Lentil-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sweet bell peppers brimming with a hearty, seasoned mixture of tender green lentils, diced vegetables, and a hint of tomato, topped with gooey mozzarella and served with a simple side of rice.

• Prep: 20 min
• Cook: 40 min
• Total: 1 hr
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $3.11/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Vegetarian
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Fiber
• High-Protein
• Pescatarian

Tags

• bake
• roast
• comfort food
• healthy
• savory
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers (large, halved lengthwise and seeded)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 cup green lentils (cooked)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 0.5 cup vegetable broth
• 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.25 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place bell pepper halves cut-side up in a baking dish. If using dry lentils, cook them according to package directions (typically 1 part lentils to 3 parts water/broth) until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.
2. While lentils cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the cooked lentils, diced tomatoes (undrained), vegetable broth, dried oregano, and dried thyme to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Season with salt and black pepper.
4. Stir in 1/4 cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese into the lentil mixture.
5. Spoon the lentil mixture evenly into each bell pepper half. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. While peppers bake, cook the white rice according to package directions, typically 1 cup rice to 2 cups water.
6. Remove foil, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese over the stuffed peppers, and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot with the cooked white rice.

Notes

You can prepare the lentil filling ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, assembling and baking the peppers on the day of serving. If you prefer a softer bell pepper, you can blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes before stuffing.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 480
• Protein: 22.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 70.5 g
• Fat: 13.8 g
• Fiber: 15.6 g
• Sodium: 680 mg
• Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
• Sugar: 10.1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg