Etli Biber Dolması (Turkish Stuffed Peppers with Meat and Rice)

🧂 Ingredients

• 6 Bell peppers(Medium-sized, any color (green, red, yellow, orange). Choose peppers that can stand upright.)
• 300 g Ground beef(80/20 or 85/15 fat content is recommended for flavor.)
• 100 g Rice(Short or medium-grain rice like Arborio or Calrose works well. Rinse thoroughly before use.)
• 2 Tomatoes(Medium-sized, ripe. One for the filling, one for the sauce. Alternatively, use 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes for the sauce.)
• 1 Onion(Medium-sized, finely chopped.)
• 1/4 cup Fresh parsley(Finely chopped.)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil(For sautéing the onion.)
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste(Adds depth to the sauce.)
• 1 cup Water or broth(For the baking sauce.)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• 1 pinch Optional: Pinch of red pepper flakes

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the peppers: Wash the bell peppers. Slice off the tops (about 1-inch from the stem) and reserve them. Carefully remove the seeds and white membranes from the inside of each pepper, creating a hollow cavity. Be gentle to avoid tearing the pepper. Rinse the hollowed peppers briefly.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
2. 2

   Make the filling: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in the rinsed rice, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Grate or finely dice one tomato and add it to the mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring, to combine the flavors.

   ⏱️ 15 minutes
3. 3

   Stuff the peppers: Generously fill each hollowed bell pepper with the meat and rice mixture, packing it in but leaving a small space at the top (about 1/2 inch) as the rice will expand. Place the reserved pepper tops back onto the stuffed peppers to act as lids.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
4. 4

   Prepare the baking sauce and bake: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste with 1 cup of water or broth. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the stuffed peppers upright in a baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce mixture around the peppers in the dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork and the filling is cooked through. If the peppers aren't tender enough, continue baking for another 10-15 minutes. For a slightly browned top, you can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

   ⏱️ 50-60 minutes

💡 Pro Tips

• ✓Home cooking classic: This dish is a staple in Turkish households, known for its comforting and familiar flavors.
• ✓Save some filling for sauce: If you have extra filling, you can bake it separately in a small dish alongside the peppers, or use it to thicken the sauce.
• ✓Serve with yogurt: A dollop of plain yogurt or cacık (Turkish yogurt dip) is a traditional and delicious accompaniment.

🔄 Variations

• With eggplant: Add cubed eggplant to the filling mixture or layer sliced eggplant in the baking dish.
• Vegetarian: Substitute the ground beef with cooked lentils, crumbled firm tofu, or a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms and walnuts.

🥗 Nutrition

Per serving