Simple and easy Cajun Stuffed Bell Peppers for a meatless weeknight meal. Stuffed with kidney beans, veggies, and flavorful spices, this gluten-free and vegan dish will be sure to warm the soul and fill the belly!
There has been a major lack in “dinner” recipe posts lately, so I am remedying that with these super simple and easy stuffed peppers! Stuffed peppers are on of those dishes that can fit any cuisine, craving, dietary need. Just throw in what you have or feel like having in a bowl, mix it up, and scoop it into some peppers, then bake. You really can’t mess them up!
I’m surprised I’ve never shared stuffed peppers here before. I’m pretty fond of them and have been since a very young age. One of the first (actually I think it was the first), recipes I ever made completely by myself, was a stuffed pepper recipe from Giada! (It has to be that one…but I didn’t use zucchini). The orzo, cheese, mint, and tomatoes, always in green bell peppers! My family loved them! Obviously, I haven’t made them in years (Celiac and the whole no dairy thing), but those peppers will always have my heart!
But these stuffed peppers are nice and allergy-friendly 😉 I’d say these are the perfect “Meatless Monday” meal! They’re hearty and healthy, totally plant-based. I love kidney beans just for the heartiness factor. They are such a substantial bean (but of course, if they aren’t cooked properly, you can die! Bean death is no good!) But, when they are cooked and lovely, they taste so good! I love their distinct taste and they really will please a meat lover in a plant-based meal!
So fill your belly up with these wonderful meatless Cajun peppers. So easy to make and an all-in-one main star to your dinner plate! Pair them with some rice or maybe even some plantains 😉
Cajun Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients: (serves 4)
+ 1 15oz Can of Red Kidney Beans (no-salt added, rinsed and drained)
+ 1 15oz Can of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (no-salt added)
+ 1 small (2.25ox) Can of Sliced Black Olives (drained and rinsed)
+ 3 Medium (about 1 1/2 Cups) of Chopped White Mushrooms
+ 1 Tsp Onion Powder
+ 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
+ 1/4 Tsp Cumin
+ 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
+ 1/2 Tsp Sweet Paprika
+ 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
+ 1/2 Tsp Dried Marjoram
+ 2 TB Nutritional Yeast
+ 4 Large Bell Peppers
Directions:
+ Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
+ In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans, tomatoes (with the juice), olives, mushrooms, and all the spices. Mix and mingle.
+ Wash and cut the tops of the peppers off. Then core out the seeds and white insides (I just use my hands).
+ Place these peppers in a baking pan with a bit of water (just to keep the bottoms moist). Then fill each pepper to the top with the filling.
+ Cover the pan lightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the peppers, and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve!
Back to those first stuffed peppers I ever made. I have a funny story to tell. They called for lime zest, and since I was still navigating and learning my cooking skills, I did something….weird. Since I had no zester, I thought I would just “chop” up the lime peel super small and throw that in. So I did just that. Chopped up bits of the lime peel in to tiny squares and threw them in the filling.
This was the first time I ever made the peppers and my family loved them, but my dad mentioned that he’d rather have them with out lime next time. I didn’t know why, the lime juice gave it a great flavor, but he said he didn’t like the bits he was getting. Haha! So gross! From then on though, I never zested wrong 😉
Biting into pieces of lime peel is not very pleasant. But you don’t have to worry about zesting anything here! Seriously just open some cans and pour in some spices and bam, perfect peppers! Happy eating my friends!
So tell me:
+ Do you remember the first real recipe you ever made by yourself?
+ Favorite Food Network chef? Gotta go with my girl Rachel Ray! EVOO and her garbage bowl. She’s the best 😉 (30 minute meals that actually take way longer!)
*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeFridays, #RecipeOfTheWeek, #StrangeButGood, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Real Food Recipe Roundup, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays!*
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Ashley Tukiainen
These look delicious!! I love the presentation that stuffed bells always make 🙂 They’re always so colorful and happy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! They are! Peppers are always so bright!
deni kurniawan
This food really look so beautiful.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Honest mum
Ooh they look fab and perfect summery food. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally! Thank you!
Sherry
These look great. I bet the sweet red bell peppers give it added flavor.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
They sure do.
