I love cooking – I really do. But sometimes, I need something low-key. Something I can throw together quickly, that’s hearty but still tastes amazing. If that’s what you’re looking for – congrats, you just found it!

These stuffed bell peppers make for a great weeknight dinner that is both well-balanced and fun for the kids (and adults) in your life! It’s an all-in-one dinner that takes under 40 minutes to throw together – half of which is baking time. Really, can you ask for anything more?

Besides the bell peppers, the star of this show is this Trader Joe’s Beef-less Ground Beef.

This soy-based meat replacement is easy to use and super high in protein. (21+ grams of protein per bell pepper!) For our recipe, we sauteed it up with onions, mushrooms, and garlic for a simple, tasty and satisfying filling.

Bon appétit!

Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large bell peppers*

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3.5 ounces shitake mushrooms, diced

• 2 12 ounce packs of beefless ground beef

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce + more to taste

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Shredded mozzarella-style vegan cheese, optional

*If using smaller bell peppers, you’ll need a couple more.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare the bell peppers. Slice off the tops of the bell peppers and set aside. Clean out the insides, rinse and pat dry. Carefully slice a small amount off the bottom of the bell peppers to ensure that the pepper can stand upright without falling over. (Be careful NOT to cut off too much – you don’t want the filling to spill out!) Place peppers upright in a parchment-lined baking pan or sheet. Dice any extra bell pepper pieces to be added to the “beef” mixture.

3. Heat medium-size saute pan to medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent – about 5 minutes. Add shitake mushrooms and diced bell peppers and cook for another 5 minutes or so.

4. Add beefless ground beef to onion/mushroom mixture, crumbling it with fingers to ensure consistent texture. Cook for about 5 minutes or so, then add soy sauce and salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste.

5. Spoon beefless ground beef mixture into each bell pepper, filling a little above the edges of the pepper. Pat down with a spoon to ensure they are completely filled. Add shredded vegan cheese to the top, if desired.

6. Put pan in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers start to appear slightly blistered on the outside. Remove from the oven and serve right away. (If you’re feeling fancy, garnish with fresh parsley or basil.) Enjoy!