I was originally making burgers, not Black Bean Stuffed Mini Peppers. And the filling recipe for these peppers can still be a delicious veggie burger or pattie. But, I had these lovely little peppers on hand. I was planning a salad to go along with the veggie burgers. I was looking at these little peppers, and thinking that their mini-ness was so cute, and what a waste to cut them up in a salad. Then a light bulb went on and I promptly forgot about the burgers.
These Can Be Appetizers or a Main Course
I'm so glad because these mushroom & black bean mini stuffed peppers were so good and such a hit. And really easy. They're not only cute and delicious, but they also make a great appetizer and would be perfect to take to a pot luck. With a salad (sans peppers, now), and some rice, these little babies are also dinner. I'll be making these again, for sure.
I used canned black beans here to save time. Did you know that black beans are also known as turtle beans? And they date back at least 7000 years? Read more fun black bean facts here: Black Bean History.
Is This Recipe Gluten-Free?
Sometimes it's hard to please everyone, with various allergies and so many people following different ways of eating. Especially when they are all at the table at the same time. It requires a lot more thinking. You have to cook so that everyone can eat at least part of the meal and still be happy. Diced portobello mushroom adds a nice meaty texture to this dish to make it feel hearty and satisfying and keeps the meat-eaters happy, too. And, losing the burger bun means they are gluten free and vegetarian. These stuffed mini peppers manage to hit a lot of bases and they're just one dish, to boot.
If you like stuffed peppers, you can also try Spanish Stuffed Peppers. And if you also like veggies burgers, check out Southwestern Veggie Burgers
Mushroom Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 mini bell peppers any colour, sliced length-wise, cored and seeded
- 14 oz can black beans drained
- 1 portobello mushroom cap diced
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- juice of ½ lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Monterrey jack cheese grated
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- In a bowl, mash beans until fairly smooth, but still chunky.
- Mix in mushroom pieces, onion, egg, chilli powder, cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper.
- Place the peppers, cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Fill each pepper with bean mixture, mounding at the top.
- Top each with cheese.
- Bake in center of the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until peppers have softened and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Dana
These sound killer, Colleen! I'm always looking for ways to stuff peppers. I miss my old meat-filled ones but I'm adamant on creating a delish veg-filled version. I'll definitely have to give these bad boys a spin! Thanks for the inspo 🙂
Colleen
Thanks Dana! They were delish 🙂
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How delightful yet simple! I too tend to go to the black-bean-burger standby, but I'm inspired now by your idea to use them to stuff peppers (etc.). I guess sometimes the trick is to forget what you're used to doing and to let your inspiration guide you! Those cute mini-peppers certainly led you in a great direction!
Colleen
Thank you! It really is nice to "think outside the bun" sometimes, ha ha.
Ayngelina Brogan
It's like you took all my favourite ingredients and put them together for me. I love stuffed peppers and could eat black beans every single day.
Colleen
Ayngelina, I did put this together just for you 🙂 I'm glad you like them!
Loreto Nardelli
Colleen these are wonderful. Nicoletta and I are very fond of any stuffed peppers. We do a tuna stuffed pepper that is to die for. Those little peppers are so delicious with their vibrant flavors and the fact that you stuffed them with the black bean and that meatiness that the portobello makes this so appealing to vegetarians and also appealing to those carnivores out there.
Wonderful recipe.
Cheers!
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Colleen
Thanks Loreto!. Your tuna stuffed pepper sounds delicious and I want to try it for sure. These were really good, too.
Dina Honke
Looks delish as always Colleen. Isn't this how cooking goes sometime? you start with one idea, end with something else. Too bad you don't live next door...
Colleen
Oh my goodness, Dina, how much fun would we have if we lived next door?!! 🙂