Vegetarian stuffed peppers with lentils are loaded with rice and cheese and topped with a flavorful marinara for a decadent and filling meatless meal that you will love.
I enjoy eating meat, chicken, and seafood, but I also like to take a break and eat a good vegetarian meal once or twice a week. My husband, on the other hand, loves meat and really doesn't think dinner is complete without it. Finding a meatless meal that we both enjoy can be a challenge but these vegetarian stuffed peppers with rice and cheese really hit the mark.
Traditionally, stuffed peppers are filled with meat and rice and I often make them with chicken, turkey or beef. While delicious, meat can be expensive and I like to change it up every now and then.
I decided to replace the meat and added lentils and rice instead. These vegetarian stuffed peppers with lentils are very hardy and filling and you won't miss the meat at all in this dinner. The Asiago cheese gives these vegetarian stuffed peppers an extra flavor punch making this a super tasty meal!
Looking for a completely plant based meal? Leave off the cheese! Alternatively, you can swap in your favorite plant-based cheese or sprinkle them with nutritional yeast to make this meal vegan.
Ingredients Needed for Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Red or green bell peppers
- Onion
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Lentils – I use precooked lentils from Trader Joes. They are so convenient. You can use another brand of cooked lentils or cook your own lentils if you prefer.
- Cooked rice – I use bagged frozen rice. You can purchase it in the freezer section of your grocery store or precook and freeze cooked rice to save time.
- Italian seasoning
- Marinara sauce - use jarred or try my easy homemade recipe
- Vegetable broth
- Salt and crushed red pepper
- Asiago cheese - another cheese like parmesan or a sharp cheddar can be substituted or use a plant based cheese or nutritional yeast for a vegan option.
How to Make Stuffed Peppers with Rice and Cheese
- Purchase precooked rice and lentils or prepare them in advance according to the package directions.
- Prepare the peppers by cutting off the top, remove the ribs and seeds and cut in half lengthwise. Prick the peppers with a knife several times and lay them on a baking dish or roasting pan.
- In a large skillet, saute onions in olive oil until tender then stir in the garlic until fragrant.
- Stir in the lentils, seasonings, 1 ½ cups of the marinara and the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the rice, salt and pepper and half of the cheese.
- When the mixture is well heated, spoon into the prepared peppers.
- Top the peppers with the remaining sauce and add ½ cup of water to the pan. This will help the peppers to cook through.
- Cover loosly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Top the peppers with the remaining cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes more until the cheese is melted and starts to brown.
Try this recipe for a delicious plant based dinner. You'll love it!
Best Cooking Tips
- To make this recipe really easy I used precooked lentils and frozen bagged rice. If you aren't taking these shortcuts you will want to cook your lentils and rice in advance.
- Use peppers that are similar in size so they will cook evenly.
- Prick the bottoms of the peppers before filling. Doing so will help excess water to escape so you don't get watery peppers.
- Choose a pan that fits the peppers snuggly.
- If you have leftovers, here are some ways and tips on reheating your stuffed peppers.
More Stuffed Pepper Recipes:
- Italian Stove Top Stuffed Peppers made with Ground Turkey
- Chicken And Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos With Avocado Cream
- Sausage Stuffed Peppers via Sally's Baking Addiction
More Vegetarian Dinners:
- Pasta with White Beans and Kale
- Low Carb Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
- Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
- Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce via Grumpy's Honeybunch
If you like these stuffed peppers with lentils, please leave a 5-star rating.
Asiago and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 medium to large red or green peppers
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 to 2 TBS olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils
- 1 TBS Italian seasoning
- 2 ½ cups marinara sauce divided
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- salt and crushed red pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups shredded Asiago cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Prepare the peppers by cutting off the top, remove the ribs and seeds and cut in half lengthwise. Prick the peppers with a knife several times and lay them on a baking dish or roasting pan.
- In a large skillet, saute onions in olive oil until tender then stir in the garlic until fragrant.
- Stir in the lentils, seasonings, 1 ½ cups of the marinara and the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the rice, salt and pepper and half of the cheese. When the mixture is well heated, spoon into the prepared peppers.
- Top the peppers with the remaining sauce and add ½ cup of water to the pan. This will help the peppers to cook through.
- Cover loosly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Top the peppers with the remaining cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes more until the cheese is melted and starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Nutrition
First Published March 2010 ; Updated September 2021
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Bridgett
Oh my goodness, Lisa! Talk about heavenly. Can you send me a few...like the whole plate?
Juliana
Wow Lisa, nice way to stuff peppers...cheese and lentil, very healthy and yet tasty 🙂
Lynne L
Lisa, thanks for an amazing looking recipe! We love beans and grains at our house and this looks so hearty and satisfying. Can't wait to try it!
