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Need ideas to make it a meal? Here’s what to serve with stuffed peppers: all best ideas that don’t use up oven space!
Making stuffed peppers and not sure what to serve with them? It’s a great question. The challenge to serving stuffed peppers is this: how do you find side dishes ideas that complement them without using your oven? The oven is tied up with making the peppers, so you’ll need to rely on side dishes you can prep without it.
Here are all our best side dish ideas for what to serve with stuffed peppers! You’ll want to focus on easy salads, sauteed vegetables, and make ahead breads to round out your meal. You can also opt for any whole grain that’s not stuffed inside your pepper.
Note: The side dishes below are selected to pair with Italian-style or Mediterranean-style stuffed peppers. If you’re making Mexican stuffed peppers, there are many more options! Go to Best Sides to Go with Tacos for more inspiration.
And now…what to serve with stuffed peppers!
What to serve with stuffed peppers? An easy salad is a great place to start! This arugula salad is quite possibly the easiest salad you’ll make. You don’t even have to make a salad dressing! In 5 to 10 minutes, you’ve got an elegant salad that goes with literally everything.
Also try: Arugula Beet Salad
One of the best sides for stuffed peppers: sauteed green beans! This recipe is our tried and true method that works every time. It’s easy to make for a weeknight, but fancy enough for a party. The beans come out deliciously crisp tender, and look elegant on a plate next to the peppers.
This chopped salad is perfect for classic Italian style stuffed peppers! There’s our homemade Italian dressing: tangy, savory, and herby. Add to that shallots, tomatoes, cucumber, and a zing from pepperoncini. Parmesan cheese seals the deal.
Cooking Mexican stiffed peppers? Use our Easy Mexican Salad instead.
Quinoa is a great side to serve with stuffed peppers: especially if it's not already stuffed inside! Here’s our number 1 way of how to season quinoa: just a few simple ingredients transform it from bland to bursting with flavor! It's got just the right touch of butter, garlic and dried herbs. Also try any whole grain that's not stuffed inside your peppers.
Also try: Farro with Mushrooms & Parmesan
Looking for an easy side dish? Look no further than these honey glazed carrots! When you’re looking for something special…what’s better than a butter and honey glaze? This recipe comes together in just 15 minutes, and the flavor is out of this world: sweet, savory, and salty, with fruity and floral notes from the honey.
This Pan Fried Broccoli is our go-to side, and perfect for serving with stuffed peppers! It comes out perfectly crisp tender and full of savory flavor: and that’s not easy to do with broccoli. Home cooks often overcook broccoli or don’t season it enough, making a brown-ish green, lifeless mess. Here’s how to pan fry it so it’s the most delicious thing on your plate!
Sure, Brussels sprouts are transcendental crispy roasted with maple glaze. But shaved raw in a salad is the next best way to eat them! The raw greens aren’t bitter at all: they’re sweet and feathery, with irresistibly tasty flavor. Combine them with a sweet and tangy Djion mustard dressing, apples, and dried cherries, and they’re pretty darn perfect.
Sauteed spinach is perfect for cooking up while your peppers are in the oven! This spinach is scented with garlic, wilted until it’s bright green in a bit of olive oil. It’s finished off with lemon juice to give it a brightness. The flavor is fresh and vibrant, not lifeless and mushy as you would expect from sauteed greens! They really taste amazing.
Cornbread muffins are fantastic for serving with stuffed peppers! You'll want to make these in advance, since you'll need the oven for making the peppers. These muffins are moist and fluffy, with the ideal sweet savory flavor. And, they’re faster to make than cornbread, making them an ideal side dish for just about anything!
This recipe is truly exceptional. The amount of savory umami flavor you get from cooking mushrooms and onions with a little butter and Worcestershire sauce…it’s out of this world. Pair it with almost anything for an outstanding meal: but of course it's perfection with stuffed peppers.
Here’s a surprisingly delicious salad that deserves a spot on your plate served with stuffed peppers: celery salad !This unique salad is so refreshing, you’ll become a convert from the first bite. Crunchy celery pairs perfectly with sweet apple, Parmesan shavings and a tangy vinaigrette.
Sautéed chard is the perfect side to serve with stuffed peppers: it's another traditional Italian-style dish. Just throw it in a hot pan with olive oil and garlic, then salt it to taste. Top with Parmesan and pine nuts to step up the flavors. It turns into an easy side dish in just 10 minutes.
