By RichardObradovic | Balkan | May 04, 2025
🍅 A homestyle favorite — tender bell peppers filled with a savory mix of ground meat, rice, and herbs, all baked in rich tomato sauce. Hearty and comforting.
For the filling:
🌶️ 6 bell peppers (tops cut, seeds removed)
🥩 400g ground beef or a beef-pork mix
🍚 100g rice (uncooked)
🧅 1 onion, finely chopped
🧄 2 garlic cloves, minced
🧂 Salt and pepper, to taste
🌿 1 tsp paprika
🥚 1 egg (optional, for binding)
For the sauce and baking:
🍅 500ml tomato passata or purée
🧂 Salt, pepper, bay leaf
💧 200ml water
🛢️ 2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1. 🧅 Sauté chopped onion and garlic until soft.
2. 🥣 In a bowl, combine ground meat, rice, sautéed onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. 🌶️ Fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Place upright in a baking dish.
4. 🍅 In a separate bowl, mix tomato sauce, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and oil. Pour around (not over) the peppers.
5. 🔥 Cover and bake at 190°C (375°F) for about 60–70 minutes, uncover for last 10–15 min for a light crust.
6. ❄️ Let rest before serving.