· soy-free ·

We came across some amazing mini purple bell peppers at the farmer’s market the other day and thought we had to use them! So with the holiday season coming up, we thought what better way to show them off than to serve them whole and stuff them with something delicious? Thus, this recipe was born.

We’ve stuffed these bell peppers with a beautiful Mediterranean-style bulgur mix with green peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, and parsley which all work so well together. The real kicker though is the sesame seed crumble that goes on top made with vegan butter, thyme, and whole wheat flour. It gives the perfect amount of crunch that this dish needs and the flavor of the sesame works beautifully with the peppers.

This would look so great on a Thanksgiving table. and if you made it with regular-sized bell peppers it would be a perfect entree. Unfortunately the purple peppers we used lose most of their color when baked, but they still look cool! Check out the recipe and video below.

Scroll down for the recipe and video ↓

  

 

PLANT-BASED ENTREE FOR THANKSGIVING OR WEEKNIGHT DINNER

This meal is well balanced with a lot of seasonal veggies but also a grain, bulgur, which makes it a whole meal. You can serve this warm or room temperature, and it’s an easy dish to reheat (perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers!).

Apart from Thanksgiving though, this is also just a great dish to have in your arsenal to bang out for dinner. It’s filling, flavorful, and perfect for night-in for 2, or a crowd!

 

SESAME SEED CRUMBLE

The reason we use the whole sesame seeds in this crumble instead of crushing them or grinding them is we want that crunch that they provide and the slight bitterness that sesame seeds have. That way, you get a difference in texture and a pop of flavor with every bite.

Watch the recipe video here:

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Mediterranean Bulgur and Sesame Crumble

Serves 4

BELL PEPPERS

4 bell peppers

STUFFING

1 cup | 180g bulgur

1 cup | 200ml water

3 tbsp | 33ml olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp | 16g minced garlic

1 cup | 113g small diced red onion

1/3 | 50g cup small diced green pepper

1 cup | 180g small diced tomatoes

1/4 cup | 35g chopped green olives

1/4 cup | 100ml vegetable broth (see recipe here)

1/4 cup | 9g fresh parsley leaves, thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

SESAME CRUMBLE

2 tbsp | 28g vegan butter (we used Califia Farms Plant Butter)

1/4 tsp | 3g sea salt

4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked

3 tbsp | 27g sesame seeds

4 tbsp | 40g whole wheat flour

STUFFING

1. Place bulgur in a large heat-proof bowl. Heat the water in a small pot on high heat. When it’s almost boiling, pour over the bulgur and cover with a lid or a plate. Set aside for 10 minutes to cook. Uncover and fluff with a fork. If there’s any water left, drain the bulgur. Set aside.

2. Heat a medium pan on high heat and olive oil, garlic, green peppers, and onion. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes on medium-high flame. Add tomatoes and olives. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until tomatoes have softened and have started to dry up a little.

3. Add cooked bulgur to the pan along with vegetable stock. Stir to combine, cover, and cook for 10 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and add parsley and lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside.

SESAME SEED CRUMBLE

1. Preheat the oven to 360ºF. To a large mixing bowl add vegan butter, sesame seeds, thyme, salt, and flour. Use a fork to break the butter up and start combining everything. Then use your hands to keep mixing until you achieve a nice crumbly texture. Set aside.

BELL PEPPERS

1. Horizontally cut the tops off the bell peppers and reserve them. Use a pairing knife or spoon to clean the inside of the pepper and remove any seeds or membrane from the middle.

2. Place bell peppers upright in a large baking tray. Add their tops face up in the baking tray too. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Fill each bell pepper with filling up to the top, but don’t overstuff it. You want to have enough room for the crumble. Top with a spoonful of sesame seed crumble and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until crumble is golden brown and peppers are slightly golden. Remove from heat and serve warm or leave to cool and serve at room temperature.

Note: We used mini bell peppers here, but this recipe makes enough filling for 4 regular-sized bell peppers.

 

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Did you make this recipe? tag us on Instagram @eatogether.co so that we can see it!

 

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