Collard and Rice Stuffed Red Peppers
Stuffed peppers are the quintessential make-ahead meal—they can be prepped in advance, stored on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap, and then heated within a day or two. Here, filling rice and health-supportive collard greens join forces for a satisfying, high-fiber meal without the meat.
Makes
Serving size
Ingredients
2 medium red bell peppers
2 tablespoons extra‑virgin olive oil, divided
Black pepper, freshly grounded, to taste
6 cups loosely packed collard greens, trimmed
½ sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup cooked white rice
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted and divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Halve the peppers through the stems, and remove the seeds and stems. Brush the inside and outside of the peppers with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with the pepper. Place the peppers cut-side down in a baking dish.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until just tender. Remove from the oven and flip the peppers cut-side up. Set aside, leaving the oven on.
- In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the collard greens and cook until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Chop finely.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in the collard greens. Remove from the heat, and stir in the rice and lemon juice. Season with pepper.
- Divide the filling between the pepper halves and top each pepper half with 1 tablespoon of the sunflower seeds. Add ¼ cup of water to the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes, until heated through. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Cooking Tip
For a milder flavor, use an equal amount of fresh spinach in place of collards.
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