We love stuffed peppers, and we decided to try this vegetarian version recipe from Plant-Based Folk: https://plantbasedfolk.com/vegan-stuffed-peppers-lebanese-stuffed-capsicum/
Our modifications: first, we note that this stuffing was intended for 8 bell peppers, with a few hollowed-out tomatoes just in case. We had so much leftover stuffing that we recommend halving the stuffing (3/4 cup uncooked basmati rice and 1/2 cup uncooked lentils) the next time.
Second, for the lentils we used French puy lentils, which are charcoal gray and hold their shape more effectively than standard greenish-brown lentils. We cooked 1 cup puy lentils in 2.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp kosher salt for 20 mins.
Third, we could not fit all of the stuffed vegetables in one baking dish. Instead, we used two round, deep dish (2 quart each) casserole dishes with lids. We fit 4 bell peppers and 1-2 tomatoes in each casserole dish. We placed each covered casserole dish on its own foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and baked at 360 degrees F (per the blog post) for 45 mins. Then kept them covered to steam for 10 mins.
Fourth, we really appreciate the blogger’s tip about prepping the bell peppers and tomato with a paring knife for precision. It definitely helped when reassembling the stuffed vegetables with their respective lids.
Finally, although we liked the flavors of this dish, we found it took far longer (2 hours) to prepare before the 45 mins of baking time. In addition, it involved a lot of different mixing bowls. Draining the parboiled rice mixture was cumbersome. So we do not recommend making this recipe on a busy evening where you need minimal clean-up. (Apr. 2026)
Cooking Adventures 