Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea Peppers (Printable)

Bell peppers filled with seasoned chickpeas and veggies, drizzled in creamy lemon tahini.

# What you'll need:

→ Stuffed Peppers

01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops removed and seeds removed
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 small red onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
07 - 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
08 - ½ cup cooked quinoa or rice
09 - ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
18 - Juice of ½ lemon

→ Lemon Tahini Sauce

19 - ¼ cup tahini
20 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
21 - 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
22 - 1 small garlic clove, grated
23 - ¼ teaspoon salt

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to accommodate all peppers in an upright position.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in diced zucchini and cook for 4 minutes until just tender. Add quartered cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 additional minutes.
04 - Add chickpeas, cooked quinoa, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
05 - Fold in fresh parsley, mint if using, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
06 - Divide filling evenly among prepared bell peppers, packing gently to fill cavities. Arrange peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
07 - Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until peppers are tender while maintaining their shape.
08 - While peppers bake, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, water, grated garlic, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Add additional water as needed to achieve a drizzling consistency.
09 - Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates and drizzle generously with lemon tahini sauce. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is hearty enough to satisfy without feeling heavy, thanks to the chickpeas and quinoa doing the real work.
  • That lemon tahini sauce isn't just decoration—it's what makes you want to scrape the plate clean.
  • You can prep everything ahead and bake when you're ready, which is the kind of foresight that makes weeknight cooking feel less chaotic.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing canned chickpeas thoroughly, or the filling will have a cloudy, starchy texture that feels off.
  • The peppers will continue to soften slightly as they cool, so pull them from the oven when they still have a tiny bit of firmness—overcooking turns them mushy and sad.
  • Make the tahini sauce only right before serving, because it can thicken as it sits.
03 -
  • Cut bell peppers from the top so the holes are small and the filling stays inside, and save those tops to chop up and add to the filling if you want.
  • Make the tahini sauce thinner than you think you need it—the warmth of the peppers will warm it up slightly and it'll thicken a bit as it sits.
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