Vegetarian Polenta Pizza Stuffed Peppers

This Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers recipe is the perfect weeknight plant-based meal. Chockfull of nutritious vegetables, filling polenta, and gooey cheese, this main is sure to please everyone in your family!

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We are just getting back into the swing of things after being on vacation in California for 10 days. I’m in that blissful in between state right now of still feeding off of the excitement of new experiences while also being so glad to be back in the comfort of our home. Upon arriving home, I immediately showered Tuko (my boxer) in hugs and kisses and then raced into the kitchen to do some comfort baking (in the form of whipping up a batch of banana muffins from some bananas that had been ripening on our counter the entire time we were gone). All the fancy CA restaurants were amazing, but I spent the second half of our trip itching to get back into the kitchen.

Hoping to have a full recap of the trip up next week (until then, check out the photos I posted over on instagram). As for now, let’s continue on our quest to make more vegetarian plant-based main dishes (without all the processed proteins like tofu and seitan). This week we are mixing two favorites: pizza and vegetarian stuffed peppers! Think of the bell peppers as a less carb-y base than the pizza crust we usually turn to.

There is also a layer of polenta in there to give the stuffed peppers some extra texture and so they are more filling. Serve with a side salad for a complete and satisfying vegetarian dinner!

What’s Needed for Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers?

These easy vegetarian stuffed peppers require very few ingredients. Here’s everything that goes into these pizza stuffed peppers:

• Bell peppers
• Olive oil
• Polenta
• Tomato sauce
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil

How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

These meatless stuffed peppers couldn’t be simpler to make! I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below on how to make pizza stuffed bell peppers, but here are the basic steps:

1. Brush bell pepper halves with olive oil, then roast for 15 minutes.
2. Divide the polenta between the bell pepper halves and smush with a fork.
3. Pour tomato sauce into each bell pepper half, then top with tomato sauce, mozzarella, oregano, Parm, salt, and pepper.
4. Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
5. Sprinkle with fresh basil just before serving.

Can You Freeze Stuffed Peppers?

I believe so, but I haven’t tried freezing these particular vegetarian stuffed peppers before. I imagine you’d need to slice the peppers in half, fill with the pizza stuffing, then freeze as is. I don’t think you’d want to bake the peppers first, but without having tried it myself I can’t say for sure.

What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers

It’s tough figuring out what to serve with pizza stuffed peppers since they’re essentially a meal in and of themself. To help you out, here are a few of my favorite stuffed pepper side dishes:

• Burrata with Plums, Tomatoes, & Mint-Basil Oil
• Mint Feta Lime Melon Salad
• Vegetarian Antipasto Salad
• Heirloom Tomato Salad with Lemon Dressing
• Tomato, Cherry, & Kale Salad

Tips for Making Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

I prefer to used pre-cooked tubed polenta for this dish so it can be whipped up quickly, but you could make polenta from scratch if you have the time.

You can use any color bell peppers you’d like in this recipe. Red bell peppers are the sweetest, and green peppers pack in the most flavor.

I highly recommend buying fresh mozzarella rather than shredded. Fresh mozzarella melts better and has more flavor, in my opinion.

Want More Easy Dinner Recipes?

• Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl
• Walnut Ricotta Lemon Pasta
• Smoky Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice
• Spicy White Bean & Corn Gazpacho
• Vegetarian Baked Ziti with Chorizo-Spiced Chickpeas

5 from 2 votes

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Vegetarian Polenta Pizza Stuffed Peppers

This Vegetarian Polenta Pizza Stuffed Peppers recipe is the perfect weeknight plant-based meal. Chocked full of nutritious vegetables, filling polenta, and gooey cheese, this main is sure to please everyone in your family!

Course: Main

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Servings: 4 portions

Calories: 487 kcal

Author: Shelly Westerhausen

Ingredients

• 3 bell pepper , halved with seeds removed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil + more for greasing
• 9 oz pre-cooked polenta (half a normal size tube) or about 1 1/2 cups homemade, cut into 6 even pieces
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (I used this recipe)
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella , divided into 6 equal chunks
• Parmesan , for sprinkling
• Dried oregano , for sprinkling
• Salt / pepper , to taste
• Fresh basil , for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. Brush peppers with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
2. Divide the polenta between the bell pepper halves and use a fork to break the polenta up. Pour 1/4 cup tomato sauce into each bell pepper half and top with mozzarella. Sprinkle a healthy helping of Parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper over the mozzarella.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is browned and bubbling.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve right away.

Nutrition Facts

Vegetarian Polenta Pizza Stuffed Peppers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 487 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 841mg37%

Potassium 622mg18%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 20g40%

Vitamin A 3710IU74%

Vitamin C 120.4mg146%

Calcium 305mg31%

Iron 2.2mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.