Deep South Stuffed Bell Peppers with Cashew Queso

These Deep South stuffed bell peppers take their inspiration from classic Southern comfort food and give it a fully plant-based makeover. Sweet bell peppers are filled with a hearty mixture of long-grain rice, black-eyed peas, caramelized onions, and a blend of smoky spices like smoked paprika, cayenne, and thyme. The peppers are baked low and slow until tender and the filling is deeply flavorful, then finished under a blanket of rich, creamy cashew queso that melts into every nook and cranny. This is the kind of cozy weekend project that rewards patience: caramelizing the onions properly and letting the peppers bake slowly builds layers of flavor you just can't rush. The cashew queso, made from soaked cashews blended with nutritional yeast, roasted red pepper, and a touch of lime, brings all the gooey, cheesy satisfaction of a Tex-Mex queso without a drop of dairy. Serve these stuffed peppers as a filling vegan dinner on their own, or pair with a simple green salad or cornbread for a true Southern spread. They reheat beautifully, making them a great make-ahead option for meal prep or a laid-back dinner party centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 1 cupraw cashews, soaked in hot water 1 hour, drained
• 6 wholelarge bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds and membranes removed
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 wholeyellow onion, finely diced, divided
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced, divided
• 3 cupsCooked long-grain white rice
• 2 cupsCooked black-eyed peas, fresh cooked or canned and drained
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspcayenne pepper
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 1 cupvegetable broth, divided
• 1.5 tspsalt, divided, to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.25 cupnutritional yeast
• 0.5 cupRoasted red pepper, jarred, drained
• 1 tbsplime juice, freshly squeezed
• 0.5 tspChipotle powder
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• 0.5 cupwater, for blending queso, as needed

Method

No instructions listed.