Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers, large, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 150 g green peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic, minced
Pantry & Seasoning
- 45 ml olive oil, divided use
- 60 ml vegetable broth
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 197 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 409 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 689 mg
- Calcium
- 68 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 111 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 212 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 165 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 69 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 93 mcg
- Water
- 209 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a baking dish suitable for holding the four pepper halves snuggly.
Rub the pepper halves lightly with 15ml of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place them cut-side up in the baking dish.
In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 30ml olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and thinly sliced fennel. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened and beginning to brown at the edges.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
Stir in the peas and cook for 2 minutes just to warm through. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Divide the fennel and pea mixture evenly among the four bell pepper halves, mounding it slightly.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is slightly crisp on top.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Select peppers with flat bottoms if possible so they sit stable in the baking dish; otherwise, you can slice a tiny sliver off the bottom to level them (be careful not to create a hole).
- Don't discard the fennel fronds; they pack a concentrated anise flavor and make the dish look professional when used as a garnish.
- For a non-vegan variation, top with crumbled feta cheese or parmesan during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
- If using frozen peas, there is no need to thaw them before adding to the pan in step 5.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavor improves slightly the next day.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10-15 minutes or microwave gently.
Troubleshooting
Fennel is tough or stringy
Cause: Fennel was sliced too thickly or not sautéed long enough before roasting
Fix: Cover the peppers with foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to steam the filling
Prevention: Slice fennel paper-thin and ensure it is fully softened during the sauté step
Cultural Context
Stuffed vegetables, or 'verdure ripiene', are a staple of Mediterranean cuisine, particularly in Italy and Greece. This specific combination highlights the affinity between the anise notes of fennel and the natural sweetness of roasted peppers, a pairing often found in Sicilian vegetable cookery.
