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Grilled Mini Peppers with Spiced Walnut & Lentil Crumble

4.34 from 3 reader reviews
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 As a main
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Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup French lentils, rinsed
  • ¼ cup pitted olives (green or black)
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, packed
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup walnut halves
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, plus extra
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • sea salt & ground black pepper, to taste
  • 10-12 mini sweet bell peppers
  • vegan “parm”

Instructions

  • Place the lentils in a small saucepan and cover them by about 2 inches with water. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat with the lid on. Bring the lentils to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside.
  • On your cutting board, chop the olives, parsley, and lemon zest all together, forming a sort of rustic gremolata. Once the olives are nicely chopped, set the mixture aside in a bowl.
  • In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, combine the cooked lentils, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and lots of salt and pepper. Pulse until you have a coarsely ground mixture that holds together when pinched. It should be slightly paste-y with little chunks of walnut and lentils. Give the crumble a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  • Heat a medium (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium heat. Scrape all of the walnut and lentil crumble into the pan. Break it up with a spatula. Cook the crumble, stirring constantly, until it’s slightly drier and a bit deeper in colour, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the walnut and lentil crumble from the heat and set aside.
  • Cut the mini sweet bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the peppers.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high. Once heated, place the mini peppers--cut side down--onto the grill. Cook until light char marks form on the underside, about 4 minutes. Flip the peppers over and cook for another 4 minutes or so. The peppers should be slightly softened, but still holding their shape. Remove the grilled peppers and place them back on the baking sheet.
  • Arrange the grilled peppers--facing up--on your serving tray. Stuff each grilled pepper half with 2 tablespoons of the spiced walnut and lentil crumble. Top each stuffed pepper with a bit of the olive and parsley mixture. Finish the peppers with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Equipment

Recipe Notes

  • If you don’t have a grill or grill pan, you can simply toss the pepper halves in oil, salt, and pepper, spread them out on a baking sheet, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until slightly softened.
  • I get asked about my food processor a lot! I have the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup model and I love it. Best food processor I've ever used.
Grilled mini peppers with spiced walnut and lentil crumble are a pantry-friendly, super simple, extra hearty vegan main course.