Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with Couscous and Feta

4.60 from 10 votes

Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers with Couscous and Feta

With Mediterranean ingredients like savory feta, fluffy couscous, smoky harissa paste, and cooked lentils, these stuffed peppers are a hearty, satisfying vegetarian main dish.

Be sure to taste and season the filling before adding it to the stuffed peppers. You may need to add some more salt and / or pepper depending on how much seasoning is in the lentils.

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: easy recipe, make ahead, vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $8.00

Equipment

Square Baking Dish
Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

4 Red Bell Peppers
1 cup Cooked Couscous (cook this according to package directions)
1 1/2 cups Cooked Lentils (see note)
3 Tablespoons Harissa Paste (see note; substitute salsa)
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (substitute regular paprika)
1 Tomato, diced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped
4 ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh Parsley, for topping (optional)
Plain or Greek Yogurt, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
Cut the stems and tops off the bell peppers. Scoop out and discard the seeds and membranes. Arrange the bell peppers upright in a baking dish and sprinkle with some salt.
Bake peppers until they are starting to turn tender, 15 minutes. (The edges should start to brown slightly and tilt inward.)
While peppers start roasting, combine couscous, lentils, harissa, paprika, tomato, and garlic. Stir well. Gently fold in feta.
Taste filling and season it with some salt and / or pepper, if needed.
Fill peppers with couscous-lentil mixture.
Return filled peppers to oven and continue baking until filling is heated and peppers are soft, 15 to 25 minutes more (this will vary depending on the thickness of the bell peppers).
Squeeze lemon juice over finished peppers and top with fresh parsley.
Serve stuffed peppers warm with yogurt for topping.

Notes

Peppers - Bell peppers vary in thickness and therefore will vary in the amount of time they take to cook. Keep an eye on them as they cook and don’t hesitate to cook for a few minutes longer until the peppers are as tender as you’d like them.

Lentils - You can prepare lentils yourself from dried, but I prefer to buy pre-cooked lentils. I find them in the refrigerated produce section of my grocery store or in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe’s. You can also buy canned pre-cooked lentils - just drain and rinse them well before using.

Harissa - Harissa is a roasted red pepper paste that is commonly found in North African cuisine but is now widely available in the international aisle at many grocery stores. If this is new to you, try it! It adds a smoky flavor to any dish and comes in mild or spicy.

Make-Ahead - The peppers can be pre-baked and filled up through step 4. Refrigerate for up to 3 days and then bake until heated through.

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