Vegan Stuffed Mini Peppers with Mushrooms Olives and Walnuts
This recipe combines some of my favorite ingredients in a delicious and satisfying dish: Stuffed Mini Peppers with Mushrooms, Olives, and Walnuts. Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or want to add more plant-based goodness to your meals, this recipe will become a favorite.
Organic sweet mini peppers are my favorite vegetables year-round. They are not only tasty and crunchy but also incredibly versatile. From salads to grilling, they never disappoint. But when stuffed with a mouthwatering mix of sticky rice, Kalamata olives, and earthy mushrooms, they truly shine. And the best part? You can make a big batch and freeze the extras for later enjoyment. They will last you for weeks in the freezer.
The star of this recipe is smoked provolone, another of my favorite ingredients. This cheese alternative brings a rich umami flavor without dairy, soy or gluten. It melts beautifully, making it perfect for adding cheesy goodness to soups, stews, and these stuffed peppers. Depending on the dish, I slice it into tiny 1/4-inch squares or strips. If used in soups, it is enough to break it by hand into smaller pieces and add to simmering vegetables.
Don’t be daunted by the ingredient list; everything here is simple to find in most markets. The key is getting the consistency of the stuffing and tomato mixture just right. As with any recipe, feel free to improvise and adjust to suit your taste buds.
Stuffed Mini Peppers with Mushrooms, Olives and Walnuts Oven Baked Vegan
Ingredients
- 10 sweet mini peppers
- 1 cup cooked sticky or sushi rice
- 1/4 cup ground roasted walnuts
- 5-6 large quartered mushrooms
- 2 slices slices smoked vegan provolone cut into 1/4 inch squares (Violife is the brand easily found at Whole Foods.)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 cup tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water
- 10-12 black pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (save some for serving)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast powder
- 3-4 fresh mint leaves for garnish optional
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 380ºF (193ºC).In a food processor, chop onion, olives, and garlic until finely minced. Add chopped parsley and dill to the mixture. Core mini peppers.
- Combine the minced mixture with cooked rice, and ground roasted walnuts. In a bowl, mix diluted tomato paste with water, sweet paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) and set aside.
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of prepared stuffing and place peppers in a baking dish. Stuff the mini peppers with the remaining stuffing.
- Arrange quartered mushrooms around the stuffed peppers.
- Pour prepared tomato paste mixture over the stuffed peppers and mushrooms in the baking dish. Cover the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the mushrooms are coated in the sauce.Uncover the dish and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes at 400ºF (204ºC) until the peppers are tender and slightly caramelized.
- Serve the stuffed peppers with your choice of sides like buttered spaghetti squash, boiled/mashed potatoes, or pasta. Sprinkle nutritional yeast powder over the peppers for a cheesy flavor (or grated Parmesan/Romano cheese if not vegan).Sprinkle with chopped dill or mint for a burst of freshness and serve warm. Get ready to impress your taste buds and anyone joining you at the table with these flavorful stuffed mini peppers. Enjoy the deliciousness and the satisfaction of creating a fantastic vegan dish that's as pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate!
