Stuffed Bell Peppers With Rice And Ground Meat

Ingredients

• 1500 g (12 large)bell peppers
• 600 g (1.3 lb)potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• 90 ml (6 tablespoons)olive oil
• 1 tablespoontomato paste
• 1 teaspoondried oregano
• to tastesalt and pepper
• a splasholive oil
• 200 g (1 large)onion, minced
• 3 clovesgarlic, finely chopped
• 450 g (1 lb)ground meat, either beef or a mixture of beef and pork
• 150 g (10½ tablespoons)Arborio rice or Greek Karolina rice
• 3 tablespoonstomato paste
• 375 ml (1½ cups)hot water or stock
• 1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
• ⅓ teaspoonground cumin
• 2 teaspoonsdried oregano
• 2 tablespoonspine nuts, ideally toasted
• about 300 ml (1¼ cups)fresh tomato pulp from ripe tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater with the skins discarded
• 4 tablespoonsfresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare peppers

   Slice the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and inner membranes.

2. 2

   Soften onion

   Warm a splash of olive oil in a sauté pan. Cook the onion until soft, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Brown the meat

   Add the ground meat and season with salt and pepper. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until it begins to brown.

4. 4

   Add rice

   Stir in the rice and 3 tablespoons of tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 minute.

5. 5

   Cook the rice

   Pour in the hot water or stock. Cook uncovered over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated.

6. 6

   Finish filling

   Mix in the smoked paprika, cumin, 2 teaspoons of oregano, pine nuts, parsley and grated tomato pulp. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

7. 7

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

8. 8

   Fill peppers

   Spoon the filling into the peppers and replace their tops as lids.

9. 9

   Arrange in dish

   Set the stuffed peppers in a baking dish or pan; the recipe uses a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) pan.

10. 10

    Add potatoes

    Arrange the potato wedges around the peppers.

11. 11

    Add tomato water

    Stir 1 tablespoon of tomato paste into 355 ml (1½ cups) of hot water and pour it into the pan.

12. 12

    Season the pan

    Drizzle the peppers and potatoes with 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Season them with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.

13. 13

    Cover the dish

    Cover the pan with parchment paper and aluminium foil, or use a lid if the pan has one.

14. 14

    Bake until tender

    Bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. If the pan looks dry when you uncover it, add a splash of water.

15. 15

    Rest before serving

    Leave the dish to stand for 30 minutes before serving.

16. 16

    Serve with feta

    Serve the peppers with the potatoes and, if you like, a large piece of feta cheese.

What are Greek stuffed peppers?

Stuffed peppers, often called yemista in Greece, are vegetables filled with a seasoned mixture and baked until tender. This version uses rice, ground meat, tomato, herbs and pine nuts, with potatoes cooking alongside to soak up the savoury juices.

The combination makes the dish substantial enough to serve as a main meal. Replacing each pepper’s top as a lid helps keep the filling contained as it bakes.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 608 calories, 21g protein, 62g carbs, 33g fat.

The rice and potatoes supply much of the carbohydrate, while olive oil contributes a large share of the fat. The ground meat provides protein, with the exact balance depending on whether you use beef or a beef-and-pork mixture. Serve a pepper with a generous share of the potatoes and consider adding a simple green salad to round out the plate.

Building the filling

Meat and onion: soften the onion before adding garlic, then brown the meat to develop a savoury base. Breaking it up as it cooks helps it combine evenly with the rice.

Rice and tomato: the rice gets a brief cook with tomato paste before the hot liquid goes in. Simmering until that liquid has evaporated gives the filling a relatively firm texture before it goes into the oven.

Aromatics and texture

Herbs and spices: smoked paprika, cumin and oregano add warmth, while parsley and fresh tomato bring a brighter note. Taste the mixture before stuffing so you can adjust its seasoning at that stage.

Pine nuts: toasted nuts add a little crunch against the soft rice and meat. If yours are not already toasted, the recipe does not specify a separate toasting step, so use them as they are or toast them ahead.

Getting the filling into the peppers

Pepper prep: remove the seeds and membranes while keeping the peppers intact, then save each top to use as a lid. Set the peppers upright in the dish so the filling stays inside.

Filling level: spoon the mixture in without packing it too tightly. Leave a little room at the top for the rice to settle as the peppers bake.

Baking and doneness

Covered bake: parchment and foil, or a pan lid, help retain moisture during the first hour in the oven. The recipe then calls for 15 minutes uncovered to finish the bake.

Check the pan: the peppers should be tender and the potatoes cooked through. Add a splash of water when uncovering if the pan looks dry, as directed in the method.

Resting and serving

Resting: leave the cooked dish for 30 minutes before serving. This gives the filling time to settle and makes the peppers easier to lift from the pan.

On the plate: serve a pepper with the surrounding potato wedges and some of the pan juices. Feta is an optional accompaniment mentioned in the recipe.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grate the tomato pulp over a bowl to catch its juices as well as the flesh.
• Use peppers of a similar size so they fit the pan and bake at a similar rate.
• Keep the pepper tops close by while filling so they can be replaced as lids.
• Taste the filling after adding the tomato and herbs, before spooning it into the peppers.
• Let the pan rest for the full 30 minutes before lifting out the peppers.
• Choose a baking dish that holds the peppers snugly, with space for potatoes around them.

Variations

• Beef and pork: use a mixture of both meats for the filling, as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Stock instead of water: use hot stock in the rice mixture for a more savoury base.
• Rice choice: use Arborio or Greek Karolina rice, as listed in the recipe.
• Extra herbs: adjust the parsley to taste while keeping the oregano in the filling and pan.
• Feta serving: add a large piece of feta alongside each portion at the table.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowded pan: peppers can tip over if they have too much room; arrange them snugly in the dish.
• Dry filling: do not stop simmering until the liquid has evaporated, but keep the heat low to avoid scorching the rice.
• Overfilled peppers: leave a little space at the top so the rice can settle as it cooks.
• Dry baking dish: check when uncovering and add a splash of water if needed.
• Skipping the rest: wait 30 minutes before serving so the filling settles and the peppers are easier to handle.

How to store

Refrigerate cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an ovenproof dish, covered, until hot throughout; add a little water if the pan seems dry.

Frequently asked questions