Greek Stuffed Peppers
User Reviews
5
Greek Stuffed Peppers
Description
Greek Stuffed Peppers feature bell peppers cut in half and hollowed, then blanched to soften before filling. The stuffing blends ground meat (such as beef, lamb, or turkey), sautéed onions, fresh herbs like mint and parsley, tomato, cooked rice, and grated cheese like Romano. Red wine is optionally added to deepen flavor. The filling simmers on the stove, combining savory and slightly herbal notes with the acidity of tomato.
The assembled peppers are stuffed generously with the filling and cooked covered with marinara or tomato sauce, either baked in the oven or cooked in a slow cooker. This method ensures the peppers become tender while the filling finishes cooking through, soaking in the sauce and juices.
This dish is suitable for a hearty lunch or dinner, served warm. It can be paired with a simple green salad or additional sides. The versatile filling can also be used to stuff other vegetables like tomatoes or zucchini, and leftovers can be repurposed easily.
Blanching the peppers briefly softens them for filling and speeds oven cooking. Slow cooker instructions avoid pre-blanching and provide a hands-off approach. Adjust rice type and water volume according to the rice used to ensure proper texture.
Ingredients
- 4 bell pepper any color, or 6 smaller peppers (I used a mix of sizes, see notes, large
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion diced
- ¼ cup parsley chopped, fresh
- 1 lb. ground beef or lamb, turkey, or your choice of ground meat or vegan substitute
- 2 tablespoons mint or 1 tablespoon dried, chopped, fresh
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup red wine (optional)
- 1 cup tomato or a 15 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes, or more marinara sauce, chopped, fresh
- ½ cup converted rice see notes for other kinds, such as Ben's Original
- ¼ cup Romano cheese or parmesan or Kefalotiri, grated
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce or canned tomato sauce
Instructions
- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds with a paring knife, leaving the stem intact. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (unless making ahead of time).
- Make the stuffing. In a large skillet, sauté the diced onion and chopped parsley (¼ cup) in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until softened and starting to brown. Add the ground beef (1 lb.) and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped fresh mint (2 tablespoons), kosher salt (1 ½ teaspoons), black pepper (½ teaspoon), red wine, if using (½ cup), and chopped tomatoes (1 cup).
- Add the converted rice (½ cup) to the skillet and stir to coat. Pour in 1 cup (see notes if using another kind of rice!) of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until rice is cooked almost completely.
- Meanwhile, go back to the bell peppers. Once the large pot of water is boiling, add the halved peppers to the water and blanch them for 5 minutes. While they are cooking, spoon ½ cup of marinara sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (or similar size). Spread out to cover the bottom. Remove the peppers with tongs and shake off any excess water and add them to the baking dish, cut side up.
- Once the stuffing is done, add it into the halved peppers. You should be able to pack a lot in there - use it all up! Spoon the rest of the marinara sauce onto the tops of each pepper and spread it out (about 2 tablespoons per pepper). Sprinkle evenly with the grated cheese, if using. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- At this point, you can bake immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours until you're ready to cook. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish around the peppers. If the peppers have been in the fridge, place them on top of the oven to warm up a bit while it preheats.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes - 1 hour, depending on if they were cold from the fridge or not. Allow the peppers to cool for a few minutes before serving. The sauce at the bottom of the pan is delicious - spoon it on top of the peppers or any sides like rice or mashed potatoes that you're serving it with!
Notes
- You can use any size or color of bell peppers, cutting in half if large or using smaller whole peppers.
- Converted rice is recommended, but other rice varieties can be used; adjust cooking times and liquid accordingly.
- The filling mixture also works well for stuffing tomatoes, zucchini, or making cabbage rolls.
- If not baking, the slow cooker method allows cooking without blanching for convenience in warm weather.
- Pack the peppers full with stuffing to avoid leftovers, but any extras can be served on their own or with complementary ingredients like feta cheese and cucumbers.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1stuffed pepper half | |
| Calories | 291kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 44mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 735mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 512mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 799IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 58mg | 64% |
| Calcium | 72mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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