Lynne
Leslie
This is the perfect meatless dinner
dawn
hearty and filling. wow lisa i love this. and it's guy-friendly too! LOL
LaPhemmePhoodie
I just ate dinner. Looking at this post has made me hungry all over again. I love stuffed peppers. I usually stuff them with meat. Will definitely try this recipe instead.
Patty
Wow those look amazing, I usually stuff my peppers with tuna salad but I'm definitely going to have to try this recipe out, thanks for posting!
Mom on the Run
Stuffed pepper are so good! One place for a meal is good for me.
Liz - Meal Makeover Mom
Yum. I will definitely stop by TJs to look for those lentils. What a great convenience food. The peppers really look delicious!
Kasha
Woah! That looks extremely healthy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
redkathy
My hubby is aka The Carnivore so I know what you are saying about the meat. I think it's a man thing 😉 The lentils were a great idea for stuffing peppers. I love lentils anything.
kat
What a lovely vegetarian dish!
The Food Hunter
Looks delicious. I will have to check my Trader Joe's for those lentils
The Japanese Redneck
Your's and mine both! They are pretty but I don't like bell pepper. Therefore I have a tendancy never to cook anything I don't like. I know, shame on me.
black eyed susans kitchen
This looks really good, Lisa...we will definitely be trying this one.
♥, Susan
Julie
This sounds so good...full of things that I just love!
teresa
fabulous! my husband is the same way, so i'll have to give this a try too!
Mary
Lisa, these look and sound phenomenal. You've come up with a lovely filling for your peppers. I'll have to give these a try.
Jean
Lisa, I'm always thinking up things to do with lentils. I'm sort of a part-time semi-vegetarian, and lentils are one of my favorite protein sources. Wonder why I never thought to put them in stuffed peppers! This recipe looks wonderful. Can't wait to try it.
Lea Ann
Well now doesn't this sound WONderful. Great idea for lentils. Denver doesn't have a Trader Joes. Makes me flat out grumpy.
biz319
Your husband and my husband must be long lost brothers! The only time he doesn't eat meat is on Fridays during Lent!
Love asiago cheese (well, all cheese, who am I kidding!) but rarely buy it - now I will. I think this will be one of my lunches next week.
Thanks and hope all is well with you!
aurorafedora
this is such an interesting combination. i'll have to try it, it looks delish!
Darrol
Can't wait for my SJ peppers to grow & ripen so I can try this one, it sounds & looks wonderful. Homegrown Jersey vegi's are the best!
Cindy
This recipe is a novel idea for me. I am going to try it this weekend and hopefully satisfy a picky husband.
Shelby
Lisa, your man sounds like my man! lol. I would love this pepper - but I'm pretty sure Grumpy would give me a hard time since he doesn't like stuffed peppers even with meat. ;o)
Glad your on FB now I'm on my way!
Jeanette
This looks like a satisfying vegetarian meal! Lentils are so good for you too.
Sally
Is there a way to reduce the sodium content?
lisa
Hi Sally,
Much of the sodium comes from the marinara sauce if you are using jarred sauce. I make my own and this can control the sodium content. Here is an easy recipe that you can make and save for later....leave out all the salt if you wish. https://www.jerseygirlcooks.com/easy-25-minute-marinara-sauce/
Tavo
It looks like a delicious recipe! I can't wait to give a try to this classic now made vegetarian!
Traci
Perfectly easy and filling, especially for a meatless option. This one's going into the rotation. Thanks!
Michelle
These peppers look incredibly delicious! Can't wait to give it a try!
claudia lamascolo
The flavors are fabulous in this and I will make it over and over the lentils just made a huge difference we loved this!
Andrea
This is a great variation of a classic stuffed pepper. Loving the use of lentils and marinara sauce.
Lucy
These stuffed peppers are such a delicious comforting vegetarian meal that the whole family loves.
Roxana
So healthy, filling and satisfying. I loved the step by step pics and all the tips. Great recipe.
Sara Welch
Made this for dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table! Easily, a new favorite dish; hands down delicious!
kushigalu@gmail.com
What a healthy and delicious stuffed peppers recipe. I will try this version soon. Thanks for sharing.
Tara
Such a fantastic meatless meal! All those flavors sound absolutely amazing and I love how easily it comes together.
Kathryn
This recipe is so yummy. Healthy and easy to make! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Jessie
Love this for meatless Monday!
Heather Perine
Been a lot more vegetarian dinners lately, so I can't wait to try this stuffed peppers with lentils! Love stuffed peppers, and these look delicious!
Eliza
What a great recipe! The tasty vegetarian filling pairs so well with the tender peppers, and this is next on my Meatless Mondays rotation. Thank you, Jersey Girl!
Tawnie Kroll
I had some lentils in my pantry to use up and this was the perfect recipe for them, LOVED IT! THANK YOU!!:)