Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Bell peppers – I prefer to use red, yellow, and orange bell peppers instead of green bell peppers because they’re sweeter.

Aromatics – Red onion and garlic add lots of flavor to the filling. Cook them in a skillet for a few minutes to remove the raw flavor and soften the texture. I like to grate the fresh garlic with a microplane zester for ease and so it melts in with the other ingredients. Yellow onion can also be used.

Rice – Cooked brown rice is a great way to add extra fiber to the dish. Long grain brown rice or jasmine rice are my favorite varieties. You can use white rice or lemon dill rice as a substitution.

Spices – The dried spices are what give these stuffed peppers so much flavor. Cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika add earthy, smoky notes, while allspice adds an unexpected warm flavor.

Sun dried tomatoes, olives, and feta – They’re salty, briny, and the sun dried tomatoes add a nice chewy, sweetness to the filling. Green olives or kalamata olives can be used or you can omit the olives if you don’t like them. I like to cut the feta into cubes so that it doesn’t melt and disappear into the filling as it bakes.

Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas make these vegetarian stuffed peppers extra hearty. They add protein and fiber and their texture is a nice contrast to the soft rice. You can substitute them with white beans such as cannellini beans or great northern.

Fresh herbs – Flat leaf parsley gives the filling a vibrant fresh flavor that you won’t get from using only dried spices. Sometimes I substitute half the parsley for fresh dill.

Lemon – Fresh lemon juice adds a bright fresh flavor to the filling and enhances all of the Mediterranean flavors.

If you serve the stuffed peppers as a main dish I like to have this Mediterranean chopped salad, cucumber tomato salad, or Mediterranean lentil salad as a side dish.

The stuffed peppers can also be served as a side dish and paired with your favorite protein. I love to have them with Greek lemon chicken skewers, grilled tahini chicken, Greek chicken meatballs, and spicy shrimp with feta dip.

Make-ahead – Make the stuffed pepper filling 1-2 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the filling so all you have to do it bake them the day you plan to serve.

Storage – Leftover stuffed peppers will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They’re a great meal to make if you meal prep. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in a 350° F. oven until warmed through.

Freezing – You can freeze these Mediterranean stuffed peppers for 1-2 months. Defrost them in the fridge overnight before reheating.

If stuffed peppers are your go-to, try these Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers and Taco Stuffed Peppers.

Zucchini is a great vessel for stuffing with a delicious filling. Try these Cheesy Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats.

Stuffed spaghetti squash is a favorite of mine. This Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is full of Mexican flavors and this Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is pure healthy comfort food!