Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Peppers (Print Version)

Colorful bell peppers stuffed with creamy spinach, artichokes, and quinoa filling.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers, any color, tops removed and seeds cleared
02 - 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
03 - 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains and Fillers

06 - 1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice

→ Creamy Filling

07 - 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hours and drained
08 - 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
09 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

14 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free variety recommended
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush a baking dish with olive oil and arrange hollowed bell peppers upright.
02 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion in olive oil until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic, chopped spinach, and drained artichoke hearts. Cook until spinach is completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In a blender, combine soaked drained cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sautéed vegetables, cooked quinoa, and cashew cream. Mix until evenly incorporated.
05 - Spoon filling evenly into each bell pepper, pressing down lightly to compact.
06 - In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with olive oil. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over stuffed peppers.
07 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until breadcrumb topping is golden brown.
09 - Allow peppers to cool for 5 minutes before plating and serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cashew cream is so silky and rich that nobody will miss dairy, and honestly it might ruin you for other sauces.
  • You get vegetables, grains, and protein all nestled in one gorgeous pepper, so there's no guilt about what's missing.
02 -
  • Soaking the cashews is not optional if you want actual cream instead of a gritty paste, so plan ahead and show those cashews some respect.
  • Don't skip the five minute rest because the filling is molten and will slide right out if you cut in too soon.
03 -
  • Buy your cashews from somewhere with decent turnover so you know they're fresh, and store them in the fridge because they can go rancid if you're not careful.
  • If you forgot to soak the cashews, pour boiling water over them and let them sit for thirty minutes, which isn't ideal but works in a pinch.
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