The trick to getting the peppers perfectly cooked is to microwave them before you stuff and bake them. Don’t miss this step! I often forget to do this, and when I sit down to eat, I end up emptying out all the peppers and then mircrowaving them. This makes a huge mess and does not make for very nice presentation. So, learn from my mistakes and microwave at the start of the recipe so you don’t forget!

stuffed peppers

4-5 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise and microwaved for 4-5 minutes or until softened
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown rice
2 tbsp black wild rice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp salt
Cheddar cheese, sliced

First, microwave those peppers. If you don’t do it now, you’ll forget, and you’ll be sad when you sit down to eat!

Next, combine the rice, tomatoes, water, and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low until the brown rice is fully cooked. Because different types of brown rice have different cooking times, look on your package for instructions on how long to cook the rice. Mine usually takes 40-45 minutes.

Once the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, add the beans and salt. Stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the pepper halves open-side-up in a 9×13 pan. Fill each pepper half with a spoonful of the rice mixture.

Add cheese slices to the top of each pepper. This is optional, but it’s my favorite part, so I wouldn’t skip it. However, if you have a dairy allergy, go ahead and make them without the cheese!

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve with a fork and knife! We usually serve 2 halves to each person as a complete dinner. Enjoy!