Here’s a classic, hearty recipe for stuffed bell peppers that’s easy to make and really satisfying:
🌶️ Stuffed Bell Peppers
🛒 Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers (any color)
- 1 cup cooked rice (white or brown)
- 250–300g ground beef (or chicken/turkey)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika or red chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs
- ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Fresh parsley or coriander (optional, for garnish)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prep the peppers
- Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove seeds.
- Lightly boil them in salted water for 3–5 minutes (optional, helps soften them). Set aside.
2. Make the filling
- Heat oil in a pan, sauté onion until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add ground meat and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, paprika, and herbs.
- Let it simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Mix in the cooked rice and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Stuff the peppers
- Fill each pepper with the meat-rice mixture.
- Place them upright in a baking dish.
- Top with shredded cheese.
4. Bake
- Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly golden.
🍽️ Tips
- For a healthier version, use brown rice or quinoa.
- You can make it vegetarian by swapping meat for beans, lentils, or mushrooms.
- Add a little sauce at the bottom of the dish to keep peppers juicy.
If you want, I can give you a desi-style (spicier Pakistani version) or a quick stovetop version without baking.
