Savory and vibrant, pesto rice with peppers is a delightful dish that combines the bold flavors of pesto, the subtle sweetness of bell peppers, and the satisfying chewiness of rice. This versatile dish can be served as a main course or a hearty side, and it's packed with colorful vegetables and wholesome grains. This recipe features step-by-step instructions for creating a flavorful pesto from scratch, using fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. You'll also learn how to cook the rice and peppers to perfection, ensuring a tender texture and vibrant color. Additionally, there are variations of the recipe included, such as adding grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein boost, or incorporating different types of vegetables like zucchini or spinach for added variety. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out in the kitchen, this pesto rice with peppers recipe is sure to become a favorite in your culinary repertoire.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
EASY CHICKEN PESTO STUFFED PEPPERS
On busy weeknights, I don't want to spend more than 30 minutes preparing dinner, nor do I want to wash a towering pile of dishes. This recipe delivers without having to sacrifice flavor! -Olivia Cruz, Greenville, South Carolina
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut peppers lengthwise in half; remove stems and seeds. Place peppers on a baking sheet, skin side up. Broil 4 in. from heat until skins blister, about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, rice and pesto. When cool enough to handle, fill peppers with chicken mixture; return to baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 521 calories, Fat 31g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 62mg cholesterol, Sodium 865mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
SUNNY'S NUNYA BUSINESS INSTANT RICE AND PESTO
Provided by Sunny Anderson
Categories side-dish
Time 10m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, bell peppers, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Saute until the peppers are just slightly tender, about 4 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss together the rice, bell peppers, pesto and pine nuts. Serve warm.
PESTO CHICKEN AND RICE
Provided by Elena Besser
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to become translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Add the shallots and continue to cook until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is toasted, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat so the broth simmers; cover the skillet and simmer until the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a roaring boil.
- Meanwhile, fill a small bowl with ice water. Set aside.
- Cook the pine nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly.
- When the water is boiling, add a handful of salt (you want the water as salty as the ocean), then add the basil leaves. Use a slotted spoon, small strainer or spider to press down the leaves, making sure they're fully submerged in the water. Count to five, remove the leaves with the slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the ice water for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the basil from the ice water and squeeze out excess water.
- Put the toasted pine nuts in a food processor. (If you don't have a food processor, a blender is fine.) Pulse to chop the nuts. Add the garlic and basil and pulse. Once a creamy, green paste forms, with the motor running, slowly pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, processing until the oil is fully incorporated. Transfer the paste to a medium bowl and fold in 1 cup of the Parmesan with a rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the pesto and butter, if using. Serve the chicken and rice topped with fresh basil and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
PESTO RICE PEPPERS
I like to use red, orange and yellow - sweet peppers for colour. Great as a side dish to chicken, turkey, lamb or pork, or as a meatless main dish. I blanche my peppers for 5 min.in boiling water as I prefer the peppers to be softer. This recipe from Foodland does not call for this.
Provided by Kit..ty Of Canada
Categories Rice
Time 1h
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In large bowl, mix together rice, cheese, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts; set aside.
- Cut peppers in half through stems (retain stems); seed and core.
- Fill each pepper half with rice stuffing. Place, stuffing side up, in baking dish.
- Cover with foil; bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 35 minutes.
- Topping: Remove foil. Sprinkle cheese over peppers; bake uncovered, for about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is golden.
ROAST PEPPER PESTO WITH PASTA
Use leftovers from our Roast pepper & chorizo salad to make this easy pasta dish - see the recipe, below right
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Remove the skin from the roasted garlic cloves. In the small bowl of a food processor, whizz the roasted peppers, garlic, cayenne, almonds, Parmesan and oil until it makes a rough pesto consistency. Taste and season.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan with the pesto, basil and a little of the cooking water, then heat through. Serve with extra Parmesan, if you like.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 636 calories, Fat 23 grams fat, SaturatedFat 5 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 84 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 13 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 22 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium
AIR-FRYER CHICKEN PESTO STUFFED PEPPERS
On busy weeknights, I don't want to spend more than 30 minutes preparing dinner, nor do I want to wash a towering pile of dishes. These air-fryer stuffed peppers deliver without having to sacrifice flavor! -Olivia Cruz, Greenville, South Carolina
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat air fryer to 400°. Cut peppers lengthwise in half; remove stems and seeds. In batches, place peppers in a single layer on tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until skin starts to blister and peppers are just tender, 10-15 minutes. Reduce air fryer temperature to 350°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, rice and pesto. When cool enough to handle, fill peppers with chicken mixture. In batches, cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; cook until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 521 calories, Fat 31g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 62mg cholesterol, Sodium 865mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
EASY STUFFED PEPPERS
A 15-minute supper that calls for just five ingredients and won't leave you feeling stuffed!
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Buffet, Dinner, Lunch, Main course, Side dish, Snack, Supper, Vegetable
Time 15m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Use a small knife to cut the top out of 4 red peppers, then scoop out the seeds. Sit the peppers on a plate, cut-side up, and cook in the microwave on High for 5-6 mins until they have wilted and softened.
- While the peppers are cooking, mix two 250g pouches cooked tomato rice together with 2 tbsp pesto and a handful of chopped pitted black olives and 140g of the sliced goat's cheese.
- Scoop the rice, pesto, olives and goat's cheese mix into the peppers, top with the remaining 60g sliced goat's cheese and continue to cook for 8-10 mins.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 387 calories, Fat 17 grams fat, SaturatedFat 7 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 46 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 14 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 15 grams protein, Sodium 2.14 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh basil, garlic, and pine nuts will give your pesto rice and peppers the best flavor.
- Toast the pine nuts. Toasting the pine nuts brings out their nutty flavor and makes them more fragrant.
- Use a good quality olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice for pesto rice and peppers.
- Don't overcook the rice. The rice should be cooked al dente, so that it still has a little bite to it.
- Add the pesto to the rice and peppers at the end of cooking. This will help to preserve the flavor of the pesto.
- Serve pesto rice and peppers immediately. This dish is best enjoyed fresh.
Conclusion:
Pesto rice and peppers is a quick, easy, and delicious meal that's perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's packed with flavor and nutrients, and it's a great way to use up leftover rice and bell peppers. So next time you're looking for a healthy and flavorful meal, give pesto rice and peppers a try!
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