Stuffed peppers with minced meat baked in the oven

I have made stuffed peppers in the oven a few times, but not very often, so I don't have a routine for each step. I usually serve them with a green salad and simple dressing, especially when I want something light but with meat. I prefer the version with pepper halves, not whole peppers. They are easier to portion and remove from the tray.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour – 1 hour and 10 minutes (depends on the oven and how big the peppers are)
Servings: 5-6
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: lunch or dinner, main dish, suitable for any day

Ingredients

5 red bell peppers
500 g ground pork
1 red onion
2 carrots, finely chopped
200-250 g canned tomatoes (a small can)
1 egg
Parmesan (for sprinkling on top, amount to taste)
Salt
Pepper
Herbs de Provence or other dried herbs, to taste
150 ml tomato juice for the tray
A splash of white wine (optional, for the sauce)
Green salad with dressing (optional, for serving)

Preparation method

1. Wash the peppers and dry them well with a paper towel. Cut each pepper lengthwise in half and remove the seeds. Place the pepper halves in a baking tray.

2. In a large bowl, place the ground meat. Add the egg, canned tomatoes (chop them a bit if they are in large pieces), finely chopped carrots, and chopped red onion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything by hand or with a spoon until the mixture is homogeneous.

3. Fill each half of the pepper with the meat mixture. Do not press too hard, but make sure they are well filled.

4. Sprinkle herbs de Provence or your preferred herbs over each stuffed pepper.

5. Pour 150 ml of tomato juice into the tray with the peppers. I also add a little white wine directly into the tomato sauce at the bottom, not too much, just enough to give it a slight flavor.

6. Place the tray in the oven at 175 degrees, on the middle rack. Let them bake until the peppers are tender and the meat mixture is cooked (about an hour, but it depends on the oven).

7. Briefly remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle grated Parmesan over each pepper. Put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes on low heat to melt the cheese.

8. The peppers are served warm, immediately, possibly with a green salad and dressing of your choice.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s not a recipe I make all the time, but it comes back to family meals because it’s not complicated, has meat, vegetables, and goes with almost any side dish. The pepper halves are more practical to remove from the tray. Leftovers can be kept and reheated, they don’t lose much flavor.

Tips and variations

Tips

Don’t let the peppers sit too long after washing, otherwise the filling may slip out when you fill them.
If you want to shorten the baking time, chop the carrots as finely as possible.
Don’t put too much tomato sauce in the tray, so the peppers don’t boil too much. It’s enough to have liquid at the bottom of the tray.
Parmesan should be added towards the end, not at the beginning.

Substitutions

You can use beef or a pork-beef mix if you don’t want just pork.
Herbs de Provence can be replaced with oregano, thyme, or basil, to taste.
If you don’t have white wine, you can skip this step.

Variations

Carrots can be replaced with celery if you want a different flavor.
You can add a little cooked rice to the mixture, but this recipe does not have it.
You can also use another type of cheese if you don’t have Parmesan.

Serving ideas

I most often serve them with a green salad and simple lemon or vinegar dressing. They also go well with mashed potatoes or rice. They are good cold, but best warm, fresh from the oven.

Frequently asked questions

1. How long do stuffed peppers last in the fridge?
Answer: They can be kept in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days. They maintain their texture quite well.

2. Can I freeze stuffed peppers?
Answer: Yes, they can be frozen after completely cooling. Upon thawing, the texture of the pepper becomes softer, but the taste remains fine.

3. Can I use another type of meat?
Answer: Yes, beef or a pork-beef mix. You can also try chicken, but it will be drier.

4. Can I use green or yellow peppers?
Answer: Yes, any bell pepper works. I usually use red for the sweeter taste.

5. Why do I add white wine to the sauce?
Answer: It gives a subtle flavor, it’s not essential, but I find it balances the acidity of the tomato sauce.

Nutritional values (estimate)

Per serving: about 250 kcal
Protein: 18-20 g
Fat: 13-15 g
Carbohydrates: 10-12 g

Values are approximate and can vary depending on the type of meat used and how large each serving is. Parmesan adds fats and proteins.

Storage and reheating

Stuffed peppers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can be reheated in the oven or microwave. Freezing is possible, but upon thawing, the peppers will be softer. For the best texture, I recommend consuming them fresh or the next day.

I washed the peppers, dried them with a paper towel, then cut them in half and placed them in a tray. In a bowl, I put the minced meat, to which I added an egg, tomatoes in their juice, carrots, onion, salt, and pepper. I filled the halves with the meat mixture. Then, I sprinkled herbs de Provence on top. In the tray, I also added about 150 ml of tomato juice. I left them in the oven at 175°C until they were cooked. I briefly took the tray out, added Parmesan on top, and left it for another 10 minutes on low heat. When they were ready, I served them with green salad.

In the tray, in the tomato juice, I added a little white wine. It pairs perfectly with rice, mashed potatoes, and salads. Serve warm.

 Ingredients: 5 red bell peppers, 500 g minced pork, 1 red onion, 2 finely chopped carrots, tomatoes in their own juice, 1 egg, parmesan, salt, pepper, herbs to taste, I used Provence.

 Tags:  stuffed peppers stuffed peppers with meat stuffed peppers baked in the oven