Stuffed Chushka Peppers
Prep. Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings
2-3 plates
Difficulty
Challenging
Gluten-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
This dish leans into contrast. There’s a delicate balance between smoky and savory, tender and textured, warm and cool. The kind of recipe where you break things apart with your fingers, scoop and spoon with instinct rather than precision, and trust that flavor will do most of the work for you. It’s unfussy, but not without intention. There’s care in the preparation—the peeling, the filling, the way everything gets packed just right... This isn’t about flash or flair. It’s about good ingredients given the space to shine, a few thoughtful steps, and that undeniable satisfaction that comes from putting something together that’s both comforting and a little bit unexpected.
Ingredients
6 medium-large Chervana Chushka peppers (I found them in whole foods)
7oz (200g) extra-firm tofu
3.5oz (100g) vegan Ricotta
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup walnut pieces
5 basil leaves, chopped
4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Set the peppers on a parchment-lined baking dish and slide them into the oven. Let them roast for about 30 minutes, until their skins begin to blister and char in spots—that’s your cue that they’re ready.
While those are roasting, it’s time to bring the filling together. In a mixing bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands or grate it, until you get small soft bits (the kind that soak up flavor beautifully).
Thinly chop the chives and basil, and add them and the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, and give it all a good mix until the mixture is consistent.
Once the peppers are done, let them cool just enough to handle without turning it into a game of hot potato. Gently peel off their skins—they should come off easily—and use a small knife to make an opening along one side. Remove the stems and seeds, then take a spoon and carefully pack in your tofu stuffing. Don’t be shy—give them a nice generous scoop, but note that the peppers are very tender and fragile at this point, so handle carefully.
Return the stuffed peppers to the oven for another 10 minutes, just enough to heat them through and let everything meld together a little more.
Serve them hot, while the edges are still warm and tender—or let them cool completely and enjoy later. The flavor only gets better as it sits, making this dish just as satisfying straight from the oven as it is from the fridge.
Notes
Walnuts can (if you want/need) be replaced with pine nuts for just as tasty of a result.
If you don't have fresh basil leaves, use dried basil.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
Made primarily from raw pistachio butter, coconut cream and almond flour, this easy no-bake cake is elemental and holds texture and flavor impressively. Compliments are guaranteed!