Easy vegan stuffed bell peppers with barley are a healthy remake of classic stuffed peppers with a one-pot creamy filling and a rainbow of bell peppers for a healthy, favorite meal the whole family will love.
Stuffed veggies, like Mexican zucchini boats, stuffed portobello mushrooms, or stuffed butternut squash, make comforting, wholesome veggie meals; these stuffed bell peppers are no exception.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Barley, especially hulled barley, is an excellent option for a plant-based diet and offers comparable nutrition to brown rice. The combination of barley and white beans in this recipe is brimming with nutrients, including fiber and protein.
- All colors of red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers add color and a variety of flavors. Choose any type you love best (mine is red pepper), or look for an inexpensive mixed bag.
- One of my favorite things about this stuffed pepper recipe is that you can make the filling months ahead and freeze it. A weeknight dinner becomes a simple matter of firing up the oven and filling pepper halves.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Barley. I've tested this recipe with pearl barley (more processed) and hulled barley (only the outer shell removed). Both methods required identical amounts of liquid. The only difference is that hulled barley will take about 35 minutes to simmer.
Bell peppers. Use 4 large peppers, any color. You may need more if you opt for a bag of 'imperfect' peppers in various sizes. Red or yellow bell peppers are sweeter than green, with a bitterer flavor.
Tomatoes. A combination of one large, diced tomato and tomato paste (tomato puree) for a subtle touch of tomato flavor. If you want to add tomato sauce over the top, then cook that separately.
White beans. Beans are a healthy source of protein that doesn’t involve more traditional, non-vegan fillings like ground beef. I used cannellini beans, but honestly, any beans, even black beans, will work.
Red wine vinegar. Use Merlot vinegar or white wine vinegar as a substitute. The idea is to add a little acid to accentuate the tomatoes. For this reason, a tablespoon of lemon juice could also be used.
Added spices. Thyme, oregano, and a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder is an easy spice combination. Italian seasoning makes a good substitute. Add a few drops of hot pepper sauce if you want more spice.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
Stuffed peppers can be made with any size of peppers, including stuffing mini peppers. This gives everyone a chance to enjoy a variety of colors and flavors.
I realize this is a barley stuffed bell peppers recipe, but you can swap for a gluten-free grain like brown rice or quinoa. Use an equal exchange for rice, but because quinoa is smaller, you may want to use 1 ½ cups with 2 ½ cups of vegetable broth.
A simple garnish of chopped parsley makes a pretty presentation. If you use a breadcrumb topping or vegan cheese, uncover the peppers, and add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the onions, celery, and carrots in a medium pot over medium heat. Then add crushed garlic cloves, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Step 3: Mix in the white beans when the barley is tender.
Step 4: Stuff the peppers with the barley stuffing. Cover and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.
Pro Tips
Barley is a quick-cooking grain, but cooking times and the amount of liquid can vary depending on age and type (hulled or pearl). Add more vegetable broth or water as needed until tender and chewy.
Roasted peppers get messy. Line it with parchment paper to protect it if you use a baking tray. Or use a large glass baking dish.
Serving Suggestions
Stuffed peppers are a complete meal. You have your veg, protein, and whole-food card all in one dish. For this reason, you can serve them with a simple green salad and a flavorful oil-free vegan dressing. We like them with veggie broccoli and cranberry salad too!
Storing / Freezing / Reheating
Store leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container for 4 days. You can also freeze the filling for 3 months.
To reheat, let the peppers (or filling) to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 F, cover the peppers, and bake them until they are hot.
I don’t recommend freezing whole stuffed peppers as they get very soggy after thawing and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick-cooking barley is easy to make in the Instant Pot [https://veganwithgusto.com/how-to-cook-barley-in-the-instant-pot/]. Cook 1 cup of barley with 2 cups of vegetable broth or 2 ½ cups of hulled barley. Cook on high pressure for 23 minutes and let it naturally release.
You can easily make pepper stuffing with 3 cups of cooked barley. Cook the onions, celery, and carrots in a large skillet or frying pan. Then add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Stir in the cooked barley and heat through.
Raw peppers are easiest to handle; however, unless you like them crisp, they can take a lot of time to cook. If you want to precook peppers, clean them out first and cook them for 15-20 minutes to start the roasting process.
More Vegan Side Dish Ideas
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers with Barley
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Ingredients
- 4 -5 large bell peppers
- 1 medium onion - chopped (1 cup)
- 2 medium celery stalks - diced (1 cup)
- 1 medium carrot - peeled and diced (½ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 2 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium tomato - diced (1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste - (tomato puree)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup barley - see notes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans - or other white beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounce can)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat, and then add the onions, celery, and carrots.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Take 30 seconds to mix the spices with the vegetables.
- Add the chopped tomato, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir to distribute the ingredients, then add the barley and vegetable broth.
- Bring the ingredients to a simmer, cover the pot and cook the barley for 20-25 minutes. Check periodically and add more liquid if needed.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
- There are two ways to prep the peppers. Cut the peppers half from stem to end. Or cut off the tops and use the pepper whole. Clean out the seeds and white membranes. Arrange the peppers on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a large baking dish.
- When the barley is cooked, remove it from the heat and mix in the white beans. Taste and adjust the flavorings.
- Fill each pepper with spoonsful of the barley mixture. (If you have filling left over, it can be frozen). Arrange them back on the baking tray or dish.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the peppers are soft and tender.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate leftover stuffed peppers for 4 days. Freeze the filling for 3 months to stuff fresh bell peppers for an easy dinner.
- Use hulled or pearl barley with an equal amount of vegetable broth. Hulled barley will take about 35 minutes to cook. Adjust the liquid if the barley mixture becomes too dry.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Kerry
Hi I cany see the beans in the instructions
Denise
Thanks for pointing this out! I forgot to add this to the instructions. You want to fold the white beans in after the barley is cooked. I'm going to revise the instructions right now. Thanks!
Angelika
Super delicious and easy to make. My family totally loved it.
Denise
Yahoo! So happy you liked this. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
Rosie
Simple and delicious! When I make this again I am substituting red wine for the red wine vinegar.
Denise
Happy to hear you like this! The substitution is a great idea too. 🙂
Dena
This is so tasty. I could hardly be bothered stuffing the peppers.... I wanted to eat it as it was.🤣 I used a can if butterbeans because that was all I had. Gorgeous ☺
Denise
I know what you mean 🙂 It's a yummy recipe, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Pial
This is a very informative site. I think this site is very
helpful to their audience. I found a lot of things that I need.
Denise
Thanks for your kind comments. Let me know if there are ever any questions I can help with. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the peppers. 🙂