From the recipe box
Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers
Thai and Southeast Asian plates, grain bowls, and cross-cultural recipes from the wider kitchen.
- Protein
- Black Beans
- Meal format
- Global Food & Fusion
- Base
- Rice, noodles, or bowl
Bell Pepper, Onion, Tomato, Corn, Zucchini, Broccoli
From my kitchenCook this meal
Ingredients & method
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 32 mins
- Total
- 47 mins
- Serves
- 2
Bell Pepper Base
- 2large bell peppers, cut vertically in half
Filling
- ½ cupcooked black beans
- ½ cupcooked rice
- ¼ cuponion, diced
- ¼ cuptomato, diced
- ¼ cupcorn
Optional substitutions:
- —Replace rice with quinoa, bulgur, or another cooked grain
- —Use pinto beans or kidney beans instead of black beans
Seasoning
- 2–3 tablespoonsoil, as needed
- to tasteSalt
- to tasteBlack pepper
- to tasteChili flakes
Topping
- ½ cupshredded cheese
- —or
- 1 slicecheese per pepper half
Notes & Tips
- Stuffed vegetables always feel fancy, but this recipe is actually a simple way to turn everyday ingredients into a fun meal.
- Blanching the bell peppers before baking helps them become tender while still holding their shape.
- If you want to make this more protein-rich, increase the beans or add tofu/soy crumbles into the filling.
- You can prep the filling ahead of time and assemble the peppers when ready to bake.
- For a dairy-free version, simply skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese alternative.
Step by step
Method
- 01
Prepare the Bell Peppers
- 02
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- 03
Add the vertically cut bell peppers and cover with a lid.
- 04
Blanch for 7–8 minutes until the bell peppers slightly soften and the color deepens.
- 05
Remove and set aside.
- 06
Prepare the Filling
- 07
Heat a little oil in a pan.
- 08
Add onions and sauté until they begin to soften.
- 09
Add tomatoes and cook until they become slightly soft.
- 10
Add optional vegetables like corn or butternut squash and sauté until cooked.
- 11
Add black beans and cooked rice.
- 12
Season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes.
- 13
Mix well and cook until everything comes together.
- 14
Assemble and Bake
- 15
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 16
Stuff the blanched bell pepper halves generously with the prepared filling.
- 17
Place them in an oven-safe tray.
- 18
Drizzle a little oil on top and lightly coat the bottoms of the peppers with oil.
- 19
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
- 20
Remove from the oven, add cheese on top, and bake again for 4–5 minutes until the cheese melts.
- 21
Serve warm with your favorite toppings.
- 22
These Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers are a colorful, filling one-dish meal packed with beans, rice, and vegetables. The best part is how customizable they are — you can change the grain, beans, vegetables, and toppings depending on what you have available.
- 23
They taste great on their own, but are even better topped with cheese, guacamole, salsa, cilantro, or a squeeze of lime.
