I love stuffing bell peppers, especially large ones, and baking them to perfection until they release so much flavour! I stuffed these bell peppers with a lentil meatball filling and some mashed potato for a really satisfying and comforting meal. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in the Philippines but I believe this is also a perfect main to serve for the Thanksgiving and other upcoming festivities.
Here's a little step-by-step to see how I made these lentil meatball and mashed potato stuffed peppers to give you an idea:
You can find the full recipe and steps below!
For a delicious side to serve, you can try out this Maple Balsamic Mushrooms recipe.
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Lentil Meatball and Mashed Potato Stuffed Peppers
Makes 6 large peppers
6 large bell peppers (I used red, yellow, and orange peppers)
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup vegan cheese shreds, optional
Mashed Potato
Pot of water
2 tsp salt
2 medium sized (650g total) yukon gold potatoes, makes 2 cups cooked mashed potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped spring onions or chives, optional
Lentil Meatball Filling
1/2 cup raw lentils (I used the orange variety), makes 1 1/4 cup cooked lentils*
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 can (150g) sliced button mushrooms or sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup cooked red, brown, or black rice (I used a rice mix)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, feel free to sub with ground rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Note
*You can opt to use cooked canned lentils. Just make sure to rinse them well.
STEPS
Cooking the potatoes and lentils
Prepare a pot. Add water and salt. Leave to boil.
Wash the potatoes well. You can opt to peel or keep the skin on. You can also opt to slice them into smaller piece for faster cooking. But I prefer leaving them whole.
When the water boils, add in the potatoes. When the potatoes are around halfway cooked, add in the lentils.* If your pot has a division, that’s even better. I kept my potatoes whole so it’s easier to separate the potatoes and lentils. Boil until potatoes are cooked through and lentils are tender.
Remove them from the water. Separate lentils and potatoes. Leave to cool and set aside.
*Note: I used the orange split lentils that cook faster than other type of lentils you’ll need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
Preparing the peppers
Heat your oven to 350F. I use an oven toaster with temperature settings. Slice the top of the bell peppers then remove the pits and seeds.
Brush the baking dish or tray with some olive oil. Place the bell peppers and leave to bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Preparing the mashed potato
In a large bowl, mash the potatoes with a fork or masher.
Heat a non-stick pan. Add in the olive oil or butter. Once hot, saute the garlic until lightly brown and aromatic.* Add in the salt and mix well. Turn off heat. Pour the oil/butter mixture into the mashed potatoes. Mix the potatoes well and then season with some pepper and more salt, to taste, if needed. Fold in the chopped spring onions or chives, if using.
*Note: Don’t wash the pan yet since you can use the same one for the lentil filling!
Preparing the Lentil Meatball filling
Heat a non-stick pan. Add in 1 tbsp olive oil. When hot, sauté the onions until tender and aromatic. Add in the mushrooms and sauté for any excess liquid to evaporate. Season with soy sauce. If using fresh mushrooms, you’ll need to sauté it for a longer time for them to cook through. Turn off heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.
Add in the cooked rice, mushrooms, and lentils in a food processor. Very quick process until incorporated. Do not over process since this can easily turn into a thick paste. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the breadrcumbs/processed oats, tomato paste, and salt to taste. Mix well.
Stuffing the peppers
Remove the peppers from the oven or oven toaster. Using a spoon, carefully scoop in the lentil meatball mixture into the peppers until half-filled. Fill the remaining half with the mashed potatoes. Top with some shredded cheese, if desired. Repeat this for the rest of the peppers and filling.
Place in the oven or oven toaster for another 15-20 minutes and until cheese has melted. Enjoy!
