Slow-Cooker Black Bean & Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers

Few dishes smell better as they cook than these cheesy brown-rice-stuffed peppers simmering gently in a pool of cinnamon- and clove-spiced tomato sauce. If you want to try a different whole grain, swap out the rice for millet. The peppers are fragile after cooking, so use tongs to gently remove them from the slow cooker.

a recipe photo of the Slow-Cooker Black Bean & Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers
Photo: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Active Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
6 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
6

Ingredients

  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes

  • 1 ½ cups water

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 (10-ounce) package cooked brown rice or 1 cup uncooked millet (see Tip)

  • 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

  • ¾ cup canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños

  • 6 small green bell peppers (about 4 ounces each)

Directions

  1. Add tomatoes and their juices to a blender with 1 1/2 cups water; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the puree into a large bowl and set aside. Pour the remaining puree into a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and cloves.

  2. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, rice (or millet), cheese, beans and jalapeños to the tomato puree in the large bowl; stir to combine.

  3. Using a small, sharp knife pointed straight down into the top, cut a lid into a bell pepper. Trim the mass of seeds on the underside of the lid (save the lid), and scrape seeds and large membranes out of the inside of the pepper (discard the seeds and membranes). Repeat with the remaining peppers and stand them upright in a large bowl or container. Evenly fill the peppers with the bean mixture. Arrange the peppers upright in the slow cooker; top with the pepper lids. Cover and cook on High for 6 hours. Serve in shallow bowls with the sauce.

Equipment

6-quart slow cooker

Tip

Millet is a whole grain with a nutty, almost cornmeal-like flavor. Look for it with rice and other grains in well-stocked grocery stores, in natural-foods stores (particularly in the bulk section), and in Asian grocery stores.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

247 Calories
8g Fat
32g Carbs
11g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 1 pepper & 1/2 cup sauce
Calories 247
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 11g 22%
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 21mg 7%
Vitamin A 1064IU 21%
Vitamin C 63mg 70%
Vitamin D 5IU 1%
Vitamin E 1mg 4%
Folate 12mcg 3%
Vitamin K 7mcg 6%
Sodium 646mg 28%
Calcium 244mg 19%
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 31mg 7%
Potassium 273mg 6%
Zinc 1mg 9%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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