Cajun-Style Festive Stuffed Bell Peppers

1. Preheat oven and prepare casserole dish

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. Prepare bell peppers

While the oven is warming up, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the bell peppers lengthwise through the stem, keeping the stem intact to create a little boat for the stuffing. Remove the seeds and membranes, then submerge the pepper halves in the boiling water. Cover and boil them for 5 minutes to soften. Drain the peppers and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.

3. Sauté vegetables

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, sliced jalapeños, and diced carrots. Sauté for about 10 minutes until the vegetables start to brown. Halfway through, add the garlic and continue to sauté.

4. Add herbs and spices

Add the dried bay leaves, oregano, basil, paprika, fresh thyme sprigs, and salt to the skillet. Sauté for another minute to release the aromatic oils from the herbs and spices.

5. Add tomatoes and black-eyed peas

Stir in the diced tomatoes and black-eyed peas. Cover the skillet and let it cook for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. If the mixture seems too liquidy, remove the cover to let some of the moisture evaporate. Stir in the chopped parsley at the end.

6. Remove herbs and fill peppers

Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the mixture, then carefully fill each bell pepper half with the vegetable mixture. Place the stuffed peppers in the greased casserole dish.

7. Bake stuffed bell peppers

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until the peppers are tender and the tops are slightly golden.