Why You’ll Love This Greek Style Stuffed Peppers
- A Complete Meal in One Neat Package. You get your protein, your grains, and your veggies all baked together beautifully. No need to fuss with multiple side dishes—just pop these in the oven and dinner is practically done.
- Endlessly Customizable to Your Taste. Not a fan of lamb? Use ground turkey or a plant-based alternative. Want to add more greens? Spinach stirred into the filling is fantastic. This recipe is a wonderful template for your own creations.
- Perfect for Making Ahead. You can assemble these peppers a full day in advance, cover them, and keep them in the fridge. When you’re ready, just bake them straight from the refrigerator, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time. It’s a lifesaver on busy weeknights.
- The Flavor is Unbeatable. The tangy feta, the sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and the earthy oregano create a symphony in your mouth. It’s a taste of the Greek islands without ever leaving your kitchen.
Ingredients & Tools
- 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 450 g lean ground lamb or beef
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 100 g uncooked long-grain white rice
- 400 g can of diced tomatoes, undrained
- 50 g sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), chopped
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 120 ml vegetable or chicken broth
Tools: A large skillet, a 9×13 inch baking dish, a sharp knife, and a mixing bowl.
The quality of your feta and sun-dried tomatoes really makes a difference here. A good, creamy, briny feta will melt beautifully into the filling, and the intense sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes provides a fantastic contrast to the savory meat.
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Choosing Your Peppers. Go for peppers that have a flat bottom so they stand up straight in the baking dish. They should be firm and glossy, with no soft spots. A mix of colors makes for a stunning presentation.
- To Precook the Rice or Not? You’ll notice we’re using uncooked rice. The trick is that it cooks slowly inside the pepper, absorbing all the delicious juices from the meat and tomatoes. This method gives the best texture, but it does require a longer bake time.
- Don’t Skip the Broth. That extra liquid poured into the bottom of the baking dish is crucial. It creates steam that helps cook the rice and keeps the peppers from drying out. It also forms a lovely, light sauce at the bottom.
- Feta is Your Friend. Resist the urge to stir all the feta into the filling. Saving some to sprinkle on top before baking gives you those gorgeous, golden-brown, cheesy spots that are just irresistible.
How to Make Greek Style Stuffed Peppers
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Now, let’s prepare the peppers. Carefully slice the tops off the peppers and remove all the seeds and white membranes from the inside. A small paring knife works wonders for this. Give them a quick rinse to ensure no stray seeds are left behind. You’ll want to keep the pepper “boats” intact, so be gentle.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for just another minute—you’ll smell that beautiful aroma, but you don’t want the garlic to burn.
Step 3: Add the ground lamb (or beef) to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it’s nicely browned, which should take about 6-7 minutes. As it cooks, sprinkle in the dried oregano, thyme, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. This is where the base flavors really start to build.
Step 4: Stir in the uncooked rice, the can of diced tomatoes (with their juices), and the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Let this mixture simmer together for about 2 minutes. You’ll notice the rice will start to absorb some of the liquid. Finally, turn off the heat and stir in about two-thirds of the crumbled feta cheese and the fresh parsley.
Step 5: It’s assembly time! Place the hollowed-out peppers upright in your baking dish. Spoon the meat and rice mixture into each pepper, packing it down gently as you go. Fill them right to the top—they will settle a little during baking. Top each pepper with the remaining feta cheese.
Step 6: Carefully pour the broth into the bottom of the baking dish, around the peppers, not over them. This creates the essential steam. Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil and bake for 35 minutes.
Step 7: After 35 minutes, remove the foil. The peppers should be starting to soften. Bake for another 15-20 minutes uncovered, or until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife, the rice is cooked through, and the tops are beautifully golden. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving—they will be incredibly hot!
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A Simple Greek Salad — The crisp lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and kalamata olives with a lemony vinaigrette cut through the richness of the peppers perfectly.
- Warm Pita Bread or Crusty Baguette — Essential for mopping up every last bit of the delicious sauce that forms in the baking dish. It’s a non-negotiable for me.
- Garlicky Tzatziki — A big dollop of cool, creamy tzatziki on the side adds a refreshing tang that complements the savory filling wonderfully.
Drinks
- A Light-bodied Red Wine — Like a Pinot Noir or a Greek Agiorgitiko. The bright red fruit notes won’t overpower the dish and will complement the tomatoes and herbs.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the effervescence and citrus are fantastic palate cleansers between each flavorful bite.
Something Sweet
- Baklava — The honey, nuts, and flaky phyllo pastry are a classic Greek dessert that provides a sweet and crunchy end to the meal.
- Lemon Sorbet — Incredibly light and refreshing, it cleanses the palate and feels like a little sunshine after a hearty dinner.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using peppers that are too small. You need a decent-sized pepper to hold a good amount of filling. If they’re too small, you’ll end up with leftover filling and underwhelming portions.
- Mistake: Forgetting the liquid in the pan. I’ve messed this up before too… without that broth, the rice won’t cook properly, and the peppers can become tough and chewy instead of tender.
- Mistake: Overcooking the filling before baking. The rice only needs a minute in the skillet to toast slightly and absorb flavor. If you cook it too long at this stage, it can become mushy in the final bake.
- Mistake: Skipping the rest time. Letting the peppers sit for five minutes after baking allows the filling to set slightly, making them much easier to serve without everything tumbling out.
Expert Tips
- Tip: Toast your rice. After adding the uncooked rice to the meat in the skillet, let it toast for a full minute, stirring constantly. This simple step adds a wonderful nutty flavor to the final dish.
- Tip: Add a hidden layer of flavor. Before placing the peppers in the baking dish, scatter a few thinly sliced onions on the bottom. They’ll caramelize in the broth and juices, creating a delicious base.
- Tip: Get creative with leftovers. Any extra filling can be sautéed with a couple of beaten eggs the next morning for a fantastic Mediterranean-inspired scramble. Waste not, want not!
- Tip: For a crispier top. If you love a really browned, crispy cheese top, switch your oven to a high broil for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. But watch it like a hawk—it can burn in seconds!
FAQs
Can I make these stuffed peppers vegetarian?
Absolutely! It’s a very easy swap. Instead of ground meat, use two cans of drained and rinsed lentils or a plant-based ground “meat” alternative. The cooking method remains exactly the same. You might want to add an extra pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of soy sauce to boost the savory, umami flavor that the meat usually provides.
Can I use a different type of rice?
You can, but it will change the cooking time and texture. Long-grain white rice works best here because it holds its shape. If you use brown rice, you’ll need to parboil it first (cook it about halfway) before adding it to the mixture, or the peppers will be mush before the rice is done. Quick-cook or pre-cooked rice will become far too soft.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Leftover stuffed peppers keep beautifully! Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, the best method is in a 175°C (350°F) oven, covered with foil, for about 15-20 minutes, or until hot all the way through. The microwave works in a pinch but can make the peppers a bit soggy.
My peppers are still a bit firm after the recommended time. What should I do?
Don’t worry! All peppers vary in thickness. If they’re still too crisp for your liking, simply re-cover the dish with foil and return it to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Check for tenderness with a knife. The extra time won’t hurt the filling at all.
Can I freeze Greek Style Stuffed Peppers?
Yes, they freeze very well. Assemble the peppers completely but do not bake them. Wrap each uncooked pepper individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To cook, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time since they’ll be cold.
