If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can easily adapt this recipe to a stove top version. Just sauté your veggies in a large sauce pan. Then add all remaining ingredients, plus an extra cup of water or broth and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until liquids are mostly evaporated. It will take a few extra minutes of cooking, but the taste will be just as great!
Alternatively, if you have a rice cooker, you may cook your rice as usual in your cooker. Meanwhile sauté your veggies, and then add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Once the rice is cooked, just mix everything together. No matter what appliances you have, you can make this dish! And you should, it’s delicious!
What makes up a stuffed pepper? (Or unstuffed peppers)
- Peppers, duh.
- A grain, typically rice, barley, or quinoa.
- Protein, often ground meat, veggie grounds or nuts/seeds. To make this plant based, I’m using walnuts here.
- Some kind of sauce to hold it all together.
- Seasoning.
Pretty simple! This time I’ve gone with brown rice and walnuts. For seasoning, I’m using cumin and smoked paprika to give this dish some “meaty” flavours. In fact, hubby took a bite and asked “Is there meat in this?” So yes, I think this unstuffed peppers recipe is a winner for well balanced, yummy flavour!
Want more delicious, EASY recipes you can make in your hands off Instant Pot? Try these!
- Instant Pot Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles
- Vegan Sloppy Joes (Soup or Sandwich!)
- Easy Vegetable Lentil Soup to Feed the Lot
- Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Quinoa
If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.
Buon appetito,
Rosa
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tsp avocado oil or 2 tbsp of water or broth for oil free
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 bell peppers sliced (any colours)
- 6 cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3/4 cup walnut pieces
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup tomato sauce or tomato purée of choice
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté function and add the oil, onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and walnuts. Sauté for about 5 minutes until veggies are softened.
- Then add all remaining ingredients, close the lid, locking to the sealing position. Set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 20 minutes. (It will take about 10 minutes to build pressure before the pot begins counting down.) Once timer is complete, let it naturally release for 10 minutes, and then you may quick release the remaining pressure. When the pin drops, open the lid, serve and enjoy.
Absolutely a fantastic recipe. Making it again today. Thank you Soooo much for posting this!
Aw my pleasure Ray. Thanks very much for the feedback, so glad you’re enjoying!
I’m making this right now! This is my fourth time making it since I found the recipe a month or two ago. The flavors are amazing! I do set my foodi for 23 minutes as I felt my rice wasn’t cooked enough for me. This time I’m leaving out the walnuts (don’t have any.) but I know it so still be great! Thank you for such an amazing dish!
Amazing! So glad to hear it Julie. Thanks so much for the review! Thrilled you’re enjoying. 🙂
Made this tonight Rosa! Delicious! Used a mandoline slicer to make quick work of the peppers and onions. Skipped the oil for an even healthier version. Thank you for a recipe that’s tasty and quick to make after work! Will definitely make again!
Thrilled you enjoyed it Dee, my pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback. Much appreciated. 🙂
Made on a stove top. Very good, and my meat-loving husband liked it also. The crunch of the walnuts is a big plus in this recipe. I packed the filling into bell pepper halves that had been boiled just to the point of crisp-tender. I think if I were to make it with bell pepper strips, I would saute the strips separately to make sure that they were still slightly crisp, not limp, and then stir all together at the end.
Glad you both enjoyed this recipe Janet! Thanks so much for your feedback and for sharing your process with us. 🙂
I’ve made this twice so far and both times it was amazing. I don’t have an Instant Pot but came out on the stovetop as well. So quick and easy to make. The best part is my kids loved it too.
Thanks for your feedback Michelle, so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe!
Hi there,
This recipe looks yummy! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to try it in the pressure cooker. But, do the peppers turn to mush under pressure for that long?
Thanks!
Tina
Hi Tina, thanks so much. The peppers don’t turn to mush, but they do soften. If you prefer more of a crunch, cut your pepper slices thicker and don’t sauté as long before you pressure cook. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I made these for dinner last night and they were a total hit! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
That’s so great to hear, thanks!
This recipe looks so yummy and tasty. I really want to try this.
Thanks hope you enjoy!
Wooow seems delicious 😋, thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Thanks so much for your feedback!
sounds really delicious. i appreciate your efforts and time for sharing this recipe. i will try to prepare it as per your instructions and i will also share my experience with you. you are really a good cook.
This looks yummy. Just got an instant pot so still learning how to use it. Can’t wait to try it out and this recipe.
Thanks, hope you enjoy!
I looooove stuffed peppers so this sounds delicious. I’ve been looking for recipes for my instant pot so I will definitely try this one out!
Thanks Christine, hope you enjoy this recipe!
I love a quick and easy recipe. I’d skip the walnuts as i’m not a big fan of those but I think they’ll still taste yummy 🙂
Thanks Annabel.
Delicious and healthy. Deadly combination. I love peppers and will try this recipe for sure.
Thanks so much Jasmeet. Hope you love it!
Hm, unstuffed peppers! Interesting recipe for our Sunday lunch, thanks for the idea!
No problem! Hope you enjoy!
Yum! I will have to save this to try for later. I am always looking for recipes like this.
Thanks Sofia, hope you enjoy!
Oh wow, this dish looks so good. I’d love to try this peppers recipe when we get back from our vacation.
Thanks Heather, I’d love to hear your feedback once you try it. Have a fantastic vacation!
I love learning about more InstaPot recipes. They make juggling kids and afterschool activities a breeze
What a healthy food to cook for my family, it looks delicius and tasty as well, thank ypu for sharing this recipe, i will surely try this at home
Thanks Rebecca. Hope you enjoy!
I really thing my family will enjoy this recipe, i will surely try to make this at home
Yay that’s great to hear. Thanks for the feedback.
This might be my kids’ new favorite food, it looks easy to make and looks very delicious as well
Great to hear, thanks Preet!
I love that something so healthy looks so delicious. I’ve never even thought to do it this way. Definitely going to have to try this.
Thanks Jessie!!
Okay this looks delicious! I love little unique dishes like this. Definitely will be trying!
Thanks so much Erin! Hope you enjoy.
Thanks for sharing this nice recipe. Its one of my favorite comfort food.
Thanks Kalyan!
YUMM!!! I have never made this but I am so going to!
Thanks Adriana, hope you enjoy!
Very scrumptious and yes the instant made it a lot easier. Great post.
Thank you Lydia!
This dish looks sooo delicious and very very healthy. Love it. Thanks a lot! 5 stars for sure.
Thanks so much Chad! Appreciate the feedback. 🙂
My hubby, son and I STUFFED ourselves with these UNSTUFFED peppers for dinner last night. Delicious! So tasty! Yum! 😋
Thanks for the feedback Michelle, so glad your family enjoyed this recipe. 🙂