Stuffed Peppers with Cheese and Spinach

Ever since my move to south Louisiana some four (almost five) years ago, I’ve become enamored with the ready availability of sweet red and yellow peppers all year round.  Perfectly crunchy and naturally sweet, these peppers get their flavor from extended exposure to hot Louisiana sun turning first, green, then yellow and red at full maturity.  In the summer, baskets of brightly colored peppers ranging from royal purple to blanched white fill the tables at BREADA’s Red Stick Farmer’s Market, and I can never turn down surprising combinations of Louisiana colors and tastes.

For some ideas on how to incorporate raw, crisp red and yellow peppers into your next meal see here and here.  Looking for an easy dinner that’s vegetarian-friendly but still big on taste? These Stuffed Peppers with Cheese and Spinach are just the place to start.

Stuffed Peppers with Cheese and Spinach

Yield: 4-8 servings

Calories: 214.8 (see here for full nutritional information)

Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

This recipe is an adaptation of all the ingredients I love to dig into when eating stuffed peppers–cheese, perfectly wilted greens, and lots of flavor.  Traditionally, stuffed peppers are prepared with a large helping of ground meat like pork or beef, but this dish gets its flavor from the blending of freshly chopped basil and grated Parmesan.  For a meat variation, try incorporating ground beef as with “Mom’s Stuffed Peppers“ at the Simply Recipes blog.

Ingredients:

*4 sweet bell peppers, halved and cleaned

*1 (10-oz.) bag frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained

*1 onion, chopped

*2 tablespoons olive oil

*1 1/2 cups cooked rice

*1 1/2 cups Parmesan, freshly grated

*1 cup sweet corn

*1 cup salsa

*1/2 cup basil, chopped

*Salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Preheat oven to 350F.  Parboil peppers: place halved peppers in a pot of boiling water for 5-7 minutes.  Drain and line a lightly greased or sprayed casserole dish with peppers.

2.) In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook down chopped onion in olive oil until translucent and tender (about 5-7 minutes).

3.) Mix onion with next five ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stuff peppers with mixture and dress in additional salt, pepper, and cheese to taste.

4.) Bake for 35 minutes or until peppers are crinkly and fully roasted.  Remove from oven, cool for five minutes and serve.

Makes 4-8 servings.

–Helana Brigman

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