Lentil-Walnut Stuffed Peppers with Quick Tomato Sauce (Bonus: Garlic Baby Broccolini!)

Lentil-Walnut Stuffed Peppers, Garlic Baby Broccolini, and some leftover Rosemary Potatoes.


I came up with this recipe because I was really craving peppers and needed some comfort food.  The tomato sauce was improvised on the spot because I thought that the peppers needed a little something extra.  My husband (who doesn't normally like stuffed peppers) was going back for seconds.  The broccolini just looked really good at the store, so I decided to experiment with it and I really enjoyed the results!

Lentil-Walnut Stuffed Peppers with Quick Tomato Sauce

Serves: 4
Note: These came out really packed! If you want less filled (but still quite satisfying) peppers you could easily increase the number of peppers to 3 (increasing the yield from 4 servings to 6).

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBSP olive oil, divided + enough to cookie sheet (or nonstick spray)
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp dried basil, divided
  • 1 tsp dried parsley, divided
  • salt to taste
  • 2 green bell peppers, halved
  • 14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes

Make the Peppers:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat in a frying pan.
  3. Add in half of the chopped onions.  Cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add half of the garlic.  Cook, stirring, one minute.
  5. Put the lentils in the pan.  Remove from heat.  Mash with a fork or potato masher.
  6. Add in the walnuts, breadcrumbs, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp basil, & 1/2 tsp parsley. Stir thoroughly to combine.
  7. Stuff peppers with the mixture and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray or olive oil.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the walls of the pepper are tender, but not mushy.

Make the Sauce:

  1.  While your peppers are in the oven, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat.  
  2. Add in the remaining onions.  Cook, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.
  3. Add the rest of the garlic and cook another minute.
  4. Stir in the tomatoes (including the liquid), remaining basil & parsley, and a pinch of salt.
  5. Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
  6. Pour over the tops of finished peppers.

Garlic Baby Broccolini

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

  •  1 TBSP olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 spears (about 2 cups) broccolini, quartered lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup water
  • pinch of salt

 Directions:

  1.  In a medium saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
  2. Stir in broccolini, try to coat the veggies completely in the garlicy oil.
  3. Add the water & salt. Cover, and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, or until the broccolini is just tender.


Yum

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