Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffed Peppers

Name: Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffed Peppers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 8 red, yellow, orange or green peppers (, medium in size); 3 cups cooked quinoa; 3 cloves garlic (, chopped); 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (, rinsed and drained (about one 15 ounce can)); 2 cups chopped mushrooms; 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes; ½ cup fresh chopped parsley; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 teaspoon sea salt; Drizzle of oil for sautéing (, or broth if oil free); Sprinkle of dairy-free cheese (, optional)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These vegan gluten-free stuffed peppers are absolutely delicious and a perfect well rounded meal. They are healthy and family friendly!

Grey plate with tri colored quinoa stuffed peppers

I love mixing it up with a variety of meals. While our go to tacos and pasta are always a hit, it's surprising how much they love something a little different, and these hit the spot!

Ingredients

A variety of fresh and healthy foods make up this easy and flavorful recipe:

Bell Peppers
Quinoa
Chickpeas
Fresh Veggies
Seasonings

Ingredients used for stuffed peppers in bowls and on the wooden table

How To Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers make an easy and filling meal in just a few easy steps:

Prepare the peppers.
Use a food processor to coarsely chop the chickpeas.
Next, chop the mushrooms.
Sauté the garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, and seasonings.
Mix in the quinoa and chickpeas.
Fill the peppers, put on the tops, bake, and enjoy!

Helpful tips and tricks

This recipe is wonderful for meal prepping, stocking a freezer, or giving as a gift (instead of traditional casseroles) since making ahead and storing leftovers is so easy!

You can prepare these stuffed peppers up to 24 hours ahead of time to make mealtime easier. Just mix up the filling, stuff the peppers, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to bake.
You can even just have the filling ready and the peppers cleaned, then stuff and bake when ready to serve.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave individually for 2 minutes, or bake multiple in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350°F / 175° C.
Stuffed peppers can be frozen before or after baking. Seal the peppers in an airtight freezer container, make sure they've cooled completely if freezing cooked peppers.
Frozen uncooked peppers should be baked at 350°F / 175° C for 1 hour or until heated through. If the peppers are already cooked you can reduce the time by 30 minutes.

Flavor suggestions

Make variations of this meal to keep things interesting in the kitchen with some of these ideas:

Substitute some of the quinoa for cooked lentils or black beans.
Get a veggie boost by adding spinach, cauliflower, zucchini, or corn to the mix.
Top the peppers with some dairy free cheese.
Finish off the stuffed peppers with a dollop of vegan sour cream.

Fork getting a bite out of an orange quinoa stuffed pepper

What to serve with stuffed peppers

Pair your gluten-free stuffed peppers with any of these dishes to make a complete meal:

Common Questions

What kind of pepper should I use for stuffed peppers?

There are a few things to consider when choosing bell peppers for stuffing:

The color, this actually designates the flavor! Green are the most bitter, yellow and orange are slightly sweeter, with red being the sweetest of all.

The size, I used medium sized peppers. Large peppers won't be as full, and small ones won't fit everything.

The lobes on the bottom. There's seemingly constant controversy on whether or not this changes the flavor; but one thing is for sure, peppers with 4 lobes on the bottom stand up better than ones with 3.

How do you cut the peppers for stuffing?

Use a sharp knife to cut the top off of the pepper, put it aside. Use a paring knife to carefully remove the ribs and seeds, you can discard those.

Why are my stuffed peppers watery?

The filling ingredients in this recipe release some moisture while cooking, which is why precooking the filling is so important. Making sure the liquid is gone from the mushrooms should eliminate this issue.