Too bad I had all boys...

    ReplyDelete

  14. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (17)

    Amber10/18/2010

    Yum! Stuffed peppers are one of my favorites. I look forward to trying this version. At our farmers' market, a few farmers will bag up whatever they haven't sold at the end of the market and sell the whole bag for just $3. That's when I make stuffed peppers. Great idea!

    ReplyDelete

  15. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (18)

    9kids10/22/2010

    These are great! I am vegetarian, hubby not, and 6yo son is a picky eater. My son asked me to leave the rice out of his, which was very easy to do :) Everyone liked these, and we plan to put them on our regular menu rotation.

    ReplyDelete

  16. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (19)

    I had this for dinner tonight! It is SO good, I scarfed down 2 myself! http://asgoodasgluten.blogspot.com/2010/12/slow-cooker-vegetarian-stuffed-bell.html

    ReplyDelete

  17. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (20)

    Stephanie3/06/2012

    These are soooo delicious! I prepped them on Sunday night and cooked them yesterday, and my apartment smelled incredible when I got home. They're so tasty :) Thanks for a great recipe!

    ReplyDelete

  18. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (21)

    Jeri7/03/2012

    It's just so hot in NY, I am trying to cook as much as possible in slow cooker, rice cooker and micro. I would never have thought of stuffed peppers. I made some substitutions: didn't have corn, but I had some zucchini and chopped tomatoes, plus I had a little end of turkey meatloaf, so why not? And some basil that was getting a little tired. I threw a dried chipotle and some garlic cloves in the water...the aroma was amazine. I see a lot of variations on this recipe coming this summer. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete

  19. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (22)

    HollyMeri3/29/2013

    I've had this on a pinterest for a while then decided to do it today with company coming. My stuffed peppers are cooking away in the pot now - looking forward to dinner. :)

    ReplyDelete

  20. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (23)

    Unknown2/14/2017

    How about some riced cauliflower to add a little extra?

    ReplyDelete

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I cook my bell peppers before stuffing them? ›

You don't need to cook the peppers before stuffing them. Budget-Friendly. Stuffed peppers turn humble, affordable ingredients like rice and ground beef into a well-rounded meal (don't miss these other Ground Beef Dinner Ideas for more wallet-friendly meals).

When should you add bell peppers to slow cooker? ›

I add only part of the bell peppers in the beginning, which gives the tomato sauce and the chicken the flavor of peppers, but still keeps most of the bell peppers nice and crisp, since they are sort of steaming during the second part of the cooking process.

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy? ›

To prevent it from happening, you should try to avoid or reduce excess moisture – here are three of the things you can do:
  1. Pre-cook Peppers. ...
  2. Use Leftover Rice. ...
  3. Save Cheese for the Topping.

How to stop stuffed peppers from being watery? ›

Following the logic of precooking your peppers to safeguard against sogginess, you should also avoid watery ingredients in your stuffing. Let's say your filling calls for tomato sauce. Rather than spooning it directly into your hollowed peppers, reduce it on the stove until it's thick.

How long does it take vegetables to soften in a slow cooker on high? ›

Tender vegetables such as zucchini and beans can be added to your dish in last ¾ - 1 hour of cooking when cooking on High, or 2 hours if cooking on Low. Hard, starchy vegetables like potato and carrots are best added around 3 hours before the meal is done if cooking on High, and 4 hours on Low.

Will peppers soften in a slow cooker? ›

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours or until peppers are soft.

Do vegetables soften in a slow cooker? ›

Yes, they will definitely soften in the slow cooker. However, it does take a while, so you need to allow yourself some time and check for doneness. It also depends on what texture you want as well as if you are adding other vegetables to cook with it, etc.

Why do my stuffed peppers taste bland? ›

The thing about most stuffed bell pepper recipes is 3that they call for salt in the filling, not for the peppers themselves. Without salt, the peppers are flabby and bland, merely a filling case. With a sprinkle of salt, they transform into a sweet and powerfully savory part of the dish.

Why are my stuffed bell peppers watery? ›

First and foremost, it's essential to precook your peppers. Bell peppers contain more than 90% water, much of which is released during the cooking process. If you cook your stuffed peppers in one fell swoop, that moisture will release and end up in the final dish.

Why didn't my rice cook in my stuffed peppers? ›

If you find your rice didn't cook in your stuffed peppers, it's likely one of two reasons: It didn't have enough time to cook through. There wasn't enough moisture for the grains to absorb.

How do you fix too much pepper in stuffing? ›

Add something sweet. A sweet ingredient distracts away from the extra pepper. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar into your food, or mix in a spoonful of honey. Sweet ketchup is another great way to balance out your dish.

How do you keep stuffed peppers upright? ›

With the simple trick of using a muffin tin, ramekin, or other handy kitchen pan, you can ensure that your stuffed peppers stay upright and always cook perfectly. Say goodbye to the frustration of toppling peppers and enjoy a hassle-free cooking experience.

Should you cook or raw bell peppers? ›

Bell peppers, whether raw or cooked, are packed with vitamin C and various antioxidants. Eating them raw provides maximum vitamin C content, but cooking bell peppers can increase the availability of other nutrients. Roasting or grilling bell peppers enhances their natural sweetness and offers a delightful flavor.

Why do you parboil peppers before stuffing? ›

The most common reason to parboil peppers is to soften them ready for stuffing so that they can then be baked in the oven. This recipe for Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers is the perfect example!

How early can you prep bell peppers? ›

Bell peppers are a great thing to slice ahead of time for quickly adding to a meal. Once cut, store bell peppers in an air-tight container in your fridge. Use within 3 days or move to freezer.

References

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