Main Dish
Stuffed Peppers with Minced Meat
Stuffed peppers (biber dolması) are one of the most beloved home-cooked dishes in Turkish cuisine. But most recipes are written for a big family table, and it's easy to end up with a pot of 20 peppers. In this recipe, I've adapted classic Turkish stuffed peppers with minced meat for two: just 4 peppers, a handful of ingredients and a small pot. I cook the filling beforehand, which adds flavor and shortens the cooking time. If you're looking for a balanced main dish that brings vegetables, grains and protein together on one plate, this is a lovely option for weeknight dinners.
made to enjoy.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 4 medium stuffing peppers
- FOR THE FILLING;
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- 30 g minced meat (60-75 g for a meatier filling)
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tomato, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- FOR THE CAPS;
- 1 small tomato
- FOR THE SAUCE;
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 60 ml hot water
- TO ADD ON TOP;
- 60 ml hot water
Step by step
Method
- 01
Cut off the pepper tops, remove the seeds, rinse and let them drain.
- 02
Heat the oil in a small pot and lightly sauté the onion.
- 03
Add the minced meat and cook until it releases its juices and changes color.
- 04
Add the tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
- 05
Stir in the tomato paste, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt.
- 06
Add the rice and parsley, cook for 1-2 more minutes, then remove from heat.
- 07
Spoon the filling into the peppers, leaving some space at the top. Cover each with a tomato slice and stand them upright in a small pot.
- 08
Dissolve the tomato paste in the hot water and pour it over the peppers.
- 09
Add the hot water; it should come more than halfway up the peppers, so add a little more if needed. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 30-35 minutes, until the peppers and rice are tender.