Bread is a great side to serve with stuffed peppers because it's easy to purchase or make in advance! We suggest finding an artisan-style loaf at you local grocery. Or you can make your own in advance! This no knead bread is a fan favorite. It’s got the best flavor: lightly tangy and robust. The exterior is the perfect crisp crust, and the interior has the perfect moist chewiness.
Potatoes are a fantastic side dish for stuffed peppers...but you don't want to have to use your oven! Try pan fried potatoes instead. These thin potato rounds are browned in a skillet until they’re crispy and golden. And the seasoning is perfect: just the right amount of smoky, salty, and savory. With the hint of sweetness from the potatoes, there’s a lot going on with only a few ingredients.
Last up in what to serve with stuffed peppers: sauteed cabbage! It takes just 10 minutes to saute into a tender, savory mess of flavor. Lemon, garlic and black pepper take it to rockstar veggie status. You’ll love this tasty way to prepare cabbage: it makes an easy side dish for any meal.
Favorite stuffed pepper recipes
Of course, we couldn’t leave you with only what to serve with them! Here are some of our best stuffed pepper recipes:
- Classic Stuffed Peppers A hit every time! The roasted bell peppers are filled to the brim with melty cheese and Italian flavor. (Scroll down for the recipe.)
- Stuffed Green Peppers Makes a crowd-pleasing dinner, starring a hearty filling of rice, tomatoes, and cheese!
- Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe A colorful and delicious healthy dinner, full of Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley and feta.
- Mexican Style Stuffed Peppers These have a simple Mexican inspired filling that packs big flavor!
- Stuffed Poblano Peppers The zesty filling features rice, corn, black beans, and of course: gooey cheese.
Stuffed Peppers & What to Serve with Them!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
This stuffed peppers recipe is a hit every time! The roasted bell peppers are filled to the brim with melty cheese and Italian flavor.
Ingredients
For the filling (or use 1 pound ground beef and the spices; see Step 2 below)
- 1 cup whole walnuts
- 4 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos for soy free)
- 1 tablespoons ketchup
- ½ teaspoon each fennel seeds, dried oregano, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
For the stuffed peppers
- 6 multi-colored bell peppers (red, yellow and green)
- ¾ cup dry short grain rice or 2 cups cooked (reheated to warm with a splash of water and a pinch of salt)
- ½ cup pizza sauce (purchased or homemade)
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (or cut into bite-sized chunks)
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella, plus more for sprinkling
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and/or Italian panko or bread crumbs (omit for gluten-free)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the rice: Start the rice to cook. (See Make Ahead Tips in the notes below*.)
- Pre-bake the bell peppers: Wash the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise; remove the stems and seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the peppers on top. Bake with the cut side down for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip to cut side up, draining any with water. Sprinkle with salt (about a heaping ¼ teaspoon kosher salt divided between the peppers). Bake another 15 minutes until tender, then remove and stuff (see below).
- Meanwhile, make the filling: Roughly chop the mushrooms. Place them in a large food processor, then add the walnuts and tamari, ketchup, spices, and salt. Pulse gently multiple times until everything is evenly chopped, being careful not to over process (or it will be too mushy). If you don’t have a food processor, use a chef’s knife to roughly chop everything and place in a bowl with the spices.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring until it releases all of its liquid then becomes dry and browned. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Ground beef variation: Drizzle olive oil into a skillet. Add the beef with the spices and salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes until browned, then drain the fat. Taste and add additional salt as needed.
- Stuff the peppers: Once the peppers are pre-baked, mix the filling from the previous step with 2 cups cooked rice (measure it), pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, and kosher salt. (If desired, add a mix-in like drained capers or chopped olives; see above.) Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Spoon the filling into the peppers.
- Bake the peppers: Top with a handful of shredded mozzarella, and grated Parmesan and/or panko or breadcrumbs. Place the peppers back onto the parchment lined baking sheet and bake 20 minutes until the cheese melts. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
More sides to go with…
Need more side dish ideas? We’ve got you covered:
I love looking at the different dishes that can go with green peppers. I’m such a picky eater, Where as my husband is not. He’ also a chef, but I don’t want to ask him. I want it to be a surprise.