How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers
When I think about cooking old school, stuffed peppers come to mind. It is a classic dish. Practically everywhere you go there is some version of stuffed peppers. The pepper might be different – e.g. piquillo pepper in Spain vs the bell pepper, but the meat and rice type stuffing has some worldwide breadth. Heck, even in India there is a version of stuffed peppers. We have even played host to a Peruvian spin on the stuffed pepper which did nothing but make my mouth water! The world can’t be wrong – they are delicious!
I do not think there can be any denying that the bell pepper seems to have been put on this earth to be stuffed. It is essentially an empty, edible bowl from which the seeds are really easy to remove once its top has been sliced off. It is just begging to be filled. Plus, the flavor is one where, in its raw state, it exudes what I think is the best example of what freshness might taste like. When cooked, the flavor sweetens and deepens making it a perfect pair with a variety of potential stuffings. Our history has biased us towards meat and grain stuffings, probably because it was a great way to use up leftovers. But stuffing them with creamed vegetables works, too, although having seen recipes for such dishes I am not sure if they are main dishes or just a fancy way to present side dishes.
Although the classic stuffed pepper is delicious, there is a lot to be said for making a bit more of a modern dish. Most recipes use green peppers, but I think there is a sweetness to yellow, orange and red peppers that is worth exploring. Beef and rice is nice, but with all the ancient grains – like quinoa – why not give those a try? Of course, making a full vegetarian stuffed peppers is certainly something that can be done very easily. Back in the day, many recipes called for cooking the peppers first, but this step can be skipped. By roasting the stuffed peppers, we can bring out more flavor and still cook them just enough so they don’t become overly mushy. And the sauce? Usually, I am a full believer in the use of sauces, but if we make the stuffing moist and flavorful, the sauce can be put aside. Here is how I make my stuffed bell peppers.
How To Make Stuffed Bell Peppers – The Video
- 1/2 cup of quinoa
- 4 large bell peppers - any color
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1/4 pound of sliced mushrooms - white button or your favorite
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 2 tbsp of paprika or ancho chill powder
- 1 8 oz can of whole tomatoes
- 1 small bunch of fresh basil - about 15 leaves
- 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
- Fill a medium pot with water and bring the water to boil. Add the quinoa and cook the grain until it is tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the quinoa and set it aside.
- Slice the peppers in half vertically. With your fingers or a paring knife, remove the seeds and membrane making sure to keep the pepper half intact.
- Place the pepper halves in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt. Place the pepper halves face up in a baking dish. Set aside.
- Chop the garlic clove finely.
- Dice the sweet onion into a small dice.
- Cut the celery stalk in half longways. Slice the stalk halves thinly, end to end.
- Add 3 tbsp of olive oil to a large pot and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, celery and onion. Cook until the vegetables are just getting tender and aromatic, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mushroom slices and stir well. When the mushrooms start to get tender, add the beef.
- Let the beef cook until completely browned. Stir in the paprika well. Cook for one minute.
- Add the tomatoes. Stir the tomatoes into the meat and let simmer 10 minutes until the juice from the tomatoes is reduced by about half.
- Add the cooked quinoa. Stir well.
- Add the basil leaves and stir until they just wilt.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and place it in a bowl to cool. Cool the mixture for about 15 minutes so it will still be warm, but can be handled to make stuffing the peppers easy.
- Stir the parmesan cheese into the beef and quinoa mixture. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stuff the peppers full with the beef and quinoa mixture.
- Place the peppers in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the peppers start to get tender and the stuffing is heated throughout.
- Turn on the oven broiler. Sprinkle extra parmesan cheese on top of each pepper. Place the peppers under to broiler and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling and browned.
- Serve hot!
- Stuffed peppers are a great supper which can be made ahead. Simply make the recipe through the stuffing of the peppers. Hold the stuffed peppers covered in the refrigerator. Bake when ready - within a day or two. Serve them with a crusty bread and a side salad.
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How do you make stuffed peppers? Let us know all about it in the comments or on Facebook.
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