Vegan Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos)

🛒 Ingredients

• #Peppers;
• 10–12 canned or roasted piquillo peppers (drained gently, keep intact)
• #Filling;
• 200 g firm tofu (pressed and crumbled) or shredded king oyster mushrooms / jackfruit
• 1 small onion, finely diced.. 2 garlic cloves, minced.. 2 tbsp finely diced red pepper
• 2 tbsp corn kernels or peas.. 1 tbsp all‑purpose flour.. 80–100 ml unsweetened plant milk
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika.. ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.. Salt and black pepper to taste
• #Sauce;
• 200 ml tomato passata or crushed roasted red peppers
• 100 ml vegetable stock,, 1 tsp smoked paprika,, 1 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch of salt and sugar (to balance flavour)
• Optional: 1 tbsp cashew cream for extra creaminess

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Make filling: Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onion for 4 minutes until soft, add garlic and diced pepper; cook 2 minutes more. Stir in crumbled tofu/mushrooms, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mix, stir well, then slowly add plant milk while stirring until thick and creamy. Let cool completely — warm filling will break the peppers.

2. 2

   Stuff: Carefully spoon the cooled filling into each piquillo pepper; do not overfill. Arrange them neatly in a baking dish or shallow pan.

3. 3

   Make sauce: In a small pan, heat olive oil, add tomato/pepper purée, stock, paprika, salt, and sugar. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in cashew cream if using.

4. 4

   Finish: Pour the sauce gently over and around the stuffed peppers. Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 12–15 minutes until heated through.

5. 5

   Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander. Serve warm with crusty bread.