Slow-Cooked Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Cut the tops off of 2 red and 1 green bell pepper to hollow them out, saving the tops for later.

Rub olive oil around the bottom of the slow cooker.

Place the hollowed-out peppers inside the slow cooker.

Slice 1 medium onion and chop it, saving some for the rice pilaf.

Add about two-thirds of the chopped onion to a bowl.

Chop 1 cup of finely chopped mushrooms and add them to the bowl.

Add 3/4 cup of mild salsa to the bowl.

Add 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of chili powder to the bowl.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin to the bowl.

Add 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans to the bowl.

Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl.

Add 1/3 cup of long grain uncooked rice to the bowl and stir everything together.

Spoon the filling into the hollowed-out peppers, packing it in.

Use any extra filling in the rice pilaf.

Chop up the saved pepper tops and add them to the rice pilaf mixture.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, checking for tenderness of the peppers.

Top each stuffed pepper with a slice of fresh mozzarella and recover to let it melt.

For the rice pilaf, add 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup more rice to the extra filling and bring to a boil, then cover until the rice is fully cooked.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary