Eastern European style beef and rice stuffed bell peppers, cooked in a savory tomato sauce!
Prep time: PT30M
Cook time: PT90M
Rating
5 stars (4 reviews)
Keywords
ground beef, stuffed peppers
Ingredients
6 to 7 medium-sized red bell pepper
1 cup white rice (uncooked)
1 pound ground meat
2 to 3 medium-sized carrots (grated)
1 extra-large onion (diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh dill
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 medium onion (diced)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup tomato sauce
4 cups beef broth
salt and black pepper
sprinkle of smoked paprika
extra chopped fresh dill
Sour cream (for serving)
pickles (for serving)
rustic bread
Categories
Dinner
Cuisine
Russian/Ukrainian
Steps
Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare the rice first. Measure out 1 cup of uncooked white rice, then cook it in a small sauce pot according to package instructions. The rice needs to be fully cooked before adding to the filling.
Next, prepare the mirepoix for the filling. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the grated carrots, diced onion and minced garlic. Saute the mixture, not browning, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the onion and carrot is tender. Transfer the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Once the rice is done cooking, add it to the same mixing bowl. Follow with the seasonings, spices and herbs. Allow the rice to cool a bit, then add the egg and ground meat. Using your hands, mix all the filling ingredients together for a few minutes, until a uniform mixture forms.
Prepare the peppers: take a sharp paring knife and cut around the top of the pepper, removing the core and seeds. Tap the peppers a few times gently to get rid of any remaining seeds. I also like to remove the white membrane from the sides of the peppers; it can be bitter. Fill the peppers with the prepared filling, compacting the filling into the bottom of the peppers first. Arrange the stuffed peppers in a large cast iron pot, Dutch oven or copper braiser.
Next, prepare the braising sauce. Using the same frying pan from earlier, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Deglaze the pan with a cup of beef broth, then add the tomato sauce and season the sauce with a generous amount of salt, black pepper and a bit of smoked paprika. Bring the sauce up to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Add the remaining 3 cups beef broth and bring to a simmer again.
Pour the simmering sauce over the arranged stuffed peppers and sprinkle the top with more dill. The liquids will come up about a 1/3 to 1/2 way up the peppers; there is no need to add additional liquids. Cover the pan with a lid and place into preheated oven. Bake at 375F for 1 hour and 30 to 45 minutes; baking longer will make the peppers softer.
Allow the peppers to cool for about 30 minutes before serving; they will be extremely hot when they come out of the oven. Serve the peppers with a generous amount of sour cream on top and with a side of pickles and bread.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 467 kcal
Carbohydrates: 41 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 131 mg
Sodium: 1925 mg
Sugar: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Reviews
Tamara on 2026-03-10 (5 stars): I’ve made this recipe more than once now, so you can tell I love it. My husband and I really enjoy this delicious meal. No need to use any other recipe, as this is perfection.
Helen on 2024-05-22 (5 stars): ABSOLUTELY AWESOME recipe! I have been making stuffed peppers once in a while for 50 years. This recipe is quite different from all recipes that I have seen that are all pretty much the same as each other. These were so yummy. The filling was very tender and delicious and the sauce was a wonderful compliment in this dish. I followed the recipe exactly as written except added 1/2 cup more rice. I found that 1 lb. of ground beef made 4 peppers as my peppers were not small. Thank you for sharing. This is my stuffed pepper recipe for all time!
Dorothy on 2024-01-19 (5 stars): Thanks Tatyana, I made this recipe this evening. It tastes exactly like the home made Stuffed peppers I’ve had previously. Bring back wonderful memories and so delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Vika on 2021-09-23 (5 stars): Omg i love it! I am from Moscow living with my Aussie hubby and 3 kids under 8 in Melbourne,....always looking for awesome Russian recipes ..(Slavic) This was delicious! I am saving your recipe! Spasibo!
