I have made stuffed peppers dozens of times because they are easy to fit into a family meal, and the ingredients are simple. This recipe doesn’t have complicated steps. The most time-consuming part is cleaning the vegetables and the peppers. Other than that, it’s all pretty straightforward – you fill, boil, and let time do its job. The last time I boiled a whole pot, and there weren’t many left for the next day.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour and 40 minutes (including sauce)
Servings: 12 peppers (about 6 people)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main, lunch or dinner
Ingredients
12 bell peppers, medium-sized
600 g ground meat (usually pork, but you can also use a mix)
2 carrots
1 large onion
1/2 cup rice
1 egg
Salt
Pepper
Sweet paprika
1 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon flour
Fresh parsley (for filling)
Hot water – enough to cover the peppers in the pot
Preparation method
1. Prepare the peppers. Cut off the top of each pepper, remove the stem, and clean the inner ribs. If some peppers are larger, you can keep their tops for presentation.
2. Finely chop the onion, carrots, and parsley. Grate the carrot on a small grater.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, carrots, parsley, rice, egg, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little sweet paprika. Mix well with your hands or a spoon until combined.
4. Fill each pepper with the prepared mixture. Don’t pack them too tightly; leave some room for the rice to expand while cooking.
5. Place the tops back on the larger peppers (if desired) and arrange them in a pot so they are as close to each other as possible.
6. Pour hot water over the peppers, enough to cover them.
7. Place an inverted plate on top so that the peppers do not float to the surface and cook evenly.
8. Let simmer on low heat for about an hour and a half, until the meat and rice are well cooked. Check the water level from time to time.
9. When the peppers are nearly done, take a cup and mix the flour with two tablespoons of the hot water from the pot until there are no lumps.
10. Add the tomato juice to the flour mixture, mix well, and pour everything back into the pot over the peppers.
11. Let it cook for another 10 minutes, just enough to slightly thicken the sauce.
Why I make this recipe often
Stuffed peppers can be reheated the next day without any issues, and they still taste great. They are perfect if you need to feed a lot of people or want something hearty that doesn’t require additional sides. The recipe is clear, with no complicated steps or rare ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
Meat with a bit of fat (pork or a pork/beef mix) makes the filling more tender.
Don’t fill the peppers to the brim; leave about a finger’s width at the top.
If you want the peppers to be firmer, don’t boil them on high heat.
You can taste after 1 hour if you’re unsure about the rice – to ensure it’s not hard.
Substitutions
Chicken or beef can be used if you want something leaner, but the texture will be different.
If you don’t have parsley, you can skip it; the recipe is good without it.
Variations
You can add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the sauce for more color.
For a tangier sauce, add a few slices of fresh tomato in the pot over the peppers.
Sometimes, rice can be replaced with a bit of bulgur, but it’s not the classic recipe.
Serving ideas
You can serve them with sour cream or plain yogurt.
They go well with fresh bread, but they are filling enough on their own.
Some prefer them with chopped dill sprinkled on top.
Frequently asked questions
1. Does the rice need to be washed before adding it to the mixture?
It’s not necessary, but if you want it to be less starchy, you can quickly rinse it with cold water.
2. Can I use chicken meat?
Yes, but the taste will be milder and the filling less juicy. However, it works for those who prefer lean meat.
3. What should I do if the peppers are too big or too small?
If they are too big, don’t fill them all the way to the top, and if they are small, shorten the cooking time a bit.
4. Can the recipe be made without an egg?
Yes, the egg helps bind the mixture, but it’s not mandatory. The mixture will be a bit crumbly without it.
5. Can I make them in the oven?
This recipe is for boiling, not for the oven. If you want, you can try baking them, but adjustments to the liquid will be needed.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one medium stuffed pepper: about 200-220 kcal per serving, with 12-15 g protein, 7-9 g fat, and 18-20 g carbohydrates. Values depend a lot on the type of meat and how much fat it has. The sauce with flour and tomato juice adds a few more calories, but not significantly.
