Mediterranean Cauliflower Stuffed Peppers (Printable)
Colorful peppers stuffed with flavorful cauliflower rice mixture, baked until tender and golden.
# List of ingredients:
→ Peppers
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops cut off and seeds removed
→ Cauliflower Rice Mixture
02 - 1 medium head cauliflower (about 1.3 lbs), riced (or 4 cups store-bought cauliflower rice)
03 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
04 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 2.8 oz Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - 2.8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
14 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
→ Topping
15 - 1.4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
16 - 1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
17 - Fresh parsley or mint, for garnish
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the peppers upright.
02 - Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until rice-sized, or use pre-riced cauliflower.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add the cauliflower rice, cherry tomatoes, olives, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the cauliflower is tender and tomatoes are softened.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in feta, parsley, mint, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.
06 - Stuff each bell pepper with the cauliflower mixture, pressing down gently to fill completely.
07 - Place stuffed peppers in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with additional feta and pine nuts, if using.
08 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until peppers are tender and tops are slightly golden.
10 - Garnish with fresh parsley or mint before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get all those bright Mediterranean flavors without the heavy pasta or bread coma afterward
- The cauliflower rice soaks up every herb and spice, making each bite taste like you spent hours on it
- These peppers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, maybe even better than fresh
02 -
- Don't skip the step of covering with foil first, or your peppers might dry out before they're fully tender
- The filling tastes even better after it sits for a few minutes, so let them rest before diving in
03 -
- Look for peppers with flat bottoms and straight sides, they'll hold more filling and stand up better in the baking dish
- The cauliflower rice should be tender but not mushy, it should still have a bit of texture that contrasts with the soft pepper