It’s time to get stuffed. No, we’re not referring to gorging yourself — we’re talking about bell peppers. They’re super nutritious, packed with minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins C, B-6, and A.
Stuffed peppers are as versatile as they are healthy. You can really fill them with anything. Keep ’em veggie or stuff them with rice and ground turkey. And cheese — warm, melty, oozing cheese — is always welcome… unless you’re vegan. But no worries! We’ve got you covered.
We’ve gathered recipes that show how versatile the pepper is, whether you’re cooking Mexican, Greek, or Mediterranean or hankering for Buffalo chicken.
Do you know why bell peppers can be green, red, orange, or yellow? Basically, it’s a matter of ripeness. Green is sharper in flavor (and less expensive). Yellow, orange, and red are riper and have more vitamin C.
It’s easy to cook up a batch of stuffed peppers. They even taste better the next day. Say goodbye to sad desk lunches and hello to these awesome stuffed pepper recipes.
1. Vegetarian polenta pizza stuffed peppers
Hold the pizza order. Here’s a healthier way to get your favorite pizza flavors plus the bonus of creamy polenta (yum) in a baked bell pepper. Drool-worthy, right? Not to mention hearty.
2. Bell pepper pizzas
This is a super-easy toaster-oven dinner for one. Jarred tomato sauce and pre-shredded cheese are your friends here, as are red chili flakes and dried oregano. This pizza is a blank canvas just waiting for your favorite add-ons.
3. Spinach-ricotta stuffed peppers
Spinach and ricotta were made for each other. This creamy combination becomes even more tantalizing with the addition of garlic, Parmesan, tomatoes, and herbs.
Easy to make and tasty enough to eat for a few meals, this dish is the perfect item to add to your Sunday night routine.
4. Vegan stuffed bell peppers
Brown rice (got leftovers?) and lentils are the base of these vegan peppers. Place them in a casserole dish and bake them in a rich marinara sauce. Vegan cheese is the final topping.
5. Turkish fusion vegan stuffed peppers
Wild rice, kidney beans, mushrooms, corn — this recipe is loaded with veggies. Smoked paprika and herbes de Provence add interesting flavors in this dish based on the blogger’s memories of living in Turkey.
6. Italian vegan stuffed peppers
Just like Mama used to make, but without the meat and dairy. The zesty tomato sauce is flavored with garlic, basil, and oregano. But the secret ingredient is fennel seeds.
7. Mexican stuffed peppers
We could eat tacos every night of the week. Seriously. But we gotta change it up. That’s where this recipe comes in. Bell peppers are edible bowls stuffed with a filling of rice and ground turkey or beef in chili-and-cumin-spiced tomato sauce.
Oh, and these containers of goodness are topped with cheddar and baked until it’s all warm and melty.
If you’re looking to cut the carbs, try cauliflower rice.
8. Greek-style stuffed peppers
Artichoke, tomato, lemon, dill, and quinoa create a light filling. The recipe calls for topping these peppers with mozzarella, though we like to use feta for more of a Greek theme. This blogger pairs the dish with tzatziki, and we do too.
9. Stuffed peppers with quinoa, courgette, and feta
Never heard of courgette? Don’t worry — you won’t have to search the supermarket. It’s another name for zucchini.
Quinoa makes a light-textured yet protein-rich base for these Mediterranean-inspired stuffed peppers. Feta adds more protein, richness, and appealing saltiness.
What puts this dish over the top? Fresh mint brightens the flavors.
10. Spicy Southwest Whole30 stuffed peppers
Crushed pine nuts act as the creamy topping in this Whole30 recipe. Though the recipe calls for ground turkey and spinach, any combination of protein and leafy greens will do. (We personally love sausage and kale.)
Feel free to be adventurous with the veggies as well, adding chopped broccolini, onion, or even eggplant.
11. Spiralized zucchini, quinoa, and turkey sausage stuffed peppers
How fun is this? A zoodle-filled pepper. Cooked with turkey sausage, quinoa, and tomato sauce, the thin spirals add a delicate crunch. Skip the cheese garnish to make the recipe dairy-free.
12. Cheesy Buffalo chicken and veggie stuffed peppers
Transform leftover chicken into a crowd-pleasing healthier alternative to Buffalo wings. Layer chopped chicken into the peppers; spice it up with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño, and hot sauce; and bake.
Before serving, sprinkle with green onions and drizzle with blue cheese dressing. That’s the icing on the cake.
13. Lasagna stuffed peppers
You won’t miss the pasta in the cheesy layers of sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parm in these low-carb and grain-free stuffed peppers. The recipe calls for pork, but we love using turkey or chicken or even substituting mushrooms to make it vegetarian.
Top with Parmesan a few minutes before the peppers are finished to get a beautifully browned top.
14. Classic ground beef stuffed peppers
These peppers stuffed with ground beef, mushrooms, corn, and white rice are super hearty. The recipe calls for fontina, a cheese that melts beautifully, but if you have Monterey Jack in the fridge, that’ll work great too.
15. Breakfast stuffed peppers
Baking eggs, ham, spinach, and cheese inside a pepper? We’re in. This is a fun breakfast for a crowd if you’re thinking outside the frittata. It takes about an hour from start to finish, so make sure you linger over it with your favorite coffee.