Angie
Welcome to Fiesta Friday, Rebecca! These peppers look super delicious, even though they’re meatless 😀 Nothing against beans, of course! Once in a while I even crave them! 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Raia
These sound so delicious Rebecca! Thanks so much for sharing them at Savoring Saturdays, I’m going to feature them at this weekend’s party! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Cydnee/Tampa Cake Girl
Your Cajun Stuffed Bell Peppers sound amazing. Thank you very much for joining in the celebration of #purebloglove.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Megan - Truly Madly Kids
These sound wonderful! #tastytuesdays
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
Mummy Tries
These sound delicious, perfect for entertaining our vegetarian friends 🙂 #tastytuesdays
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Rachael A
I love kidney beans and bell peppers so I can’t wait to give this a try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Woohoo! Thanks!
Deborah Davis
I love the spicy goodness of this yummy dish!Thank you so much for sharing this healthy and delicious Cajun Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe on the Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Blog Hop! I’m pinning and sharing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!!
Vashti Quiroz-vega
Hi Rebecca! These peppers look scrumptious. Thanks for the recipe. Pinning! 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Julie is HostessAtHeart
I love stuffed peppers and these sound amazing! I am pretty sure the first thing I made was a sugar cookie with my grandma. Favorite chef is my girl Ina Garten!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you so much Julie!
Sharon Rowe
These look great! Can’t wait to try them!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table
These look awesome! I love stuffed peppers. And Giada. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! 😉
Caitlin
What a vibrant dish! Sounds great. And I have definitely zested “wrong” when I couldn’t get my hands on a microplane 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha, such an unfortunate mistake 😉
Amy @ Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
These look yummy! Thanks for linking up with Best of the Weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Miz Helen
I just love the Cajun Flavors in the stuffing for your peppers. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a wonderful weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Helen!
Kyra @ Vie De La Vegan
These look soo good Rebecca! Funny story about the lime peel haha – I done a similar thing with ginger, I think I just couldn’t have been bothered grating the ginger so I chopped it up into small pieces, but then I ended up picking out the ginger pieces while I was eating haha. We learn from our mistakes 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
O no! Haha! And ginger is so STRONG! That’s why sometimes it’s best to stick to pre-ground 😉
All that's Jas
Super healthy and yummy! Thanks for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Hilda
This looks like a real crowd pleasing recipe. I see in the comments there are plenty of ideas for additions and subtractions to suit each palate. Love recipes like that.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well then it isn’t the recipe, but stuffed peppers are so easy to throw together with what you have.
Hilda
Yes, the are. And I am pleased to be reminded of the versatility of some dishes I don’t make as often as I might. I’d like to try this as is.
Marla
Hi Rebecca,
What a great idea to use kidney beans for a power pack of protein in stuffed peppers. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & twitted.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Marla!
Cassandra @PoweredByBling
Stuffed peppers remind me of my childhood. My father loved them, so my mother always had them on the menu. I love your take with going Cajun!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sadly, I’m the only one in my family to ever make them! Haha! Had to make my own childhood food memories of the classics 😉
Annmarie
LOVE stuffed peppers, these look awesome!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
kimmythevegan
I haven’t had stuffed peppers in ages! These sound so good – I love the mushrooms (I’m a mushroom freak). Awesome dinner idea =)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
YES! Mushroom freaks unite 😉
kimmythevegan
ps. thanks for sharing this at HVF! I am featuring this recipe tomorrow and have pinned it on the Pinterest Board =)
Liv @ Healthy Liv
These look so yummy! Absolutely pinned 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks friend!
Amy @ Accidental Happy Baker
My mom used to make stuffed peppers a lot when I was a kid, but she always stuffed hers with meatloaf. I’ve never had vegetarian stuffed peppers, but I bet I would love them!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Of course you’ll love these! A lot more happier being meatless and cruelty-free!
jules
Bean Death?! Sounds like a terrible way to go! But these peppers look great! As a Southern Girl, I would add some okra 🙂 and serve with the side of plantains you suggest. I prefer them as Tostones – would be great here (https://gfjules.com/recipes/tostones-fried-plantains-naturally-gluten-free/).
~jules
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Bean death is horrible and I’ve experienced a close call!
Haha! Plantains are a must!
Katherine
I love stuffed peppers, but I’ve never had them with beans before – what a great idea!
I have no memory of this, but according to my mom I decided I wanted to bake a cake all by myself when I was 5 years old – before I could read well enough to use a recipe. She gave me the raw materials and let me go to town, and, she claims, after several attempts I finally produced the best white cake she’s ever tasted to this very day. Too bad I don’t have the recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O you must! Such a great/easy meatless meal!
