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Vegetarian, South and mountains

Stuffed peppers with rice and sheep’s cheese

Stuffed peppers with rice and sheep's cheese are a vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 70 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.50 per person. The key is par cooking the rice so it finishes soaking up tomato juice in the oven, while the sheep's cheese melts and binds the whole filling together.

I'm thinking stuffed peppers with rice and sheep's cheese tonight, soft and meat free.

Stuffed peppers with rice and sheep’s cheese
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer
The kids
They generally like it

The pepper turns soft and almost melting as it bakes slowly in the oven, its sweet flesh soaking up the tomato juice around it. Inside, the rice swells as it absorbs that same juice during baking, and the Basque sheep's cheese brings a sharper, more mature flavor than a plain cheesy gratin. Thyme quietly rounds out the dish without ever taking over.

This is a summer dish you can make without any meat, perfect for a relaxed Sunday or a slower weeknight dinner. Kids generally go for the soft filling, especially with red or yellow peppers, which taste milder than green ones. Mon Chou suggests it whenever you want something light that still feels like real comfort food.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red or yellow peppers 4
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Basque sheep's cheese 150 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut a cap off the top of each pepper and remove the seeds.

    Keep the caps, they work as lids and protect the filling.

  2. Par cook the rice in salted water and drain it. 8 min

    It will finish cooking in the oven as it soaks up the tomato juice.

  3. Cook the onion and garlic in the oil, then add half the tomatoes, the thyme, the rice and the cheese cut into cubes. 8 min

    The sheep's cheese melts slowly and binds the filling together.

  4. Fill the peppers with the mixture, put the caps back on and pack them tightly into a baking dish with the rest of the tomatoes.

    Wedge them in with the tomato juice so they stay upright.

  5. Bake at 190°C until the peppers are tender and lightly colored. 40 min

    Baste them with sauce halfway through so they don't dry out.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use good quality crushed tomatoes, they're what gives the filling its juice and keeps the rice from drying out.
  • Cut the sheep's cheese into small, even cubes so it melts evenly through the filling instead of staying in big chunks.
  • If your peppers won't stand up straight, pack them tightly together in a smaller dish, they'll hold each other up.

The variations

  • Swap the sheep's cheese for feta or fresh goat cheese for a tangier bite.
  • For an easier kid friendly version, mix the rice and filling together before stuffing the peppers, it makes a smoother texture that's easier to eat.
  • Stir raisins or pine nuts into the filling for a richer touch, closer to classic southern style stuffed vegetables.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with lemon dressing
  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Sparkling flavored water

Storage

Stuffed peppers keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can freeze them once cooled, then reheat them in the oven covered with foil so they don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different grain instead of rice?

Yes, bulgur or quinoa both work well, but check their cooking time since it can differ from rice. Par cook them the same way before mixing into the filling.

Can you make stuffed peppers ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble them the day before and keep them in the refrigerator, then bake them right before dinner. Add a few extra minutes of baking time if they go into the oven cold.

How do you keep the peppers from getting watery?

Pick firm peppers and avoid precooking them too long before stuffing. The tomato juice is enough on its own to keep them moist without making them soggy.

Can you make this recipe vegan?

Yes, you can leave out the cheese or replace it with a melting plant based cheese. The filling will be slightly less creamy but still full of flavor from the thyme and tomato.

How long does it take to make stuffed peppers with rice and sheep's cheese?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in stuffed peppers with rice and sheep's cheese?

About 480 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does stuffed peppers with rice and sheep's cheese cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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