Last updated on:
Stuffed peppers are super delicious, but can be rather fiddly if you’re only trying to serve yourself. Hence the creation of this stuffed pepper recipe that serves just one person and is made completely in the microwave!
Obviously, you could stick to using your microwave for ready-meals and leftovers – after all, surely people usually cook stuffed peppers using an oven for a reason, right? But where’s the fun in that?! Being able to cook healthy dinners from scratch in the microwave is such a useful skill too; what if you’re having your kitchen re-decorated or your oven replaced – you still need to eat! That’s part of why I’m working on more healthy meals for one that can be made exclusively in the microwave. The other reason is the washing up – the number of pots and pans you need for some stuffed pepper recipes is just ridiculous. Nobody wants to deal with that!
I’m starting to discover that it’s easier than you think to cook single-serving dinners like these microwave stuffed peppers. For one thing, you end up throwing away fewer leftovers. Plus it helps portion control! A key example of that is my single-serving brownie in a jar. After all, if you only cook one portion you don’t have to feel guilty about eating the whole batch!
I decided to stuff my pepper with cheesy spinach and basil rice. After all, what’s life without a little cheese? However, if you have any leftover Mexican veggie rice or spicy turmeric rice then those would be great fillings! Alternatively, you could use my microwave risotto with fresh herbs – it should make the perfect amount to fill one pepper!
Please do let me know in the comments if there are any specific types of single-serving or microwave recipe you’d like to see! Perhaps you really need a single-serving gluten-free lunch, or a vegan microwave dinner – I’m open to suggestions!
Microwave Stuffed Peppers for 1
Yield: 1 person
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
A single-serving stuffed pepper recipe made completely in the microwave! The peppers are stuffed with a delicious cheesy, buttery rice mixture, with optional add-ins including chilli peppers for spice or extra mozzarella on top for more gooey cheesiness.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp diced onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 35 grams (3 tbsp) basmati rice
- 120 ml water
- 30 grams (1/8 cup, 1 oz) baby spinach
- 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp chopped basil
- 1 red bell pepper, hollowed out
Instructions
- Add 1 tbsp butter to a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt (approximately 20 seconds).
- Add the garlic and onion and stir. Microwave 30 seconds to soften.
- Add the rice and water. Cover with microwave-safe clingfilm and pierce several times. Microwave in 2 minute increments until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked (around 10 minutes total).
- Add the spinach. parmesan, basil and remaining 1 tbsp butter. Stir to combine and re-cover with clingfilm. Microwave 1 minute until spinach is wilted.
- In a separate bowl, place the pepper top-down in around 1" of water. Cover with clingfilm and pierce several times. Microwave until the pepper is softened to your liking - around 5 minutes.
- Remove the pepper from the water and fill it with the rice mixture. Cover with pierced clingfilm and microwave until everything is hot and cooked to your liking, around 2-3 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Optional add-ins:
- diced chilli pepper - add with the garlic and onion. I'd recommend 1/2 a chilli pepper per serving
- mozzarella - top the filled pepper with slices of mozzarella and in the final step, microwave until it is melted to your liking
- bacon - add in 2-3 tbsp cooked diced bacon with the spinach, basil and parmesan
Our microwave is 700 watts. You may need to adjust cooking times depending on your own.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 568mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g
All nutrition information is an estimate and may vary.
If you’re looking for a delicious, easy side dish for this recipe, I really recommend my cheesy garlic butter pinwheels, although the peppers are pretty filling so perhaps split one pepper between two if you plan on adding a side dish.
For an easy, single-serving dessert, try my brownie in a jar – it’s a perfect portion and is soooo rich and fudgy it’s just irresistible! Enjoy!
Linked to #CookBlogShare