Storage and reheating
They keep well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or directly in a pot, with a bit of sauce. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the rice and peppers changes unpleasantly after thawing.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour and 40 minutes (including sauce)
Servings: 12 peppers (about 6 people)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main, lunch or dinner
Ingredients
12 bell peppers, medium-sized
600 g ground meat (usually pork, but you can also use a mix)
2 carrots
1 large onion
1/2 cup rice
1 egg
Salt
Pepper
Sweet paprika
1 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon flour
Fresh parsley (for filling)
Hot water – enough to cover the peppers in the pot
Preparation method
1. Prepare the peppers. Cut off the top of each pepper, remove the stem, and clean the inner ribs. If some peppers are larger, you can keep their tops for presentation.
2. Finely chop the onion, carrots, and parsley. Grate the carrot on a small grater.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, carrots, parsley, rice, egg, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little sweet paprika. Mix well with your hands or a spoon until combined.
4. Fill each pepper with the prepared mixture. Don’t pack them too tightly; leave some room for the rice to expand while cooking.
5. Place the tops back on the larger peppers (if desired) and arrange them in a pot so they are as close to each other as possible.
6. Pour hot water over the peppers, enough to cover them.
7. Place an inverted plate on top so that the peppers do not float to the surface and cook evenly.
8. Let simmer on low heat for about an hour and a half, until the meat and rice are well cooked. Check the water level from time to time.
9. When the peppers are nearly done, take a cup and mix the flour with two tablespoons of the hot water from the pot until there are no lumps.
10. Add the tomato juice to the flour mixture, mix well, and pour everything back into the pot over the peppers.
11. Let it cook for another 10 minutes, just enough to slightly thicken the sauce.
Why I make this recipe often
Stuffed peppers can be reheated the next day without any issues, and they still taste great. They are perfect if you need to feed a lot of people or want something hearty that doesn’t require additional sides. The recipe is clear, with no complicated steps or rare ingredients.
Tips and variations
Tips
Meat with a bit of fat (pork or a pork/beef mix) makes the filling more tender.
Don’t fill the peppers to the brim; leave about a finger’s width at the top.
If you want the peppers to be firmer, don’t boil them on high heat.
You can taste after 1 hour if you’re unsure about the rice – to ensure it’s not hard.
Substitutions
Chicken or beef can be used if you want something leaner, but the texture will be different.
If you don’t have parsley, you can skip it; the recipe is good without it.
Variations
You can add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the sauce for more color.
For a tangier sauce, add a few slices of fresh tomato in the pot over the peppers.
Sometimes, rice can be replaced with a bit of bulgur, but it’s not the classic recipe.
Serving ideas
You can serve them with sour cream or plain yogurt.
They go well with fresh bread, but they are filling enough on their own.
Some prefer them with chopped dill sprinkled on top.
Frequently asked questions
1. Does the rice need to be washed before adding it to the mixture?
It’s not necessary, but if you want it to be less starchy, you can quickly rinse it with cold water.
2. Can I use chicken meat?
Yes, but the taste will be milder and the filling less juicy. However, it works for those who prefer lean meat.
3. What should I do if the peppers are too big or too small?
If they are too big, don’t fill them all the way to the top, and if they are small, shorten the cooking time a bit.
4. Can the recipe be made without an egg?
Yes, the egg helps bind the mixture, but it’s not mandatory. The mixture will be a bit crumbly without it.
5. Can I make them in the oven?
This recipe is for boiling, not for the oven. If you want, you can try baking them, but adjustments to the liquid will be needed.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one medium stuffed pepper: about 200-220 kcal per serving, with 12-15 g protein, 7-9 g fat, and 18-20 g carbohydrates. Values depend a lot on the type of meat and how much fat it has. The sauce with flour and tomato juice adds a few more calories, but not significantly.
Storage and reheating
They keep well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or directly in a pot, with a bit of sauce. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture of the rice and peppers changes unpleasantly after thawing.