Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Peppers (Printable Version)

Bell peppers filled with a spiced chickpea-vegetable mix topped with tangy lemon tahini sauce.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Stuffed Peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops removed and seeds removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small red onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1½ cups cooked chickpeas
08 - ½ cup cooked quinoa or rice
09 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
18 - Juice of ½ lemon

→ Lemon Tahini Sauce

19 - ¼ cup tahini
20 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
21 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
22 - 1 small garlic clove, grated
23 - ¼ teaspoon salt

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate all peppers standing upright.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced red onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in diced zucchini and cook for 4 minutes until just tender. Add quartered cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 additional minutes.
04 - Add cooked chickpeas, quinoa or rice, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
05 - Stir in fresh parsley, mint, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Divide chickpea filling evenly among prepared bell peppers, packing gently. Arrange peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender but maintain their shape.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, grated garlic, and salt until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve a drizzling consistency.
09 - Serve stuffed peppers warm, drizzled generously with lemon tahini sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a complete meal that looks impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress, but easy enough that you won't stress about it.
  • The tahini sauce transforms everything into something creamy and luxurious without any dairy sneaking in.
  • Each bite tastes like a Mediterranean holiday, and your kitchen will smell like garlic, oregano, and possibility.
02 -
  • Rinsing your canned chickpeas is not optional—that's the difference between them tasting bright and tasting like the can they came from.
  • Don't skip the moment where you taste the filling and adjust the seasoning; it's the only chance you have to make it exactly right for your palate.
  • The peppers should be tender but still able to sit upright—if you overbake them, they'll collapse and look sad even if they taste good.
03 -
  • If your tahini sauce breaks and becomes grainy, whisk in a splash of warm water and it usually comes back together like nothing happened.
  • Prep the peppers and filling the morning of, then stuff and bake right before dinner—it's the kind of meal that eats up about an hour of your evening, which feels reasonable for something that tastes this good.
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