I have made these stuffed peppers multiple times, especially in the fall when I find good bell peppers at the market. It's the kind of vegetarian dish that you can quickly pop in the oven without much hassle. I love that it has just a few simple ingredients, and the filling with mushrooms and rice is quite filling.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60-70 minutes
Servings: 8-10, depending on the size of the peppers
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish, vegetarian
Ingredients
8-10 medium-sized red bell peppers
1 and a half cups of rice (about 300 g)
3-4 onions
1 jar of mushrooms (about 400 g, drained)
5-6 tablespoons of oil
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
salt to taste
pepper (optional)
a little water (for the sauce and filling)
Preparation Method
1. Wash the bell peppers well. Cut a small cap around the stem and carefully remove the seeds without breaking them. Set them aside.
2. Chop the onions and sauté them in a large pan with 5-6 tablespoons of oil. When they start to soften, add the chopped mushrooms.
3. Let the onions and mushrooms sauté for a bit, just enough for the water from the mushrooms to evaporate. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Add the well-washed rice to remove excess starch. Pour in a cup of water, just enough to partially cover the rice, not completely. Stir on low heat until it starts to swell and absorbs most of the water. Finally, season with salt to taste. If desired, add a little pepper.
5. Fill the peppers with this mixture using a teaspoon. Don’t pack them too tightly, so the rice has room to expand in the oven. Place them in a deep baking dish, with the cut caps placed back on (or without, if you’re not using them).
6. For the sauce, mix 4 tablespoons of tomato paste with enough water to achieve a thinner liquid, almost like broth. Add salt, a little pepper, and a bit more oil. Pour the sauce over the peppers, covering them almost completely.
7. Put the dish in the oven at a moderate temperature. Let them bake for about an hour, maybe even longer, until the peppers are cooked and the rice inside is done.
8. Occasionally, open the oven and spoon some sauce over the peppers. The top dries out otherwise, and the rice remains hard.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I return to this recipe because it’s quick and doesn’t require many ingredients. Stuffed peppers can be eaten hot or cold, they keep well for a day or two in the fridge, and they work as a main dish or a side with other vegetarian dishes.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use bell peppers that are as uniform in size as possible for even cooking.
If you don’t have canned mushrooms, you can use fresh mushrooms, chopped and drained.
If the filling is too dry, add a little water while sautéing.
Don’t overfill the peppers, as the rice will expand.
Substitutions
Rice can be replaced with barley or quinoa, but they don’t behave the same – cooking times differ.
Instead of bell peppers, you can use capia peppers, but the final texture will not be the same.
You can use any type of oil you have on hand; olive oil is not mandatory.
Variations
You can add dill or parsley to the filling if you like greens in your vegetarian dishes.
For a more flavorful filling, add a small clove of finely chopped garlic with the mushrooms.
Serving Ideas
Serve them as they are, with the sauce from the dish.
They go well with fresh bread or polenta.
They are also good cold, for lunch or dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if the rice in the peppers is fully cooked?
The rice should be soft, and you shouldn’t feel any hard grains. If after an hour you still find the rice undercooked, add a little liquid and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes.
2. Can I prepare the stuffed peppers a day in advance?
Yes, you can cook them and store them in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven or microwave, along with the sauce.
3. What type of rice works best?
Round or classic rice, suitable for stuffed cabbage or pilaf. Pre-cooked rice or risotto rice does not work the same here.
4. Can I skip the mushrooms altogether?
You can, but the filling will be less flavorful. If you don’t want mushrooms, you can add more onions and a little grated carrot, but the taste will be different.
5. Can the stuffed peppers be frozen?
I do not recommend it, as the texture of the peppers becomes soft and watery after thawing.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, one serving (one stuffed pepper with a little sauce) has about 180-220 kcal. The rice and oil contribute the most calories. For one serving: 35-40 g carbohydrates, 4-5 g protein, 6-8 g fat. The amounts are approximate and may vary depending on how much oil you use and the size of the peppers.
