Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are a very popular dish around many Eastern and Middle Eastern countries. For me, it is one of my favorite meals I remember having as a child. It is very traditional in Bulgaria, called “Pulneni Chushki.” There isn’t one person that has tried this and hasn’t loved it. It is a win-win for all. It may look like a difficult dish to make, but actually it is pretty simple and also healthy. Thankful to my mom for this delicious recipe, I am able to pass it along to you guys!

We like to use Italian sweet peppers or Cubanelle. They are long enough to hold a good amount of stuffing and the mix of green and red make the dish look more colorful. When selecting the meat, ask for grass-fed ground lean beef. Buy 1lbs. so you can make a mix big enough to split into two. You can freeze half and use it to make burgers, meatballs or bolognese sauce! The beef mix tastes delicious and is super flavorful from all the spices.

To make this easier for you, I will include step by step images to help guide you through the process. If you would like to save time, make the meat mix and the stuffing the day before you are cooking the peppers. It will save a lot of time! 🙂

Stuffed Peppers

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

For Peppers:

• 3 green Cubanelle peppers, cleared of seeds and stems
• 3 red Cubanelle peppers, cleared of seeds and stems
• 2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For Meat Mix: 

• 1 lbs grass-fed lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed & finely chopped

For Stuffing:

• 1 onion, sliced in four
• 1 large carrot
• 1 head cauliflower, chopped in food processor into rice like pieces

For Sauce:

• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp almond flour
• 3 tbsp parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

For Stuffing:

• STEP 1. First prepare the cauliflower rice. Rinse cauliflower and pulse in food processor until it looks like rice. Transfer to a bowl.
• STEP 2. In a different bowl, add cumin, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, onion, jalapeño and mix well into the meat using your hands. This way, the flavors will absorb really well into the beef.
• STEP 3. Once the beef is prepared, form a large round ball and split into two parts. Wrap one in plastic zip lock bag and free for later use. Use the other half for your peppers.
• STEP 4. In a food processor combine the onion and carrots. Blend until finely chopped.
• STEP 5. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onions and carrots for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add the beef and stir well with a wooden spoon to break up the meat so it doesn’t form chunks. Cook for about 5 minutes.
• STEP 6. Add cauliflower rice at the end and remove from heat.

For Peppers:

• STEP 1. Preheat oven to 450F.
• STEP 2. Stuff each pepper with the beef mixture using a spoon.
• STEP 3. Dip each end of the pepper in almond flour to seal the top and prevent the mixture from coming out while baking. Place the peppers in a baking dish. Add warm water to cover the peppers half way.
• STEP 4. Bake on 450F for 25 minutes. Turn peppers on other side and bake for another 25 minutes. Once the peppers are out of the oven, transfer them to a serving platter and keep the remaining water for the sauce.

For Sauce: 

• STEP 1. In a glass bowl mix the eggs, yogurt, flour and parsley.
• STEP 2. Heat the remaining water from the peppers in a sauce pan. Bring almost to a boil. Add a couple of table spoons from the water to the yogurt mixture and mix well.
• STEP 3. Slowly add the yogurt mixture to the water in the pan and stir very well. Pour over peppers and serve immediately!

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