Stuffed Peppers with Mince and Rice, a healthy and really easy dinner recipe with fantastic flavours. The bell peppers are stuffed with a mince and rice mixture, then boiled with the lids on until the peppers are tender, and the rice and beef and fully cooked. A classic recipe that is filling, delicious, and goes well with the whole family.
This dish is very close to my heart, it's a traditional dish in Romania, and one of the most delicious dinners mum cooks. It's similar to our Sarmale Recipe, which is stuffed cabbage leaves with chicken mince and rice, or to the Middle Eastern Dolma, stuffed grape leaves.
For a vegetarian or vegan option, you can omit the meat and use vegetables instead, mushrooms are quite an excellent choice here, but feel free to add any other veggies too. I know there are quite a few recipes out there for stuffed peppers, and most of them go for the baked version.
Which is nice, but I really love them boiled. And for that it's very important to cut the top part of the peppers /capsicum and keep them as lids, otherwise the filling will just overflow during cooking. There is no need for stock/broth during baking, but on the stove top, we need quite a bit, to ensure that the peppers soften well.
If you enjoy stuffed peppers, how about a nice cold appetizer? My cheese stuffed peppers is absolutely amazing for every occasion, no matter the season!
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients needed
- bell peppers -any colours, red are a lot sweeter, but green or yellow would also work
- beef mince - or any other mince or meat mince alternatives
- long grain rice - or basmati rice
- onion
- garlic
- tomato puree
- bay leaves
- salt & black pepper
- dried Italian herbs
- beef stock/broth - or just water, although the dish won't be as flavourful
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- sautee the onions, then add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break the mince, and cook until no longer pink
- add the rice and seasoning, and give it a good stir
- cut the top of each pepper, remove the seeds, keeping the top bit as lids
- divide the beef mixture evenly
- pour over the broth, and put the pepper lids back on
- add the bay leaves and tomato puree, and cover the pan with a lid
- cook on a medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until the peppers are tender, and the beef and rice and cooked through
- garnish with chopped parsley or coriander
And that's it, a delicious dinner that is filling, but healthy, and can be enjoyed all year round.
Expert tips
Before we start preparing the filling, we need to know exactly how many peppers are going to be used. I usually use one tablespoon of rice per pepper, and that's actually enough, given that the rice doubles its volume during cooking, plus we have the beef mixture as well.
When you pour the broth in the pan, pour some over the peppers too, before putting the lids on, the stock will help the rice cook properly. Add enough broth to nearly cover the peppers, a lot of the liquid will just evaporate during cooking, so at the end there is not much left.
It is crucial to have the peppers cook on a low to medium heat, otherwise the filling will overflow. Having the lid on means the peppers will become tender a lot quicker, so I do recommend using one.
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Stuffed Peppers with Mince and Rice
Ingredients
- 6 bell peppers (any colour)
- ½ lb beef mince (250 g)
- 6 tablespoon long grain rice
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
- 4 cups beef stock/broth
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Rinse the peppers with cold water, then cut the top in the shape of a lid, and deseed the peppers.
- Arrange the peppers in a pot, making sure there is not much room between them.
- In a separate pan, heat up the oil on a medium heat.
- Peel and chop the onion, and sautee it gently until it softens.
- Peel and chop the garlic and add it to the pan, and sautee for a further 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef, and use a wooden spoon to break it into pieces.
- Cook the beef until no longer pink, and the water evaporates.
- Rinse the rice with cold water, then add it to the pan together with the seasoning and herbs.
- Stuff the peppers, dividing the beef mixture evenly.
- Add the beef stock to the pan, making sure the peppers are nearly covered with broth, and pour some broth inside the peppers too.
- Place each pepper lid back on the peppers, add the tomato puree and bay leaves to the broth, and cover the pot with a lid.
- Leave to cook until the peppers and tender, but still holding shape, and the rice and beef are cooked through.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander.
Video
Notes
- Before we start preparing the filling, we need to know exactly how many peppers are going to be used. I usually use one tablespoon of rice per pepper, and that's actually enough, given that the rice doubles its volume during cooking, plus we have the beef mixture as well.
- When you pour the broth in the pan, pour some over the peppers too, before putting the lids on, the stock will help the rice cook properly. Add enough broth to nearly cover the peppers, a lot of the liquid will just evaporate during cooking, so at the end there is not much left.
- It is crucial to have the peppers cook on a low to medium heat, otherwise the filling will overflow. Having the lid on means the peppers will become tender a lot quicker, so I do recommend using one.
Nutrition
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Shirley Williams says
What is suggested to have with stuffed capsicums cooked on stove top
Daniela Apostol says
I would go for some nice crusty bread spread with butter, you can also dip it in the liquid in which the peppers cook. I hope this helps!
Helen says
Delicious! I’ve never done these on the stove top before but it’s much bette than oven; turned out soft and really flavourful. Thanks!
Daniela Apostol says
I am glad you liked them!
Eleanor Suchan says
always have made my stuffed peppers ''Hungarian " style by softening slightly in bouling water before stuffing, and use tomato soup poured over and cook slowly until rice is soft, or par cook before adding to mix