Slow Cooker Vegetarian Barbecue Stuffed Peppers

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers may just be our new favorite way to make stuffed peppers. They are made in the crockpot and come out tender, hearty, and packed with flavor. Served with some Honey Garlic Carrots or Parmesan Green Beans and dinner is ready.

Stuffed peppers are one of our favorite meatless dishes but lately I looking to mix up my traditional recipe using Italian flavors and spaghetti sauce. Since my family loves barbecue sauce, I thought it would be yummy to swap out the tomato sauce for barbecue sauce and add some corn, black beans, and cilantro to the mix. I decided not to add cheese to the actual recipe itself so it could be vegan-friendly, but as you can see in the picture I like to melt some on top. We are definitely cheese lovers around here.

Normally stuffed peppers can be a little tricky to make and it's common to hear people complain that the peppers stay too crunchy. Cooking them in the slow cooker solves this problem. The peppers have plenty of time to cook and get nice and tender. No worrying about undercooked peppers. If you decided to make these vegetarian stuffed peppers in the oven instead, I recommend par-cooking or microwaving the peppers first to ensure they are nice and tender. There are some tips on doing this below.

Lastly, let's talk about my favorite ways to serve and store these. Usually, I cover them in some shredded cheddar or pepper jack and drizzle some extra barbecue sauce on top just before serving. Plus some fresh chopped cilantro and dinner is ready. If you want to add some veggies to the dish, you could serve it on a bed of spaghetti squash or add some veggies right into the mixture. Since stuffed peppers freeze well, I usually try to make extras and then freeze them for easy meals. 

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Barbecue Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

• To add extra protein, you can stir in some cooked ground beef, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian crumbles. You could also stir in some cubed baked tofu or tempeh.
• If you are going to cook these in the oven, make sure to par-cook the peppers beforehand. First, remove the tops of the peppers and the seeds. Then either boil them for 4-5 minutes or microwave them in a moist paper towel for 4-5 minutes until they are partly cooked.
• It's easy to sneak some extra veggies into these peppers. I love to add chopped cauliflower or zucchini since it pairs really well with the flavors and no one ever complains that there are extra veggies.
• The best way to freeze these peppers is to place them on parchment and let them freeze for about 2 hours. Then once they beginning to freeze, you can place them in a ziploc bag and they won't stick together.
• You can easily mix up this recipe by using different beans or a different whole grain. Use quinoa and chickpea or cooked farro and cannellini beans. 
• If you like things spicy, switch out the fire roasted tomatoes for some diced tomatoes with green chilies, like Rotel tomatoes. You can also add some diced canned chipotle peppers to the rice and bean mixture for some heat.
• Add toppings! Melt some cheese on top, grab some diced avocado, add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. 
• Although the recipe calls for light barbecue sauce to keep the calories low, you can also use a regular barbecue sauce. There are tons of different flavor options and each one will add a different flavor to the peppers.

Looking for more healthy stuffed pepper recipes?

• Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Stuffed Poblanos
• Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Zucchini Stuffed Peppers
• Cheesy Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
• Steak and Cheese Stuffed Peppers
• Lentil and Rice Stuffed Pepper Soup

Here are some products I used to create this recipe:

• Slow Cooker: There are so many different slow cookers on the market but I personally use this one that allows me to brown, sear, or saute in the same pan. Plus I find the cooking temperature to be really even and consistent.

This recipe was originally posted in 2012 and has been updated with new photos, tips, and tricks.