If you’re looking for a savory, spicy, and vegetable-rich recipe that’s as lightweight as it is delicious, then look no further than this Paneer-Stuffed Peppers recipe from Epicurious. The sauce is accentuated by a smoky flavor from the seared paneer cheese and a spicy stick from the jalapeño, fresh ginger, ground coriander, and cumin and mustard seeds, making it the perfect summertime dinner staple.

Ingredients

• 4 red or yellow bell peppers (with ribs and seeds removed), halved through the stem end
• 2 6-ounce packages of paneer cheese
• 1 15-ounce can of crushed red tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 11-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
• ½ jalapeño (with seeds removed), finely chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro (chopped), for serving
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1¼ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt

Directions

1. You’ll begin this recipe by making the savory, spiced tomato sauce. Start by heating your vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or another heavy pot. Place your Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Once it’s properly heated, cook the paneer cheese in a single layer, undisturbed, until it’s golden brown underneath. This should only take approximately 2 minutes. After it’s golden brown, transfer the paneer to a medium bowl, let it cool slightly, and then crumble the paneer into bite-size pieces. Then, set this aside for later.
2. Next, take your Dutch oven or heavy pot and add in your jalapeño, ginger, cumin seeds, onion, garlic, and mustard seeds. Cook them over a medium-heat while stirring often, and continue to cook them until the onion is softened and translucent, which should take only 5 minutes. At which point, add your turmeric, coriander, and cayenne pepper to the pot and continue to cook while stirring occasionally. Continue to cook these ingredients until they’re quite fragrant, which should take about 3 minutes. Still over medium heat, stir in your crushed red tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring the oven or pot to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and stir in your reserved paneer cheese from earlier. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the sauce until it’s slightly thickened. Cook the sauce for about 15-20 minutes and stir occasionally throughout the cooking process.
3. For your pepper assembly, place a rack in the middle of your oven, and preheat it to 400°F. While the oven is heating up, coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place your peppers, which have been halved through the stem send, with the cut side facing up onto the baking sheet. Spoon about ⅓ cup of your spiced tomato sauce into each pepper half and place them into the oven to bake. Bake them in the oven until the peppers are tender and their tops are lightly browned. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
4. Once cooked, transfer the stuffed peppers from the baking sheet to plates, and top them with sprinklings of chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Notes

• This recipe works great as a main staple of a vegetarian-based dinner, but it also serves as an excellent side dish to a protein-rich entree. Additionally, you can add in some lentils or another legume to add starch and protein to this dish.
• Alternatively, this recipe uses the same sauce as the Epicurious recipe for Toasted Tomato-Paneer Sandwiches. Simply double your ingredients for the spiced tomato sauce, and spread ½ cup of the sauce over a slice of bread. Top the bread with red onion, cheddar, cilantro, and another slice of bread. Then, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 sandwiches at a time while pressing down on them with a spatula until the underside of each piece is golden brown and crisp, which takes about 3 minutes. Then, turn the sandwiches over and cook until the other side is golden brown with the cheese melted.

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