This delicious Mexican Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers recipe is full of flavorful rice, beans, salsa and melted creamy cheese. They make a hearty and wholesome lunch or dinner, and while we also love our Middle Eastern stuffed peppers or slow cooker stuffed pepper casserole, this recipe is great for meatless days.
We consider these kid-friendly stuffed peppers because they don't include any spicy or intense ingredients and are great for kids who don't enjoy the texture of meat. You can always add pulled taco chicken or taco beef for an even heartier meal.
We do love all sorts of Mexican recipes, with or without meat. Cheesy quesadillas and beef fried tacos are two of our favorite quick and easy meals that you should try next.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
To make our rice and bean stuffed peppers you need:
- Prepared rice: for the most flavorful stuffed peppers, use cooked Spanish rice or yellow rice. Mahatma seasoned yellow rice is my favorite. You can also make Spanish rice in your pressure cooker and use that.
- Green bell peppers: or use a combination of red, yellow, orange and green bell peppers.
- Black beans: a can of cooked black beans, drained and rinsed.
- Salsa: any type! Mild, medium or hot salsa depending on your preference.
- Shredded cheese: a combination of shredded mozzarella, yellow cheddar and Oaxaca cheeses give the best taste. You can use other types as well, such as melting quesadilla cheese, Mexican cheese blend, Colby Jack and Monterey Jack cheese.
- Taco seasoning: a small amount of taco seasoning gives an extra kick of flavor. Make homemade taco seasoning for the best flavor!
Kristina's Tips
- For softer peppers, parboil them before stuffing and baking.
- You can make these as cheesy as you'd like by adding extra shredded cheese to the stuffing or the tops of the peppers.
- For a fun variation or as a finger food for parties, use mini bell peppers.
Should I Boil Peppers Before Stuffing Them?
You can parboil bell peppers prior to stuffing and baking them if you'd prefer the peppers to turn out soft. For crispier peppers, you do not need to boil them.
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked yellow rice, black beans, salsa and taco seasoning. Mix in half of each type of cheese (1 cup total cheese). Stir well to mix thoroughly.
- Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the inside seeds and membranes. Wash, dry and rub the outsides with olive oil. Arrange in the casserole dish.
- Fill each pepper to the top with the rice and bean mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Pour about ½ cup of water into the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover the filled peppers with tented foil. *Do not let the foil touch the top of the peppers or the cheese will stick to it.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes covered in foil. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts fully. Remove from the oven and sprinkle torn cilantro on top.
Serving Suggestions
While these meatless stuffed peppers make a balanced meal full of grains and vegetables, plus hearty beans for additional protein and fiber, here are some side dishes that compliment them:
How To Store
Keep stuffed peppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm in the microwave or the oven. Stuffed peppers can be frozen when stored in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave or oven.
Recipe
Mexican Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
- 9x13 inch casserole dish
Ingredients
- 6 large green bell peppers
- 1 can black beans 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups cooked yellow rice
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 teaspoon taco seasoning
- ⅔ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅔ cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
- ⅔ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked yellow rice, black beans, salsa and taco seasoning. Mix in half of each type of cheese (1 cup total cheese). Stir well to mix thoroughly.
- Slice the tops off the bell peppers and remove the inside seeds and membranes. Wash, dry and rub the outsides with olive oil. Arrange in the casserole dish.
- Fill each pepper to the top with the rice and bean mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Pour about ½ cup of water into the bottom of the casserole dish. Cover the peppers with tented foil. *Do not let the foil touch the top of the peppers or the cheese will stick to it.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30 minutes covered in foil. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts fully. Remove from the oven and sprinkle torn cilantro on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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