Stuffed peppers

Last time I made stuffed peppers in a hurry, without having time to take photos. This time I had time and redid the recipe, just as I usually like to do. I prefer smaller peppers because they cook more easily and absorb the filling's flavor better. Things happen naturally in the kitchen, without too many headaches.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 35-40 minutes
Oven cooking time: 1 hour–1 hour and 20 minutes (depending on the size of the peppers)
Servings: 10 (one stuffed pepper per person, but it depends on size)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main course, usually for lunch

Ingredients

10 medium-sized bell peppers (I used smaller ones, not too large)
1 large carrot
2 large onions
1 bunch of dill
1 kg mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 cup of rice (about 100-120 g)
400 ml tomato puree
a little flour (for sprinkling on top of the peppers)
salt
pepper

Preparation Method

1. Wash the peppers, cut a lid off the stem side, and remove the seeds. Set them aside.
2. Peel the onion and carrot. Chop the onion finely, and grate the carrot on a large grater.
3. In a pot, put oil (I don’t specify the amount, just enough to cover the bottom), heat it, and add the onion and carrot. Sauté them until the onion softens.
4. Add the rice over the onion and carrot and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir often to prevent sticking.
5. Finally, add the tomato puree and let it simmer on low heat for another 1-2 minutes, just enough to combine everything.
6. Remove the pot from the heat. Mix this composition with the ground meat in a large bowl. Add chopped dill, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.
7. Fill each pepper with this mixture. Do not press too hard; the filling will swell while cooking.
8. After filling all the peppers, sprinkle each one with a dusting of flour on top, just enough to form a thin layer.
9. Arrange the peppers upright in a large pot, as close together as possible to prevent them from tipping over.
10. Pour enough water to almost cover the peppers, but do not drown them completely. If you have leftover tomato puree, you can add it to the water for extra flavor.
11. Cover the pot and place it in the oven at a moderate heat. Occasionally check the liquid and add more if it reduces too much.
12. After about an hour, check with a fork if the peppers and filling are soft. The time may vary, but usually 1 hour–1 hour and 20 minutes is sufficient.
13. When ready, carefully remove the peppers. Serve them warm, topped with sour cream.

Why I Make the Recipe Often

Stuffed peppers are a solution when I have ground meat and a few vegetables on hand. They are quite simple to prepare, do not require complicated techniques, and can be reheated without problems. It also helps that the recipe can be easily adapted to what I have in the fridge.

Tips and Variations

Tips

Do not fill the peppers to the top; the rice expands while cooking and may crack.
Do not overdo it with the flour on top; it only helps to bind the sauce, and it shouldn’t be a thick layer.
Check the liquid in the pot periodically to ensure the peppers do not run out of water.

Substitutions

If you don’t have mixed meat, you can use either pork or beef, but the taste will be more intense with just one.
The rice can be replaced with small rounds of quinoa or millet if you want to vary the texture, although this is not the case in the classic recipe.
Dried thyme can be replaced with dried or fresh basil, but the result will be different in flavor.

Variations

You can use half of the peppers for the filling and cut the rest into pieces to add to the sauce.
If you want a vegan recipe, you can exclude the meat and double the amount of rice, adding extra chopped vegetables (zucchini, mushrooms, carrots).
For a more intense flavor, you can add 1-2 finely chopped garlic cloves to the filling.

Serving Ideas

They are good warm, with sour cream, but can also be eaten cold the next day.
They go well with a slice of plain bread.
They can be served with the sauce formed during baking, over the peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I know when the stuffed peppers are ready?
I check the filling and pepper with a fork. If the fork goes in easily and the rice is not hard, they are ready.

2. What type of pepper is best?
I prefer the smaller ones; they are tastier and cook evenly. The larger ones tend to remain crunchier.

3. Can I make them with chicken meat?
Yes, but the result will be drier. Chicken is leaner, and the filling may come out drier.

4. What do I do if I have leftover filling?
You can form small meatballs and boil them alongside the peppers in the same sauce.

5. How much water should I put over the peppers?
Enough to almost cover them completely, but they shouldn’t be swimming. Add more if it reduces during cooking.

Nutritional Values

Estimate for one stuffed pepper with mixed meat (beef and pork), rice, and vegetables, without sour cream:
Calories: 200-250 kcal per piece
Protein: 14-16 g
Carbohydrates: 12-16 g
Fats: 10-14 g
Values vary depending on the size of the peppers and the proportion of lean or fatty meat. Sour cream adds extra calories and fats, as desired.

Storage and Reheating

Stuffed peppers last 2-3 days in the fridge in a covered container. They can be reheated in the oven or on the stove over low heat, with a little sauce or water added to prevent drying out. I do not recommend long-term storage in the freezer, as the texture of the pepper changes and becomes watery.

I washed and cleaned the bell peppers, removing the tops and seeds. I prepared the filling as follows: I chopped the onion and grated the carrot, then sautéed them in a pot with oil. I added a little rice to the mix and finally added the tomato paste. This mixture is placed over the meat, and I seasoned it with salt, pepper, thyme, and dill before filling the peppers with this composition. I sprinkled flour over each pepper and placed them in a pot, then covered them with water and put them in the oven. In the end, I checked the peppers and the filling to see if they were cooked. They are served with sour cream.

 Ingredients: 10 medium peppers (I had smaller ones, not large) 1 large carrot 2 large onions 1 bunch of dill 1 kg mixed minced meat (beef and pork) 1 tablespoon thyme 1 cup rice 400 ml tomato broth 1 little flour pepper salt

 Tags:  stuffed peppers candle