Stuffed bell peppers are an easy dish to get creative with and a great way to enjoy a variety of garden veggies. Our gluten-free stuffed bell peppers recipe can be made as a vegan, vegetarian or meaty version depending on what your crowd likes to eat. Follow our recipe for a delicious and satisfying vegetarian version, but feel free to mix up the stuffing for your own unique dish.
For this stuffed bell peppers recipe, look for firm but peppers and try to find ones that are evenly shaped so that they can stand up in a baking dish. Red and yellow bell peppers will have a sweeter flavor, but green and purple ones will provide a more robust and wont overpower the flavor of your filling. The size of the pepper will determine the serving size, but most people tend to be satsified with one medium sized sutffed pepper.
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
10 cloves garlic (2 finely chopped, 8 whole)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (28oz)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise
8 sprigs oregano
1¼ cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
12 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-size pieces
3 oz parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup)
Heat ¼ cup oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until beginning to darken, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, mashing tomatoes occasionally, until slightly thickened, 15–20 minutes. Set tomato sauce aside.
Preheat oven to 400°. Using a vegetable peeler, remove skin from rounded side of each eggplant half, leaving a 1” strip of skin around the cut edges. Divide eggplants, oregano sprigs, whole garlic cloves, and ½ cup oil between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Turn eggplants to coat with oil; season with salt and pepper and place cut side down. Cover baking sheets tightly with foil and bake until eggplants are very soft, 40–45 minutes.
Toss breadcrumbs and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl. Transfer eggplants, oregano, and garlic to 2 large shallow baking dishes, placing eggplants cut side up. Top eggplants with tomato sauce and mozzarella, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake until mozzarella is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden, 25–30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Tomato sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Eggplants can be cooked 1 day ahead. Keep covered; chill. Entire dish can be assembled 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill
