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–+ servings
Stuffed bell peppers with couscous, black beans, and tomatoes in a large glass pan

Couscous Stuffed Peppers

Colorful peppers stuffed with fluffy couscous, beans, tomatoes, & Mexican-inspired flavors. Easy to prepare, then serve with your favorite toppings!
AuthorKaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
CourseMain Dish
CuisineMexican-inspired, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings8 pepper halves

Ingredients

  • 1 cup couscous
  • 4 bell peppers, extra-large
  • 2-3 green onions
  • 15 oz. can black beans
  • 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (or regular or fire-roasted)
  • 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. chili powder

Toppings (optional):

  • Avocado, guacamole, fresh cilantro, salsa, hot sauce, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, etc.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Cook couscous: Boil 1 cup water (or vegetable broth) in a small saucepan. Remove pan from heat, add couscous, stir, and cover. Let sit 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
  • Meanwhile, cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove stem and clean out inner ribs with a spoon. Set aside.
  • Slice green onions.
  • In a large bowl, add green onions, black beans (rinsed and drained), tomatoes (with juice), nutritional yeast, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Add cooked/fluffed couscous. Stir well to combine.
  • Generously fill each pepper half with the couscous filling. Lightly pack down with a spoon to compact and fill the crevices. (You may have a little filling leftover. It's great as a salad, or in a burrito.)
  • Place pepper halves face up in a 9×13" baking dish. Add about 1/3 cup water to the bottom of the pan. Then cover with tin foil. Bake for 40 minutes.
  • Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes. (If using shredded cheese, sprinkle it on top for the last 10 minutes of bake time.) Garnish with any toppings before serving.

Notes

Bell peppers: Try to find extra-large peppers with plenty of space for stuffing. If you can only find medium ones, you may want to get 5 or 6 peppers instead.
Variations: Add sweet corn, salsa, or zucchini to the filling.
Gluten-free option: Replace couscous with cooked quinoa or brown rice.
Nutrition: Estimated nutritional content is for one bell pepper half.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Calories: 168 kcal | Carbohydrates: 33 g | Protein: 8 g | Fat: 1 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Potassium: 488 mg | Fiber: 7 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 2159 IU | Vitamin C: 83 mg | Calcium: 51 mg | Iron: 3 mg