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–+ servings

Stuffed Bell Pepper

Tender bell peppers stuffed with seasoned rice, savory herbs, and lean protein, slow-simmered until tender. A Mediterranean classic that brings a complete, balanced meal to your table in one comforting, edible bowl.
Shared notes will appear here.
Everyday Cooking
Mediterranean
Kitchen Pace : 🕒🕒
Servings: 7
Recipe by NAVA Kitchen
Stuffed bell peppers with beef and rice simmered in tomato sauce, served in a white bowl on a woven placemat.
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Ingredients:

For the Filling
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • ½ cup rice, uncooked
  • 1 onion, medium, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated
  • 4 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 2 tomatoes, peeled, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Optional: 1/4 cup chopped parsley
For Stuffing
  • 7 green bell peppers, small, any color works
  • 3 tomatoes
For Cooking
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil
  • 8 tbsp tomato sauce
  • Salt, to taste
  • Water, enough to reach 3/4 height of peppers

Method:

Start Cooking
Make the filling
  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, grated onion, grated garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, olive oil, salt, paprika, black pepper, and parsley (if using). Mix until fully combined.
Prepare the vegetables
  • Wash the peppers. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Set peppers and their tops aside on a tray.
  • Wash the tomatoes. Cut off the tops (keep as caps). Carefully scoop out the inside and add that tomato flesh to the filling mixture. Set tomatoes aside with their caps.
Stuff
  • Fill each pepper and tomato about 3/4 full using a spoon (the rice needs room to expand).
  • Cover both peppers and tomatoes with their caps, then arrange everything upright on a tray.
Cook
  • In a large pot, heat avocado oil. Add tomato sauce, then place the stuffed peppers and tomatoes upright in the pot.
  • Lightly sprinkle salt over the vegetables. Add water until it reaches about 3/4 of the height of the peppers.
  • Cover and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, gently lift the caps and spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the fillings, then replace the caps.
Finish the sauce
  • Gently smash the cooked tomatoes into the pot and stir them into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes.
Serve
  • Serve warm with plenty of tomato broth spooned over the top. Bon appétit.

Kitchen Tools:

Notes:

From the kitchen
  • Don’t pack the filling tightly. Loose filling helps the rice cook evenly and keeps the peppers tender.
  • Choose similarly sized small bell peppers so they cook evenly and serve beautifully.
  • Spoon some cooking liquid into the peppers every 15 minutes to keep the filling moist.
 
Make it yours
  • Swap ground beef for ground turkey or lamb.
  • Add fresh herbs like dill or mint along with parsley for extra brightness.
  • Add a pinch of chili flakes or Aleppo pepper to the filling for a little heat.
 
At the table
  • Serve with plain yogurt, garlic yogurt or cacik on the side.
  • Enjoy with a tomato cucumber salad.
  • Finish with a squeeze of lemon and extra parsley.
  • Great for meal prep and even better the next day.

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Nutrition:

Calories: 341 kcal | Carbohydrates: 23 g | Protein: 15 g | Fat: 22 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 48 mg | Sodium: 249 mg | Potassium: 731 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 7 g | Vitamin A: 1356 IU | Vitamin C: 111 mg | Calcium: 48 mg | Iron: 2 mg
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