Easy, 9 ingredient Couscous Stuffed Peppers! Colorful bell peppers stuffed with fluffy couscous, black beans, tomatoes, and delicious fiesta-style flavors.
Beautiful stuffed peppers with a Mexican-inspired flare!
I was originally planning to use a rice mixture for the stuffing (which is a bit more conventional). But a box of couscous was staring back at me from the pantry and convinced me to try that instead.
We found it to be a fun and great change of pace, and really enjoyed the texture.
This is also an easy recipe to assemble.
While the couscous is cooking, you can prepare the flavorful black bean mixture and get your peppers ready to go. Then just stuff them and and let the oven work it's magic.
Quick note: couscous is a gluten grain made from crushed durum wheat, but you can easily make this recipe gluten free by substituting quinoa instead.
For more inspiration, also browse all main dish recipes or black bean recipes.
Vegan Couscous Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous (or sub quinoa for gluten-free)
- 4 bell peppers
- 1 small onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or fire-roasted)
- 1 cup vegan shredded cheese (I like Follow Your Heart brand)
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
Toppings (optional):
- Avocado, cilantro, guacamole, salsa, green onions, etc.
Instructions
- Cook couscous: boil 1 cup salted water in a saucepan. Remove from heat, add couscous, stir, and cover. Let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff.
- Meanwhile, dice onion and mince garlic.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/veggie broth for no-oil sauté method.)
- When onions are soft, add minced garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir and sauté 1-2 more minutes.
- Add black beans (rinsed and drained) and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine and heat for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl (or your skillet if it's large enough), combine the black bean mixture with cooked couscous and vegan cheese. Stir.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove stem and clean out inner ribs with a spoon.
- Fill each pepper half, lightly packing down, and place in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add a little water to the bottom of the pan and cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove foil, add a sprinkle of additional cheese on top if desired, and bake for 5-10 more minutes. Garnish with any desired toppings before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
If you are enjoying these Couscous Stuffed Peppers, also check out:
- Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Vegan Burrito Bowls with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- Vegan Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, or RSS for more updates and inspiration.
Leave a Reply