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Baked yellow, orange and red bell peppers, stuffed with a rice mixture, placed in a large enamel baking dish with tomato sauce on the bottom, garnished with finely chopped parsley.
5 from 13 ratings

Rice-Stuffed Mediterranean Peppers (Vegetarian)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
These easy vegetarian rice-stuffed peppers are bursting with flavor and are quick and easy to make. The end result is a juicy stuffed pepper, with soft, tangy rice full of umami. A must try for a quick yet super satisfying dinner.
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Ingredients
 

For the peppers:

  • 10 bell peppers, medium to large in size, multi-coloured

For the stuffing:

  • 2 cups white rice, medium grain (calrose) or basmati will work
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium pepper, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato sauce, (passata)
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, see notes for substitute
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon seven spice, or replace with allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup tomato sauce, (passata)
  • 3 cups boiling water
  • 1 stock cube, vegetable or chicken
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, or substitute 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the garnish:

  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Start by preheating the oven to 450F.
  • A raw rice stuffing which includes rice, chopped onions and peppers, tomato paste and spices, in a large stainless steel bowl
    Finely dice the onion, garlic and pepper for the stuffing. Mix all the stuffing ingredients together until well combined.
  • Large yellow, orange and red bell peppers that are hollowed out using a knife, placed in a large enamel baking pan.
    Wash and dry your peppers, then hollow them by creating a round cut around the stem and removing it. Remove the seeds and any extra membrane from the inside, using your fingers. You can also run the pepper under tap water to wash out any stray seeds.
  • Large yellow, orange and red bell peppers, hollowed out and stuffed with a rice mixture, placed in a large enamel baking dish
    Stuff each pepper with the stuffing most of the way through, leaving a few centimeters at the top. The rice will expand as it cooks and slightly bulge out of the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers in a 9x13 inch oven safe dish, or in a large dutch oven with a lid.
  • Large yellow, orange and red bell peppers, hollowed out and stuffed with a rice mixture, placed in a large enamel baking dish and with a red tomato sauce on the bottom.
    Mix all the sauce ingredients together and ensure the stock cube is dissolved by using hot water from the kettle. Pour the sauce into each pepper until its full, then pour the rest of the sauce on the base of the dish.
  • Baked yellow, orange and red bell peppers, stuffed with a rice mixture, placed in a large enamel baking dish with tomato sauce on the bottom.
    Cover the baking dish with foil tightly (or use a lid if using a dutch oven) and bake for 35 minutes. Then, uncover and baste each pepper with the cooking liquids. Cover and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Check the rice for doneness (it should be very soft). Uncover and bake for 5 additional minutes to get a bit of charring on the peppers and thicken the sauce.
  • A large yellow bell pepper, stuffed with a rice mixture and baked, served on a small white plate with a fork and a dollop of yogurt.
    Serve with a side salad, or a dollop of yogurt and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you don't have pomegranate molasses, replace with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sugar (mix together and add).
  • This dish is best made in a dutch oven or an oven safe dish that has a lid to allow the peppers to steam well. If using aluminium foil to cover, make sure you seal it well.
  • You may use smaller peppers, but you'll need more peppers to use up all of the filling.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge. You can also freeze the peppers in an airtight container, then thaw in the fridge overnight and bake until hot.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 0.03mg, Sodium: 1379mg, Potassium: 743mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 7014IU, Vitamin C: 282mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 2mg
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