Vegan Stuffed Peppers are healthy, hearty, and full of flavor! Filled with homemade plant-based ground beef and vegan mozzarella or use your favorite store-bought versions. Make them in the air fryer or oven for an easy weeknight dinner that's also great for meal prep!
If you're a fan of stuffed peppers, I know you're gonna love this meaty vegan version!
Colorful bell peppers are stuffed with a filling made of plant-based ground beef, cooked brown rice, marinara sauce, fresh greens, and Italian seasonings and then topped with vegan mozzarella cheese for a hearty, flavor-packed meal that's perfect for the whole family.
And I've included two different ways to cook them - in the oven OR in the air fryer.
I have to admit that I'm a bit partial to the air fryer method. Using the air fryer significantly reduces the cook time, and you don't have to heat up your house by turning on the oven!
If you're looking for more timesaving air fryer dinner recipes, be sure to check out my Air Fryer Veggie Burgers, Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks, and Air Fryer Tempeh.
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Why You'll Love Vegan Stuffed Peppers
- Stuffed peppers are SO versatile! You can change up the plant-based meat, use quinoa or a grain instead of rice, and try different cheeses and seasonings for endless flavor combinations!
- This dish is perfect for meal prep! You can make it a few days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to reheat and serve. Or just prep the components in advance for extra quick assembly.
- This recipe is oil-free and gluten-free as written, making it a great option for all types of eaters. And with simple swaps you can accommodate other dietary needs and allergies.
"My husband is still raving about these peppers 2 days later!" - Jan
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here's a look at the main ingredients you'll need. See the recipe card below for the full list and measurements.
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan Meat - I used my vegan ground beef, which is made with soy curls and mushrooms, but you can use so many different plant-based meat options here. Try my lentil taco meat for Mexican-inspired stuffed peppers! If you don't need the dish to be oil-free, save time with store-bought options like Beyond Meat, vegan sausages, etc.
- Cooked Rice - I used brown rice, but any variety will work here such as white rice or wild rice. Feel free to substitute with quinoa, farro, or barley if preferred, but note that the latter two are not gluten-free. You can also increase the amount of vegan meat and skip the grains for a low-carb vegan meal.
- Marinara - Any sauce you enjoy is great, whether homemade or store-bought; if you strictly avoid oil be sure to check labels.
- Cheese - For the peppers cooked in the air fryer, I used my vegan mozzarella recipe (which only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and is so good). You can also use a nut-based parmesan (add after air fryer or baking) or store-bought shredded cheese if you don't need the dish to be oil-free. For the photos of the oven baked peppers, I used Violife smoked provolone and grated it myself.
- Bell Peppers - Feel free to use any color you like, although variety is fun! I tend to prefer the flavor of orange, red, and yellow bell peppers over green, too.
- Seasonings - I used oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, but feel free to change up the seasonings or leave them out if your vegan meat is already seasoned.
- Fresh Greens - This is optional, but fresh baby spinach or arugula are an easy and nutritious addition to the filling.
See the recipe card below for quantities and step-by-step instructions.
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How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers
Prepare the peppers by slicing in half through the stem and cleaning out the seeds and membrane. For baked peppers, add ½ cup water to the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish and cover with foil. Par-cook the peppers in a 400°F oven for about 20 minutes. To air fry, add water to the bottom of the basket and cook at 350°F for 4 minutes.
While the peppers are cooking, sauté the aromatics (if not already in the plant meat you're using). Then add the vegan beef, oregano, pepper, cooked rice, and marinara. Once everything is hot, add a few handfuls of spinach or arugula and let it wilt down.
Once the peppers have finished par-cooking, stuff them with the vegan beef mixture. When I prepare them in the oven, I leave the peppers in the casserole dish, but with the air fryer, you'll want to move them to a cutting board to add the filling.
Oven: Cover the baking dish with foil again, and bake for 15 minutes. Then add the cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until piping hot and the cheese is melted.
Air Fryer: If using my homemade cheese, add it now. Store-bought shredded cheese should be added with about 1 minute left so it doesn't dry out. Alternatively, melt the cheese in the microwave and add to the peppers just before serving. Air fry stuffed peppers for about 6 minutes.
Hint :
Air fryers vary, so you may find your peppers need more or less time. Keep an eye on them during the last two minutes of cooking.
With either method, the peppers are done when the skin is wrinkled, the peppers are tender, and the cheese is hot and melted!
Serving Suggestions
These hearty peppers are great on their own, but if you'd like a side or appetizer, I recommend a light and refreshing salad. Here are some ideas:
- A simple side salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers with this oil-free Italian vinaigrette is a perfect pairing for these "beefy" stuffed peppers.
- This Italian green bean salad takes just minutes to make and is another great choice.
- This cucumber avocado salad is another quick and easy starter or side idea.
Stuffed Pepper Variations
- Spicy - Try spicy Italian seitan sausages, tofu chorizo, seitan chorizo, or vegan andouille sausage for some Cajun flair!
- Mexican - Season the vegan beef with cumin and chili powder, and use salsa instead of marinara. Or better yet, use this vegan taco meat. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with cashew queso instead of mozzarella. Check out these Tex-Mex Jack O'Lantern stuffed peppers for inspiration!
