If you’re looking for an easy vegetarian dinner that’s flavorful, filling, and healthy, these couscous stuffed peppers are a perfect choice. Sweet roasted bell peppers are filled with fluffy couscous, sautéed vegetables, chickpeas, herbs, feta(optional) and then baked until tender. The result is a colorful plant-based meal that’s satisfying enough for dinner but still light enough to enjoy any time of year.
This couscous stuffed peppers recipe is ideal for weeknight cooking because it comes together quickly and uses simple pantry ingredients. The recipe is completely vegan without the cheese. Just skip the feta or use a plant based version.
Why You’ll Love These Couscous Stuffed Peppers
These vegetarian couscous stuffed peppers is a great meal option for several reasons:
- Quick and easy to make vegetarian dinner
- Packed with plant-based protein and fiber
- This is perfect for meal prep and leftovers. The stuffed peppers freeze beautifully.
- They are easily customizable. Use whatever grains or vegetables you choose.
- Can easily make it gluten-friendly with gluten-free grains like quinoa or rice used for the filling.
The combination of roasted bell peppers and savory couscous filling creates a balanced, tasty meal that feels hearty without being heavy.
Ingredients for Couscous Stuffed Peppers
3 large bell peppers (any color)
2 cup cooked couscous - I used standard couscous which are much smaller than Israeli couscous. Please note this recipe uses the regular couscous.
1 can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 Roma Tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 carrots, diced
2 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon Harissa
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoon slivered almonds
2 tablespoon golden or black raisins
Small block of feta cheese (optional)
How to make couscous stuffed peppers
Bring the water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. Add the couscous to a heat proof bowl along with some salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well and add the hot water carefully to the bowl covering the couscous. Cover the bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork once the liquid has absorbed.
You can also follow the instructions on the package to prepare the couscous.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 45 seconds until gently browned. Pour the diced onion in to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until softened.
Add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, followed by diced tomatoes. Cook for another minute before adding the ground coriander, cumin, salt and turmeric. Mix well and let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.
Then add chickpeas followed by paprika, a little bit of salt and some cracked black pepper. Cook for about 2–3 minutes.
Mix in the cooked couscous, harissa paste, mint and coriander(cilantro) leaves. Add more seasoning if needed. Let cook for 3-4 minutes before turning off the stove.
Top with raisins, slivered almonds and feta if using.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the bell peppers length wise right in the middle. If the peppers contain a stalk, you can cut the peppers right next to the stalk. Remove the seeds the seeds and membranes. Brush a little bit of the olive oil on all of them and lay them flat in a lightly greased baking dish.
Spoon the couscous mixture into the prepared peppers. You can add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan to help the peppers cook with steam. However, I did not do that.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the peppers are tender and appear slightly roasted.
Tips for the best stuffed peppers
- Use colorful peppers: Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers add natural sweetness and visual appeal. You can also use green bell peppers but the skin of the green peppers tend to be on the bitter side.
- Ensure couscous is just cooked and fluffy: Fluffing it with a fork keeps the filling light and fluffy. Ensure you follow the instructions on the package while preparing.
- Add toppings: Toasted almonds/chopped walnuts make a great topping while adding crunch. You can also chopped mint, raisins, crumbled feta for extra flavor.
- Add protein: Add lentils, white beans, quinoa or extra chickpeas for added protein.
- Adjust spices: If you prefer, skip or halve the harissa paste used in the recipe. You can also adjust the other spices used according to your preference.
Try these variations of the stuffed peppers
This couscous stuffed pepper recipe is extremely versatile. There are so many variations that you can try out including
One of my most popular recipe - this vegan and gluten-free Indian style stuffed peppers
Gluten-Free version - To keep the dish completely gluten-free, swap out the couscous with a gluten free grain or seeds like quinoa and rice.
Mediterranean style - Add olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and extra feta.
Vegan stuffed peppers - Try using vegan feta or you could skip it entirely.
What to Serve with Couscous Stuffed Peppers
These couscous stuffed peppers make a complete meal on their own, but you can also serve them with
- A Greek style salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Baked tofu
- Yogurt based dressing like tzatziki or even a hummus sauce
Storage and Meal Prep
These couscous stuffed peppers store well in both the refrigerator and the freezer.
Chill the peppers in a closed container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat in the conventional oven at 350 deg F for 35-40 minutes or until thoroughly warmed or in the microwave oven. Sprinkle a few drops of water over the peppers before heating. This will help the couscous filling from drying out while reheating.
Meal Prep
The stuffed peppers work really well for meal prep. Prepare the filled peppers and chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you are ready to cook in the oven. You can also just store the filling itself in the refrigerator or freezer.
Here are other recipes you might enjoy - Stuffed Peppers Indian Style, Crispy smashed Potato Salad, Thai Basil Fried Rice, Green Beans and Mushroom Stew, Mushroom Matar, Tuscan Gnocchi Soup
If you enjoyed these couscous stuffed bell peppers, then please let us know by leaving a comment or feedback below. Have a question or a suggestion? Then please leave them below in the comments and I will get back soon.
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Recipe
Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 Bell Peppers use red or a variety of colors to make the dish pop
- 2 cup cooked couscous look at notes for cooking instructions
- 1 can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 medium Yellow Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 medium Carrots peeled and diced
- 4 cloves Garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 3 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon Harissa Paste
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 tablespoon Cilantro washed and chopped
- 2 tablespoon Mint Leaves washed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- 2 tablespoon Slivered Almonds
- 2 tablespoon Black or Golden raisins optional
- ¼ cup Crumbled Feta or Vegan Feta optional
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. Add the couscous to a heat proof bowl along with some salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix well and add the hot water carefully to the bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork once the liquid has absorbed.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 45 seconds until gently browned. Pour the diced onion in to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, followed by diced tomatoes. Cook for another minute before adding the ground coriander, cumin, salt and turmeric. Mix well and let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.
- Then add chickpeas followed by paprika, a little bit of salt and some cracked black pepper. Cook for about 2–3 minutes. Mix in the cooked couscous, harissa paste, mint and coriander(cilantro) leaves. Add more seasoning if needed. After a couple of minutes, turn off the stove. Top with raisins, slivered almonds and feta is using.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the bell peppers length wise right in the middle. If the peppers contain a stalk, you can cut the peppers right next to the stalk. Remove the seeds the seeds and membranes. Brush a little bit of the olive oil on all of them and lay them flat in a lightly greased baking dish. Make sure the open side is on top.
- Spoon the couscous mixture into the prepared peppers. You can add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan to help the peppers cook with steam. However, I did not do that.Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the peppers are tender and appear slightly roasted.
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