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Couscous-Stuffed Peppers with Basil-Spinach Sauce

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  • Author: Amanda
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Hearty and satisfying vegetarian stuffed peppers are filled with Israeli couscous, spinach, feta, chickpeas, summer squash, parsley and dried currants.  Serve with a creamy basil-spinach sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

STUFFED PEPPERS:

  • 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 cup Israeali couscous
  • 1 zucchini or summer squash (or combination of both)
  • One 16-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup dried currants
  • 1 packed cup (about 1–1/2 ounces) baby spinach
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 multi-colored sweet bell peppers (avoid green bell peppers)

BASIL-SPINACH SAUCE:

  • 1 packed cup (about 3/4 ounce) fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup (about 1–1/2 ounces) packed baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) crème fraiche
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Pinch of granulated sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
  2. To prepare the filling: Place the vegetable stock and cumin in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add the couscous, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until tender and the liquid has been almost completely absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat a grill pan or skillet over high heat.  When hot, add a little olive oil and cook the zucchini/summer squash until slightly tender, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.  Remove and cut into small dice.
  4. Put the couscous in a medium mixing bowl; add the grilled zucchini, garbanzo beans, currants, spinach, parsley, feta, olive oil, and lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and any membranes you can get to; try not to remove too much of the flesh of the bell peppers.  If the pepper doesn’t sit flat, you can cut a very small sliver off the bottom to help it stand up.  Stuff the peppers with the filling; it will collapse and settle a little so don’t be afraid to really pile it in there!  Transfer the peppers to a large baking or roasting dish.  Drizzle the tops with a little olive oil to keep the filling moist.  Fill the baking dish with about 3/4-inch of vegetable stock.  Transfer to the oven and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through, about 50 to 60 minutes.
  6. In the meantime, make the basil-spinach sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
  7. To serve, place the peppers on dinner plates and drizzle the sauce over top and all around.

Notes

Inspiration: Couscous-Stuffed Peppers with Basil Sauce on foodnetwork.com

  • Category: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://nevernothungry.com/couscous-stuffed-peppers-with-basil-spinach-sauce/