Storage and Reheating
Stuffed peppers should be kept in the fridge, in a covered container or in the dish they were cooked in. They keep well for 1-2 days. Reheating is easiest in the oven, covered, or in the microwave, with the sauce. I do not recommend keeping them for more than 2 days – the texture changes and the peppers become too soft.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60-70 minutes
Servings: 8-10, depending on the size of the peppers
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: main dish, vegetarian
Ingredients
8-10 medium-sized red bell peppers
1 and a half cups of rice (about 300 g)
3-4 onions
1 jar of mushrooms (about 400 g, drained)
5-6 tablespoons of oil
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
salt to taste
pepper (optional)
a little water (for the sauce and filling)
Preparation Method
1. Wash the bell peppers well. Cut a small cap around the stem and carefully remove the seeds without breaking them. Set them aside.
2. Chop the onions and sauté them in a large pan with 5-6 tablespoons of oil. When they start to soften, add the chopped mushrooms.
3. Let the onions and mushrooms sauté for a bit, just enough for the water from the mushrooms to evaporate. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Add the well-washed rice to remove excess starch. Pour in a cup of water, just enough to partially cover the rice, not completely. Stir on low heat until it starts to swell and absorbs most of the water. Finally, season with salt to taste. If desired, add a little pepper.
5. Fill the peppers with this mixture using a teaspoon. Don’t pack them too tightly, so the rice has room to expand in the oven. Place them in a deep baking dish, with the cut caps placed back on (or without, if you’re not using them).
6. For the sauce, mix 4 tablespoons of tomato paste with enough water to achieve a thinner liquid, almost like broth. Add salt, a little pepper, and a bit more oil. Pour the sauce over the peppers, covering them almost completely.
7. Put the dish in the oven at a moderate temperature. Let them bake for about an hour, maybe even longer, until the peppers are cooked and the rice inside is done.
8. Occasionally, open the oven and spoon some sauce over the peppers. The top dries out otherwise, and the rice remains hard.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I return to this recipe because it’s quick and doesn’t require many ingredients. Stuffed peppers can be eaten hot or cold, they keep well for a day or two in the fridge, and they work as a main dish or a side with other vegetarian dishes.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use bell peppers that are as uniform in size as possible for even cooking.
If you don’t have canned mushrooms, you can use fresh mushrooms, chopped and drained.
If the filling is too dry, add a little water while sautéing.
Don’t overfill the peppers, as the rice will expand.
Substitutions
Rice can be replaced with barley or quinoa, but they don’t behave the same – cooking times differ.
Instead of bell peppers, you can use capia peppers, but the final texture will not be the same.
You can use any type of oil you have on hand; olive oil is not mandatory.
Variations
You can add dill or parsley to the filling if you like greens in your vegetarian dishes.
For a more flavorful filling, add a small clove of finely chopped garlic with the mushrooms.
Serving Ideas
Serve them as they are, with the sauce from the dish.
They go well with fresh bread or polenta.
They are also good cold, for lunch or dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I know if the rice in the peppers is fully cooked?
The rice should be soft, and you shouldn’t feel any hard grains. If after an hour you still find the rice undercooked, add a little liquid and let them cook for another 10-15 minutes.
2. Can I prepare the stuffed peppers a day in advance?
Yes, you can cook them and store them in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven or microwave, along with the sauce.
3. What type of rice works best?
Round or classic rice, suitable for stuffed cabbage or pilaf. Pre-cooked rice or risotto rice does not work the same here.
4. Can I skip the mushrooms altogether?
You can, but the filling will be less flavorful. If you don’t want mushrooms, you can add more onions and a little grated carrot, but the taste will be different.
5. Can the stuffed peppers be frozen?
I do not recommend it, as the texture of the peppers becomes soft and watery after thawing.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, one serving (one stuffed pepper with a little sauce) has about 180-220 kcal. The rice and oil contribute the most calories. For one serving: 35-40 g carbohydrates, 4-5 g protein, 6-8 g fat. The amounts are approximate and may vary depending on how much oil you use and the size of the peppers.
Storage and Reheating
Stuffed peppers should be kept in the fridge, in a covered container or in the dish they were cooked in. They keep well for 1-2 days. Reheating is easiest in the oven, covered, or in the microwave, with the sauce. I do not recommend keeping them for more than 2 days – the texture changes and the peppers become too soft.