Mexican-Inspired Rice and Bean Stuffed Peppers
The secret to this hearty and wholesome stuffed pepper meal is a fragrant Mexican-style rice with piquant flavors cooked-in. And once this tomatoey, chipotle-infused rice is ready to go, it mixes with beans, black olives, and cotija cheese, for a full array of flavors and textures. This dynamic jumble is packed into peppers, sprinkled with cheddar, and baked until tender and melty. A garnish of cilantro is all you need after that, and there you have it: a bright, savory, and satisfying take on the classic stuffed pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 8 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup diced tomato from about 1 large tomato
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- ¾ cup pinto or black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives cut in half
- ¼ cup cotija cheese
- 2 bell peppers any color
- ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. When hot add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Mix rice, tomato, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and salt into the saucepan. Stir in ¾ cup water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered.
- While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400º. Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove stem, seeds, and membranes. Grease a casserole dish or 9x13-inch pan with oil or nonstick spray. Place peppers in pan and set aside.
- When rice is done cooking uncover and mix in beans, black olives, and cotija cheese.
- Fill peppers with rice mixture. Top peppers with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until peppers are tender. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is completely melted.
- Serve peppers topped with cilantro.