Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 largepeppers
• 946 mlboiling water
• 15 mlrapeseed oil
• 454 gminced beef
• 1 mediumonion, coarsely chopped
• 15 gkosher salt
• 5 mlfreshly ground black pepper
• 475 mlcooked rice
• 60 mlfresh dill, chopped
• 1 pinchground nutmeg
• 794 gchopped tomatoes, undrained
• 1cucumber, unpeeled, rinsed and sliced
• 1red onion, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
• 60 mlBasic Vinaigrette

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. 2

   Prepare the peppers

   Cut the tops off the peppers and keep them. Remove the seeds and ribs carefully, keeping each pepper whole. Set the peppers upright in a 23 cm square baking dish, pour the boiling water into them and set aside.

3. 3

   Chop the tops

   Finely chop the reserved pepper tops.

4. 4

   Cook the filling

   Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble in the beef, then add the chopped onion and pepper tops. Season with the salt and black pepper, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, dill and nutmeg.

5. 5

   Fill and bake

   Drain the peppers and fill them with the beef mixture. Return them to the baking dish, pour the chopped tomatoes over and around them, and bake for 20 minutes.

6. 6

   Arrange to serve

   Transfer the peppers and tomatoes to a serving platter and serve with the cucumber and red onion salad.

7. 7

   Make the salad

   In a salad bowl, combine the cucumber and red onion with 60 ml of Basic Vinaigrette. Toss and serve.

What are stuffed peppers?

Stuffed peppers are whole peppers filled with a savoury mixture and cooked until tender. Versions of the dish appear in many food traditions, with fillings that vary from rice and meat to vegetables and herbs.

Here, beef and cooked rice make a substantial filling, while dill and nutmeg add fragrance. Baking the peppers with tinned tomatoes keeps the filling moist and creates a simple sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 670 calories, 24g protein, 75g carbs, 35g fat.

The rice, peppers and tomatoes provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beef supplies much of the protein and fat. The oil and vinaigrette add further fat, and the salt makes sodium a notable part of the dish. Serve one pepper with a generous portion of the cucumber salad, or add extra salad vegetables to balance the plate.

Choosing the peppers

Size: Choose four large peppers that can stand upright in the baking dish. If they wobble, trim a very small amount from the base without making a hole.

Hollowing: Remove the seeds and pale ribs while keeping the pepper walls intact. Save the tops, as they are chopped into the filling rather than discarded.

Building the filling

Beef and onion: Crumble the beef into the hot pan so it cooks evenly, then mix in the onion and chopped pepper tops. The recipe calls for 5 minutes of cooking before adding the rice.

Rice and herbs: Use cooked rice, which is ready to mix into the beef without needing to cook inside the peppers. Dill and a pinch of nutmeg season the filling without masking the other ingredients.

Filling and baking

Drain first: Pour out the water from the peppers before stuffing them, so it does not dilute the filling or the tomato sauce.

Tomatoes: Pour the undrained chopped tomatoes around and over the filled peppers. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes, keeping the dish in the oven until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot.

The salad on the side

Cucumber and red onion: Toss the sliced vegetables with the vinaigrette shortly before serving. This keeps the cucumber crisp and gives the onion a bright, tangy dressing.

Serving: Spoon some of the tomato sauce onto each plate alongside a pepper. Add salad to balance the soft, savoury filling with a fresh crunch.

Timing and doneness

The recipe specifies 5 minutes for cooking the beef mixture and 20 minutes of baking. Prepare the vegetables and arrange the baking dish while the oven heats to make the steps easier to manage.

Check that the peppers are tender enough to pierce with a knife and that the filling is hot throughout before serving. If the peppers need more time, return the dish to the oven briefly.

Recipe notes & tips

• Choose peppers with broad bases so they are easier to keep upright in the baking dish.
• Keep the pepper walls intact when removing the seeds and ribs to prevent filling from escaping.
• Drain the peppers well before stuffing them.
• Use rice that has already been cooked and cooled or prepared for another meal.
• Toss the cucumber and red onion with vinaigrette just before serving for the freshest texture.
• Check the peppers with a knife near the end of baking and give them extra time if they are still firm.

Variations

• Use turkey: Swap the beef for minced turkey and cook it in the same way.
• Change the herbs: Use chopped parsley in place of dill for a different fresh flavour.
• Add garlic: Stir a little finely chopped garlic into the pan with the onion.
• Make it meat-free: Replace the beef with cooked lentils, keeping the rice and seasonings.
• Use brown rice: Substitute cooked brown rice for a nuttier filling.
• Adjust the salad: Add sliced tomatoes to the cucumber and red onion just before dressing.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cutting the peppers apart: Keep each pepper whole so it can hold the filling.
• Discarding the pepper tops: Chop them finely and cook them with the beef and onion.
• Skipping the draining step: Empty the water from the peppers before stuffing to avoid a watery dish.
• Using uncooked rice: The method relies on cooked rice, so prepare it before mixing the filling.
• Overbaking without checking: Test the pepper texture near the end and remove the dish once tender.
• Dressing the salad too early: Toss it close to serving so the cucumber stays crisp.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover peppers, tomatoes and salad separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the peppers and tomatoes in a covered ovenproof dish at 180°C until hot throughout, or microwave them; serve the salad cold.

Frequently asked questions