WHAT?! NOOOOOO! Hahahahahaha! I bet it was amazing! You must “create” that recipe again 😉
Angela | Great Body & Skin
Suvh a nice recipe! I’ll soon have my new, bigger kitchen, can’t wait to make these for the whole family!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Sarah | (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean
I definitely remember the first real recipe I made by myself. Baking Powder Biscuits from the Five Roses Flour cookbook. Not sure if that is a Canadian thing or not 🙂 but they were a big fave of mine, and I used to bake them when my mom was still at work and even despite her sternly telling me never to turn on the oven when she wasn’t around!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha, well if they tasted good, then I’m sure she was happy to let that slide 😉
Lean Lena
I love stuffed peppers! Since I’m on Day 2 of my Whole30, I can’t have beans, but I usually make mine with some sort of ground meat anyway. I can definitely use the rest of the recipe – just swap beans for meat 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sure! The spices make the dish!
Healing Tomato
I LOVE stuffed peppers. In the past, I have made them Cajun style but they didn’t turn out as great as your. This is a great recipe.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally try these then!
Ally
This looks great! I can’t do dairy but I enjoy bell peppers. =D
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect then!
GiselleR @ Diary of an ExSloth
Yum! Stuffed peppers are one of my fav things. Especially in the spring 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It’s the perfect was to load in the produce!…..in produce!
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
Stuffed peppers are the best — I’ve been eating tons of those lately. Love your take on them!
My first real recipe? How far are we going here? 🙂 The earliest time I remember being in the kitchen was when I was 5 — I made my dad a salad — such a fun vivid memory. I think I put like a 1/4 cup salt in it {whoops lol} and he ate it anyways because he was so proud {dads are the best 🙂 } {I stuck to sweets after that 😉 }.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha! That is some father/daughter love right there 😉
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
I know, right? 🙂 Dads are awesome.
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
Death by bean sounds awful! I’d never heard of it and am so glad you brought this to my attention. I’m actually having a dish with kidney beans in it for dinner right now and definitely paused to eye those cheeky beans before continuing to eat my food. I haven’t had stuffed peppers in years but they’re so tasty- I forgot how much I loved peppers as they are (I don’t like pepper flavoured things, just peppers themselves!) and am excited to make lots of yummy things with them. I have most of the ingredients for this so I’ll probably try it sometime this week! The first real thing I made by myself was probably cupcakes from one of Nigella Lawson’s cookbooks. And fave food network chef has got to be Ina Garten- she is WAY too cute!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahaha.. Just make sure the damn things are cooked….thoroughly.
Oooo I hope you make them!!!
Not a fan of Ina. So fake!…..But then again, they all are 😉
Olivia Schwab
These peppers look so good! I would love to try this sometime. One of my favorite foods are stuffed peppers!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! I hope you do! Thank you so much 🙂
Amber
Please come be my food photographer, yours are so beautiful! And your recipes are so gourmet, I think you need to tach me your ways 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahahahaha! Thank you so much Amber! These are terrible photos (and so old!) Just using up what I have before I can actually create again!
Michelle
I made chocolate chip cookies when I was 7. The recipe called for 2 1/2 cups of flour, So I added 2- 1/2 cups (1 cup). It came out like cake batter. My Mom loves to tell my Girls that story.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahahahaha! Hey, I bet they still tasted good though 😉
Lily Lau
I love the word cajun, and if it accompanies such a tasty recipe like yours, then we all win! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! I love the word too!!! I always thought it was spelled with an o though!
Linda @ Veganosity
Thanks for the info about the toxin in kidney beans, I had no idea. Stuffed peppers are the best, these look awesome Rebecca. Pinned!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Believe me, I know all the bean info 😉 Haha!
Harriet Emily
Wow Rebecca, these look amazing! I love cajun flavours and all of the spices in this dish sound so flavoursome and divine! I will definitely have to try these 😀
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope you do! I LOVE all the spices!
Jennifer Stewart
I’m a sucker for a stuffed pepper and I make them often since I am Paleo most of the time. I will make these and just omit the mushrooms out of mine since I don’t like them. Maybe I’ll double up on the tomatoes! Great recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You don’t like mushrooms :O
Nicole Keener
I love Stuffed Peppers, these look absolutely delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you so much Nicole!
