Mediterranean stuffed bell peppers (Print version)
Bell peppers filled with beef, rice, and herbs, baked until tender and bursting with Mediterranean flavors.
# What you'll need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), tops cut off and seeded
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
→ Meats
05 - 14 oz ground beef
→ Grains
06 - 3/4 cup cooked white or brown rice
→ Dairy
07 - 3 oz crumbled feta cheese
→ Liquids
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
→ Herbs & Spices
10 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
11 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to make it:
01 - Set oven to 375°F.
02 - Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil inside a baking dish large enough to hold bell peppers snugly.
03 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet; cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
05 - Stir in cherry tomatoes, cooked rice, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
06 - Fold in crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and mint (if using). Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Fill each bell pepper generously with the beef mixture. Position peppers upright in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Pour broth into the bottom of the baking dish around the peppers.
09 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, until peppers are tender and tops are lightly browned.
11 - Allow stuffed peppers to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.
# Expert suggestions:
01 -
- The peppers turn sweet and tender in the oven while the filling stays hearty and satisfying.
- Its a full meal in one neat package, no need for a dozen side dishes cluttering the counter.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle into each other.
02 -
- Dont skip draining the beef, excess grease will pool at the bottom of the dish and make everything feel heavy.
- Use a baking dish where the peppers fit snugly, if theres too much space the broth spreads thin and doesnt steam them properly.
- Covering with foil for the first half of baking traps steam and softens the peppers, removing it at the end crisps the tops without drying them out.
03 -
- Blanch the peppers for two minutes in boiling water before stuffing if you prefer them extra soft, but I like the slight bite they keep when baked raw.
- A pinch of cinnamon in the filling adds an unexpected warmth that feels very Mediterranean, just a tiny bit goes a long way.
- If the tops brown too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking.