The Corporate Cookbook

About This Recipe:

Stuffed peppers are super fun to make at home because there are endless variations that you can play with. I have had them in a number of ways- Tex Mex style with ground turkey and beans, Italian style with sausage and mozzarella, but this vegan variation is probably my favorite. Because I usually eat out the entire weekend, I try to eat super clean and vegan at home during the week.

I like the zucchini and mushroom combination, but eggplant or squash would also be great alternatives. I highly recommend using wild rice in this recipe because the grains give the filling a nice texture and doesn’t get mushy when the peppers bake in the tomato sauce. I bake my peppers for a full hour because I prefer them fork tender, and I love the sprinkle of breadcrumbs for a bit of added crunch.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (4 servings)

-4 bell peppers, halved vertically
-1 yellow onion, finely diced
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1 zucchini, finely diced
-16 oz crimini mushrooms, diced
-2.5 cups cooked wild rice
-20 oz tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
-1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
-2 tbls breadcrumbs (panko or Italian)
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper

Seasonings
-2 tsps dried basil
-1 tsp oregano
-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions (1 hour 30 minutes)

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, pour in 2 tbls of olive oil. Sauté the onions for about 4 minutes until they have slightly browned, and then stir in the minced garlic.
2. Add in the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Then add in the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and the rest of the seasonings.
3. Mix in the cooked rice, tomato pureé, and fresh parsley.
4. Place the halved bell peppers onto a well oiled baking dish, and scoop the rice and vegetable mixture into each one. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle with some olive oil.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 55 minutes covered, and then 5 minutes uncovered to toast the breadcrumbs.