Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Peppers (Printable)

Colorful bell peppers filled with a savory chickpea and vegetable blend, topped with zesty lemon tahini sauce.

# Components:

→ Stuffed Peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops removed and seeds removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small red onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
08 - 0.5 cup cooked quinoa or rice
09 - 0.25 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
15 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
18 - Juice of 0.5 lemon

→ Lemon Tahini Sauce

19 - 0.25 cup tahini
20 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
21 - 2 tablespoons water, plus additional as needed
22 - 1 small garlic clove, grated
23 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with sufficient capacity to accommodate all peppers in an upright position.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced red onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced zucchini and cook for 4 minutes until tender-crisp. Add quartered cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 additional minutes.
04 - Add chickpeas, cooked quinoa or rice, chopped Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
05 - Fold in fresh parsley, fresh mint, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Divide filling evenly among prepared bell peppers, packing gently to avoid compressing. Stand peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender and maintain their structural integrity.
08 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together tahini, fresh lemon juice, water, grated garlic, and salt until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve a consistent drizzling consistency.
09 - Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates while warm. Drizzle generously with lemon tahini sauce before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and Mediterranean without any animal products, which always feels like getting away with something delicious.
  • The combination of textures—tender pepper, hearty chickpeas, fluffy quinoa, and that silky tahini drizzle—keeps every bite interesting.
02 -
  • Don't overstuff the peppers—if you pack them too tightly, the filling steams instead of staying slightly firm, and the peppers take longer to cook through.
  • The tahini sauce thickens as it cools, so make it slightly looser than you think you want; it'll reach perfect drizzling consistency by the time you serve.
03 -
  • Choose peppers that are similar in size so they cook evenly, and make sure they sit completely flat on the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Don't skip the second tahini sauce step where you grate the garlic instead of mincing it—the resulting texture is silkier and the garlic distributes more evenly.
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