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Biber Dolmasi (Turkish Stuffed Peppers)

Baked rice stuffed green peppers in a white oval baking pan.
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5 from 4 reviews

Bell peppers stuffed with rice and with or without ground beef makes the easiest weeknight dinner when prepared and frozen beforehand.

Ingredients

      • 12 small green peppers (or 6 large)

Filling:

      • 12 tablespoons rice (1 tbsp for each pepper)

      • 1 large onion, chopped finely

      • 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

      • 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped finely

      • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

      • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

      • 1 tablespoon dried mint

      • 1 teaspoon black pepper

      • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

      • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

      • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

      • 1/4 cup olive oil

Garnish:

      • 4-5 cherry tomatoes (to top the filling in peppers)*

      • 5-6 thin slices lemon, for garnish

Sauce:

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

    • 2 cloves garlic, mashed

    • 2 teaspoons dried mint

    • 2 cups hot water, divided

Instructions

Preparing Peppers:

  • Cut the tops of peppers in the form of a lid (please see the picture above) and remove the seeds. Try not to damage the peppers.

Make The Filling:

  • In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling. 

Assemble:

  • Stuff each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of the filling depending on the size of the peppers. Leave a little space for rice to rise when cooked.
  • Place each stuffed pepper in a pot. If the pot is oven-proof, things will be easier.
  • Cut the cherry tomatoes in two and place one half over the filling in the peppers. These tomatoes act like a lid for the peppers. Alternatively, you can use the tops you cut from the peppers as a lid too.
  • Place lemon slices on the peppers.

Make The Sauce and Cook The Peppers:

  • Combine olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, dried mint and water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Pour it in the pot with stuffed peppers. 
  • Cook the stuffed peppers covered over medium heat for 15 minutes. 
  • Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Bake: 

  • Preheat the oven at 425F/220C.
  • If your pot is oven-proof, place it in the oven. If not, transfer the stuffed peppers and lemon slices into a baking pan. Pour all the juicy sauce in the pot into this pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until they get golden brown.

Serve:

  • You can serve it warm or at room temperature with some yogurt on the side.

Notes

  1. We either use cherry tomatoes to top the filling in the peppers or put the pepper tops we cut as a lid (please see it in the picture above). You can do whatever you prefer.
  2. If the peppers you are using are larger than the ones we use, you can cut them lengthwise into two and then stuff them. 
  3. You really don’t need to top the stuffed peppers, we do it because we love how they look that way.
  4. If you have leftover filling, you can cook it in another pan over low heat, let it cool and keep in the refrigerator. Reheat and serve it as a side dish on another day. Alternatively, you can stuff a few tomatoes with that remaining filling. To do this, cut the top of tomatoes, remove the seeds and stuff. Place them in the same pan.
  5. If you want to make these with ground beef, add it (about 250g or ½ pound) into the filling with rice.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.giverecipe.com/spicy-stuffed-bell-peppers/