Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

a white casserole dish with red and yellow stuffed peppers, with an instant pot in the background

Looking for a quick and easy dinner? These Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers are just the thing! These Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers are filled with cheesy brown rice and lentils which means they're a perfect healthy dinner recipe. Just 10 minutes in the Instant Pot, and dinner is done.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Pressuring / Venting 15

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 412kcal

Author Katie Trant

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers
2 cups cooked brown rice From 1 cup uncooked
1 cup cooked lentils From ½ cup uncooked
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese divided
1 small yellow onion diced
2 medium celery stalks diced
¼ cup tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by slicing the tops off of the peppers. Using a sharp knife, remove the ribs and seeds from the inside.
In a large bowl mix 2 cups cooked brown rice, 1 cup cooked black lentils, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup tomato paste, the diced onion, and diced celery.
Mix well, and season with salt and pepper.
Place the trivet into the Instant Pot insert, and add one cup of cold water.
Place the peppers into the Instant Pot, resting on the trivet.
Remove one pepper from the Instant Pot, and fill with the rice stuffing. Really pack it in there.
Once filled, return the pepper to the Instant Pot, and repeat with remaining peppers.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and seal. Ensure the valve is set to "sealing".
Set the Instant Pot to Manual / High Pressure for 10 minutes.
Once the cooking cycle has completed, flip the vent to "venting" and quick release the pressure.
Remove the lid, and sprinkle the peppers with the remaining half cup of cheese. Replace the lid onto the Instant Pot for 2-3 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.
Carefully remove the peppers from the Instant Pot using tongs, or lift the trivet out carefully.
Transfer to a dish, and serve immediately.

Oven Baking Instructions

Place the stuffed peppers into a casserole dish.
Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the dish, and then tightly cover with foil.
Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350°F, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot.
Uncover, add the remaining cheese to the tops, and allow it to melt in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
Serve.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only
Note: I did not cook the onions or celery prior to adding them to the stuffing mixture. They do steam and soften as the peppers cook, but if you prefer a more mellow oniony flavour, feel free to sauté the onions and celery prior to adding them to the stuffing mix.
You may find that the peppers slump over (see below) and / or split open a little bit. They are still perfectly delicious in this state.
Want to make Vegan Stuffed Peppers? You've got two options. 1) Simply remove the cheese from the recipe. In this case I would double the tomato paste to add a bit of extra moisture. 2) Replace the cheese with a vegan cheese substitute of your liking.
To make the stuffed peppers in advance, you can either make the filling and stuff the peppers and then refrigerate until you are ready to cook them in the Instant Pot, or cook the peppers as directed and then re-heat when you're ready to eat. I have found the microwave to be the best tool for re-heating these stuffed peppers.

Nutrition