Equipment
Ingredients
Bell Peppers
- 4 bell pepper, halved longitudinally, seeds and ribs removed
- 15 ml olive oil, for drizzling
Mushroom and Bean Filling
- 30 ml olive oil
- 250 g white mushroom, finely diced
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g tomato paste
- 240 g cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 60 ml vegetable broth
- 15 g fresh basil, chiffonade or finely chopped
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Parmesan Panko Topping
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 40 g vegetarian parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Arrange the halved bell peppers cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle lightly with the first measurement of olive oil, season with a pinch of salt, and bake for 15 minutes to soften.
While the peppers are pre-baking, heat 30ml of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced white mushrooms in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes to develop a deep brown crust, then toss and cook for another 3 minutes until their moisture has evaporated.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the mushrooms and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant and the tomato paste deepens to a rust color.
Add the drained cannellini beans and vegetable broth to the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and binds the mixture together. Season with salt and black pepper.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the freshly chopped basil. Taste the filling and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
In a small mixing bowl, toss the panko breadcrumbs and grated vegetarian parmesan cheese with 15ml of olive oil until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Remove the pre-baked peppers from the oven. Spoon the warm mushroom and cannellini bean filling generously into each pepper half. Sprinkle the parmesan panko mixture evenly over the top of the filling.
Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake at 200°C/400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the topping is crispy and golden brown and the peppers are completely tender.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve deeply savory mushrooms without them steaming, do not salt them until after they have browned. Salt draws out moisture prematurely.
- Traditional Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano) contains animal rennet. To keep this recipe strictly vegetarian, seek out a hard cheese labeled explicitly as vegetarian.
- For a heartier texture, slightly mash about a quarter of the cannellini beans with the back of your spoon while they simmer. This naturally thickens the broth and binds the filling.
- Pre-baking the bell peppers empty allows them to soften and release excess water. Skipping this step often results in a crunchy, undercooked pepper shell and a watery filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The crispy topping will soften upon refrigeration.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without the panko topping, as the breadcrumbs will become soggy. Bell peppers will have a softer texture when thawed.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through to restore some texture.
