This old-school stuffed peppers recipe was inspired by BA video host Brad Leone’s Italian American grandmother. For her, the filling mixture is sacrosanct: a combination of ground beef and pork, cooked white rice, spices including cumin and smoked paprika, walnuts for added texture, and raisins for a touch of sweetness. Meanwhile, Parmesan plays double duty: It adds a savory note to the filling and is sprinkled on top to create a nice browned and cheesy crust. Nonna Leone braised her peppers in tomato juice, not marinara or canned diced tomatoes, both to keep costs down and because those chunkier ingredients would reduce too much in the oven, burning out before the peppers are fully cooked.
If it’s your first time filling vegetables, this simple recipe (or this vegetarian one) is an excellent place to start. Red, yellow, or green bell peppers will do—just make sure they are free of soft spots or blemishes. To help them stay upright, sliver a bit off the bottom of each so the peppers sit flat in the baking dish. Fill the peppers with the meat and rice mixture to the top (and even a bit over it) since the filling will shrink as it cooks.
These stuffed bell peppers are even better made ahead of time. Invest a bit of prep time, assembling and cooking the stuffed peppers up to 2 days ahead, then refrigerate and reheat in a baking dish before serving at a Sunday supper or weeknight meal.
Ingredients
4 servings
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped walnuts
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
225g. ground beef (20% fat)
225g. ground pork
1 cup cooked rice
¼ cup golden raisins
2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), divided
4 medium or 6 small bell peppers, any color
4 cups tomato juice (100% juice)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown, 10–15 minutes. Add walnuts, garlic, tomato paste, cayenne, cumin, turmeric, and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until combined and garlic is softened, 2–3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until just slightly reduced, 1–2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Mix beef, pork, and remaining 1 tsp. salt with your hands in a large bowl. Fold in rice, raisins, and ¼ cup cheese with a wooden spoon and mix well to combine. Add onion mixture and mix with wooden spoon until incorporated.
Step 3
Cut off bottom bumps of bell peppers to create a flat end so they can stand upright. (Don’t shave off too much or the filling will leak out.) Cut a thin slice off of stem ends of peppers to remove tops, then scoop out seeds and membranes; discard. Spoon meat mixture into peppers, pressing down on mixture to pack filling all the way to the top.
Step 4
Arrange peppers in a small Dutch oven or baking dish. Pour tomato juice around them, leaving about 1" of pepper exposed.
Step 5
Top stuffed peppers with remaining ¼ cup cheese; season with pepper. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until peppers are tender and cheese is browned, about 30 minutes more.
Do Ahead: Stuffed peppers can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, covered, until heated through, about 20 minutes.
Recipe by Brad Leone
This article originally appeared in Bon Appetit US
