Vegetarian Italian Stuffed Peppers

These delicious and healthy Italian Stuffed Peppers are made with brown rice, zucchini, spinach, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella. They’re great for a weeknight dinner and can be prepped in advance or eaten as leftovers!

It’s easy to pigeonhole vegetable recipes as side dishes or salads, but let’s not forget that veggies can shine as the primary base of a recipe!

Using a spiralizer to make vegetable “noodles” is one of my favorite ways to create a fully veggie-based dish (see: Spiralized Golden Beet Salad), but I also love making veggie patties (see Sweet Potato Black Bean Patties) or, better yet, stuffing vegetables!

So many of the veggies that are in season during the summer are great for stuffing, but bell peppers work especially well. They’re wide and hollow enough to serve as the perfect vehicle for other nutritious foods.

Plus, roasting peppers brings out their sweetness and enhances their flavor. So if you’re looking for a tasty, colorful, healthy, and vegetable-based recipe for your next meal, you’ve come to the right place.

How to Make Italian Stuffed Peppers

To make stuffed peppers, you can either slice the peppers in half lengthwise or cut off the tops and keep the rest intact.

I personally like slicing the peppers in half lengthwise, then removing the seeds and stems. It’s easier to “stuff” them with a filling if they’re prepared this way.

After you prep your peppers, make the filling by sautéing some onion and zucchini in garlic and olive oil. Add diced tomatoes, spinach, oregano, basil, and cooked brown rice, and cook for a few more minutes.

Stuff each pepper half with a large spoonful of this filling and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top. Pop the peppers in the oven, and dinner can be served in 25 minutes!

You can sub any whole grain for the brown rice in this recipe. To make these peppers vegan, skip the mozzarella.

Can you prep stuffed peppers in advance?

Yes! Stuffed peppers are a great dish to prepare in advance, especially for busy weeknights. You can make the filling beforehand and keep it in the fridge, then stuff and bake the peppers later.

You could also prep the entire recipe and put the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet or in an airtight container in the fridge, and then just pop them in the oven when you’re ready to eat.

How to Reheat Stuffed Peppers

These Italian Stuffed Peppers also make great leftovers. To reheat, put on a microwave safe plate and heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Or, put them on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes.

What to Serve with Italian Stuffed Peppers

These are an excellent vegetarian main dish and would taste great with a side salad, Chili Sesame Sautéed Broccolini, Charred Broccoli and Red Onion, Quick Braised Collard Greens, Sautéed Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts, or Garlic Lemon Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower.

You can also serve stuffed peppers as a side to meat or fish. For another stuffed peppers recipe, check out the Spaghetti Stuffed Bell Peppers or Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers Casserole.

📖 Recipe

Want to make these healthy Italian Stuffed Peppers? Remember to pin it now for later!

Have a great week!

Lizzie