Roasted Mini-Peppers Stuffed with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
By the Gracious Vegan
Looking for an elegant appetizer? Look no further. The first thing I love about these is the taste—the combination of mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes is a favorite of mine, and they shine against the ricotta-like base that holds everything together. The second thing is the sturdiness—they don’t fall apart—because of the cornstarch. A little goes a long way. The third thing is the way the mini peppers get roasted without oil. The oven temp and the timing work out incredibly well.
Makes 20 mini pepper halves
Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Blend the following ingredients in a small chopper or food processor until well blended. The cashews will not be perfectly smooth, which is okay.
1/2 cup silken tofu
1/4 cup raw cashews (unsoaked)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (What is Nutritional Yeast?)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
Separately, chop the following ingredients together in a food processor until finely chopped. Then water-sauté them in a skillet or microwave them until the mushrooms’ liquid evaporates, 3-5 minutes. (What is water-sauté?)
2 cups (4-5 ounces) white mushrooms (button, cremini, or mini-portabella)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), chopped
1 clove garlic
Stir the tofu mixture into the vegetables.
Lay the mini pepper halves on the sheet pan and stuff them with the filling.
10 mini peppers, cut in half lengthwise – do not top them, do not remove the stem. Just remove the seeds.
Bake for 20-24 minutes until the mixture is a shade darker and looks set.
Garnish and serve.
Sliced fresh basil (optional)
Timing: About 45 minutes (30 minutes hands-on)
Gluten-free