Rice and Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers with Green Chile Queso
Creamy pinto beans and flavorful rice are scooped into peppers and baked into convenient portions in this stuffed bell pepper recipe. Spicy, creamy green chile queso is slathered on top for extra flavor. Garnished with cilantro and lime, and served with chips, this meal is sure to satisfy!
View Original PDFStuffed Pepper Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2-3/4 cups vegetable stock, divided
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely minced
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or orange)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
Chile Queso Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 serrano pepper, minced (seeds and ribs removed)
- 1 can (4 oz) green chiles, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (try our Olivelle Chili Verde Flake Salt for an extra kick!)
- 1 cup half-n-half
- 8 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
- 6 oz Monterey jack cheese, grated
Serve with
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan with a lid, melt the butter over low heat. Sauté the rice for 3-5 minutes until it begins to smell nutty and looks slightly toasted.
- Add 2-1/4 cups of the vegetable broth to the pan with the rice. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice grains become tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro and lime zest and juice. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, dry, and halve the peppers. Remove the seeds and the white membranes.
- Place the peppers, cut side down, in a 9 x 13 baking dish, brush them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes until softened. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In a lidded saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the garlic and onion until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the pinto beans, the remaining 1/2 cup of stock, and the corn. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir the rice into the bean mixture until combined, then scoop the mix into the peppers, filling them as much as possible. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the chile queso. In a saucepan, heat the butter. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the serrano pepper and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the green chiles and salt; cook for another minute. Add the half-n-half and gradually stir in the cheeses until melted. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Drizzle the queso on top of the peppers just before serving. Serve extra queso with chips and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Eat immediately!