Krystal
These stuffed peppers are going on my menu plan for next week! I sometimes run out of ideas for meatless Monday’s and this sounds just perfect!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! Please let me know how they turn out! XOXO
Abigail
So healthy and delicious and love that it’s gluten-free! Pinned as well. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well of course!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
Yum I love stuffed peppers!! I”m seriously loving these flavors too! And Giada – she’s the best! Oh love watching her cook – she’s so lovely!! Pinning!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, she is so annoying with her over pronunciation! Haha!
Jessica H.
I love how healthy and nutritious this version of stuffed peppers is. With the Cajun spices, it’s definitely got to make a great meal! Pinning.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Jessica!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
Deviled eggs was the first thing I ever made by myself, I think I was 10 🙂 I’ve been meaning to make stuffed peppers for a while now, it never seems like the right time for some reason! These look yummy 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is….the right time…NOW!
Laura @FitMamaLove
Love stuffed peppers, but never tried them without meat. These sound good!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Meatless is 1000000x better 😉
Kim (Feed Me, Seymour)
I live for stuffed peppers. My family won’t eat them so really, this is perfect because more for me!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I bet they’ll eat these since there’s no gross meat 😉 Haha!
Paige @ Your Trainer Paige
Love roasted bell peppers – stuffed with just about anything! 🙂 These look tasty.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You can never go wrong with stuffing peppers 😉
Jennifer F
I’ll admit my mom made stuffed peppers all the time in the 70s and 80s when I was growing up and I hated them with a passion — but they were i green peppers. But, I love the red ones AND the cajun twist you whipped up — I’m going to try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, you can use any color you want 😉 The red ones just looks good at the time!
Natalie @ Feasting on Fruit
My mom’s whole family is Cajun, from Louisiana and all, so you’d think I’d have a braver palette for spices, but no. But I could definitely tone down the spices a bit, and I think these would be great! I do like that they are a little self-contained meal 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
These aren’t spicy (hot) in the least! My mom could handle them!
Emily @My Healthyish Life
Yum! I love quinoa stuffed bell peppers so this sounds great. First meal I made myself…baked chicken and vegetables. Simple classic 🙂 I love Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa).
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
NOOO!!! I HATE Ina! Hahahaha! She is seriously the worst!
Emily @My Healthyish Life
I don’t think she’s the worst..She uses such fresh ingredients and her recipes have always come out great for me.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I’m talking her as a person, hahahahaha! There is so much internet “funnies” and paradies about her!
Min
Yes, peppers were meant to be stuffed, and I definitely wouldn’t want bean death. I’m glad you mentioned kidney beans as it made me realize how I should try to diversify more – I’ve been solely eating chickpeas and black beans. I seriously can’t remember the first dish I ever made on my own…I’m sure it wasn’t that memorable ha
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
There are so many great beans! We need to use them all! Haha!
Hannah @CleanEatingVeggieGirl
These sound AWESOME!! My boyfriend doesn’t like bell peppers (weird, I know), so I’ll have to make these allll for myself some time 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
His lose! More yumminess for you 😉
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner
Stuffed peppers are one of my go to’s as well. So easy to stuff what ever veggies you have around in there. Thanks for linking up today
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right! It’s like an easy clean out the fridge dish!
Susie @ SuzLyfe
Yes yes thrice yes! I adore stuffed peppers, and thank you for not stuffing them with beans, lol. Cajun spices and blackening seasoning are some of my absolute favorites!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
But….they are stuffed with beans? Lol!
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
I love stuffed peppers too! And meatless peppers, even better!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! Thank you Kristen!
Farrah
These look delicious! I love stuffed peppers! 😀
I think the first legit dinner thing I ever made was a chicken pot pie. Unless you count the “lomaichi” (glutinous rice ball dessert) I used to make as a kid! :O
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you! Damn, that’s a badass recipe to make first! (Both) You totally can handle pancake making then 😉
Arman @ thebigmansworld
That spice mix sounds delicious! Anything with cumin and paprika and I’m down!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The more spices the better, right? 😉
Tina Muir
These sound delicious Rebecca! I love cajun themed things, and I love stuffed peppers! All kinds of good stuff in here, glad you are using kidney beans too, as I think they are forgotten about wayyyy too often! Thanks for linking up with us for Meatless Monday! Hope you check out the other recipes today too 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you Tina! Kidney beans are great and so “meaty” but yes, sadly overshadowed by the great chickpea and black bean all too often!