Mouthwatering Healthy Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients 0/20

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orzo in the boiling water, stirring now and then, until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite—about 8 minutes. Drain it well and transfer it to a big bowl.

Step 2

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Take your orange bell peppers and slice off the tops about an inch down. Remove the seeds and membranes, then stand them upright in a roasting pan so they fit snugly together.

Step 3

In a skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 10 cloves of garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic turns golden and fragrant—this should take around 8 minutes. Toss in the white and cremini mushrooms along with the balsamic vinegar, and keep cooking until the mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess liquid, then stir the mushroom and garlic mix into the orzo.

Step 4

Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, torn whole tomatoes, mozzarella, zucchini, half a cup of Parmesan, 8 more garlic cloves, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the orzo mixture. Give everything a good mix, then stuff the filling into each pepper.

Step 5

Pour some vegetable broth into the bottom of the roasting pan to keep things moist, then cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the filling is heated through. Take off the foil and sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan over each pepper. Pop them back in the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or so, until the cheese is bubbly and golden.