Few weeknight dinners feel as comforting as a tray of stuffed bell peppers bubbling away in tomato sauce. Tender peppers get packed with a savory mix of ground meat, rice and sautéed vegetables, then simmered until everything is juicy and melded. Serve them with a simple salad, or go all-in on comfort alongside our chicken thighs with bulgur in cream and roast pork neck with potatoes. You can find more classic comfort-food ideas at Allrecipes.
Ingredients
- 5 bell peppers
- 500 g (1.1 lb) homemade ground meat
- 50 g (1/4 cup) rice
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 200 g (3/4 cup) grated tomato
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 liter (4 cups) water
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Chop the carrot and onion; saute, then add the grated tomato and the ground meat. Stir in the washed rice and fry 5 minutes.
- Hollow out the peppers and stuff them with the filling.
- Dissolve the tomato paste in the water, pour over the peppers, and add the bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Tips
Pick peppers that stand upright on their own so the filling stays put. Don’t overfill them — the rice expands as it cooks — and let the peppers rest for 10 minutes before serving. Check the USDA guidelines for safe ground-meat handling.
Nutrition (per pepper): 109 kcal, protein 7.6 g, fat 4.3 g, carbs 9.6 g.