- Extra Cheesy - Stir your cheese of choice into the meaty filling, as well as adding it on top.
- Kid friendly - Make mini stuffed peppers! They're easy to pick up with small hands instead of needing a knife and fork for large bell peppers.
Equipment
You'll need a large sauté pan for cooking the filling as well as a food processor and a blender for making the vegan meat and cheese. And of course, you'll need an air fryer to make the air fryer version.
FAQs
Par-cooking the peppers helps soften them up and reduces the overall cook time. If air frying, you'll need to par-cook the peppers for about 4 minutes. If baking, the peppers will need to be par-cooked for about 20 minutes.
Beans and lentils are also great in stuffed peppers. Try pinto, cannellini, kidney, black beans, or black eyed peas. These seasoned black lentils and my lentil taco meat would also be delicious here!
Store the stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for best results. Steaming also works well.
Helpful Tips
- Adding a little bit of water to the baking dish (or air fryer basket) helps soften the peppers and prevents the filling and cheese from drying out.
- The peppers are done when they are slightly wrinkled and the cheese is hot and melted.
- If you use my homemade vegan ground beef and mozzarella, you may have a small amount leftover. You can use the leftover vegan meat in pasta sauce or crumble some on top of a pizza. The cheese is also great on pizza or for making grilled cheese or quesadillas!
- My homemade vegan meat includes onion and garlic, but you will want to add these ingredients if using a different recipe or store-bought version that doesn't already include them.
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
I hope you enjoy these vegan stuffed peppers as much as we do! If you try the recipe I'd love to hear from you. Be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Peppers (Oven or Air Fryer)
Equipment
- air fryer - optional
Ingredients
- 1 batch homemade vegan ground "beef" - tap for recipe; OR 1 lb. (3½ cups) other vegan beef, sausage, etc.
- 1 batch homemade vegan mozzarella - or 3 oz. shredded vegan cheese; See Note 1
- 3 large bell peppers, any color
- 1 small onion, chopped, optional - See Note 2
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- black pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes - to taste
- 1¼ cups marinara sauce
- 1½ cups cooked rice
- 3 handfuls baby spinach or arugula, optional
Instructions
- For oven-baked peppers, preheat the oven to 400°F. To cook in the air fryer, preheat to 350°F.
- Slice each pepper in half through the stem. Remove any seeds and membranes. You can leave the stem attached or carefully remove it.
- Oven: Put ½ cup water in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Arrange the peppers cut side up, and cover the dish with foil. Par-bake the peppers for 20 minutes. Air fryer: Pour ½ cup water in the bottom of the air fryer and insert the rack. Arrange the peppers leaving plenty of room for air to circulate. Work in batches if needed. Cook at 350°F for 4 minutes.
- Make the filling: Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, if using, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and vegan ground beef, oregano, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until hot and cooked through (longer if starting with uncooked meat such as Beyond). Add the marinara and rice, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until everything is hot. If including fresh greens, add them to the pan and cook until dark green and wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Stuff the peppers: Place a little cheese in the bottom of each pepper, if desired, then fill with the sauteed mixture. If using my homemade cheese and air frying, you can add cheese on top of each pepper now. Otherwise, don't add cheese yet.
- Oven: Cover the dish again with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, add cheese in top of each pepper, cover again, and bake for another 15 minutes.Air fryer: Air fry at 350°F for 6-7 minutes. If using store-bought vegan cheese, it will dry out in the air fryer, so either add it near the end of cooking, or melt it in a bowl in the microwave with a splash of water. Spoon onto the peppers just before serving.
- The peppers are done when tender and slightly wrinkled and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Notes
With the homemade beef and cheese recipes, you may have some leftover after stuffing the peppers, but it's easy to use them in other ways. The cheese makes delicious quesadillas and grilled cheese! Note 2: The homemade "beef" recipe already includes onion and garlic, so there's no need to include them here unless you're using a different vegan meat. Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat by steaming or microwaving. Or freeze for up to 2 months. Nutrition facts are per serving, (1.5 peppers), and were calculated using the homemade meat and cheese recipes linked in the recipe. Nutrition will vary depending on the specific ingredients and amounts used.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Jackie says
I love stuffed peppers and have tried a number of recipes, but this one is AMAZING! I can't believe how good your V beef recipe is. So glad I tried it. I'm going to make batches of it and freeze it to use in everything. I'm lucky I had enough left to stuff the peppers because I couldn't stop eating it at the stove! Thanks, this is a keeper!
Jan says
Lori,
My husband is still raving about these peppers 2 days later! I don't have an air fryer so I set my oven to 400 F and baked them covered with foil for 40 minutes.
Thanks for another tasty recipe.
Lori says
Hooray! That's wonderful. Thanks, Jan.
Stacey says
Absolutely delicious! Not surprised in the slightest because every recipe I've tried so far of yours has been amazing. I don't have a deep basket air fryer so I made mine in the oven but I will surely add this to the rotation list.
Lori says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the dish, Stacey. And thank you!
Yesim says
We don’t have an air fryer, but our new toaster oven has an air fryer setting. We used it a few times and like it. However, I don’t know if it will give similar results.
Lori says
Hi Yesim,
I find the stuffed peppers to be fairly forgiving, so yes, I definitely think it's worth a try.