Millet Stuffed Peppers in tomato sauce
Millet Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Sauce
Millet doesn't get nearly enough attention, and this dish is a good reason to change that. It's a proper family-style bake: sweet roasted peppers packed with lightly spiced millet and veg, then baked in a simple fennel and oregano tomato sauce. It's easy to make, it feeds four, and it shows just how useful this nutrient-dense grain can be.
Ingredients
For the peppers
- 4 bell peppers (any colour)
- 200g (1 cup) dried millet
- 500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 courgette, finely diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Olive oil
- Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
For the tomato sauce
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- Olive oil
To serve
- Fresh parsley or basil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut the tops off the peppers, scoop out the seeds and set aside.
- Rinse the millet, then cook it in the vegetable stock for about 15 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot and courgette until softened. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, rosemary and cooked millet. Mix well and season to taste.
- Fill the peppers with the millet mixture and stand them in a baking dish.
- For the sauce, heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano and the sugar if you're using it. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour the sauce around the stuffed peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30–40 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes so the peppers colour a little.
- Scatter over fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.
Why millet? It cooks quickly, holds its shape well and takes on whatever flavours you give it, which makes it a great all-rounder for stuffings, salads and bakes.
Frequently asked questions
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes. Everything in it is plant-based. Just check that your vegetable stock is vegan.
Is millet gluten free?
Millet is naturally gluten free. If you're cooking for someone who needs to avoid gluten, check the packaging for any cross-contamination warnings.
Can I make the stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes. You can cook the millet filling and the sauce a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Stuff the peppers and bake them when you're ready to eat.
What can I use instead of millet?
Quinoa, bulgur wheat or rice all work well. Cooking times vary, so follow the instructions on the packet.
Millet Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce
Millet doesn't get nearly enough attention, and this dish is a good reason to change that. It's a proper family-style bake: sweet roasted peppers packed with lightly spiced millet and veg, then baked in a simple fennel and oregano tomato sauce. It's easy to make, it feeds four, and it shows just how useful this nutrient-dense grain can be.
Ingredients
For the peppers
- 4 bell peppers (any colour)
- 200g (1 cup) dried millet
- 500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 courgette, finely diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Olive oil
- Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
For the tomato sauce
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- Olive oil
To serve
- Fresh parsley or basil
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cut the tops off the peppers, scoop out the seeds and set aside.
- Rinse the millet, then cook it in the vegetable stock for about 15 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion, garlic, carrot and courgette until softened. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, rosemary and cooked millet. Mix well and season to taste.
- Fill the peppers with the millet mixture and stand them in a baking dish.
- For the sauce, heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano and the sugar if you're using it. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pour the sauce around the stuffed peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30–40 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 10 minutes so the peppers colour a little.
- Scatter over fresh parsley or basil and serve warm.
Why millet? It cooks quickly, holds its shape well and takes on whatever flavours you give it, which makes it a great all-rounder for stuffings, salads and bakes.
Frequently asked questions
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes. Everything in it is plant-based. Just check that your vegetable stock is vegan.
Is millet gluten free?
Millet is naturally gluten free. If you're cooking for someone who needs to avoid gluten, check the packaging for any cross-contamination warnings.
Can I make the stuffed peppers ahead of time?
Yes. You can cook the millet filling and the sauce a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Stuff the peppers and bake them when you're ready to eat.
What can I use instead of millet?
Quinoa, bulgur wheat or rice all work well. Cooking times vary, so follow the instructions on the packet.
