Greek Stuffed Peppers
Greek stuffed peppers feature tender oven-baked bell peppers crammed with a delicious filling of orzo, chickpeas, zucchini, spinach, fire roasted tomatoes, and feta cheese. This dish is healthy, wholesome, and prep-ahead friendly, making it a great dinner option for hectic weeknights.
Servings: 6 stuffed peppers
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed (red, orange, yellow, green)
- 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ c uncooked orzo pasta (or sub 2 cups cooked)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 14.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ zucchini, finely diced (about 1 cup diced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 c fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- ⅓ c feta cheese
- ¼ c fresh basil, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Cut the top off of the bell peppers. Remove the stem and set tops aside. Clean out the seeds and membranes of the bell pepper. If the bell pepper cannot stand up on its own, cut a small sliver off of the bottom until it is flat enough to stand upright. Finely dice the reserved pepper tops and set aside.
- Drizzle the bell peppers with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the bell peppers in the baking dish and roast for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- While the peppers roast, make the orzo and filling. Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions for al dente pasta (about 7-8 minutes). You should end up with about 2 cups of cooked orzo. Set aside and make the rest of the filling.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic, onion, chickpeas, and diced pepper for 4 to 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the zucchini and cook another 3-4 minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.
- Add the cooked orzo, fire roasted tomatoes, and spinach. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the feta cheese and fresh basil and remove from heat.
- Remove the peppers from the oven. Drain any liquid in the bottom of the peppers. Spoon the filling into the peppers until they are slightly over full. You may have some filling leftover depending on the size of your peppers.
- Bake stuffed peppers uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbling. If the topping begins to brown, tent loosely with foil to prevent burning. Serve with additional fresh basil and feta, if desired, and enjoy!