Post image for Greek Stuffed Green Peppers with Potatoes

This dish is one of my favorite family comfort foods for the Fall. Many Greek households have large gardens where their priority is to grow enough tomatoes, peppers and zucchini plants to stuff throughout Spring, Summer and the Fall. When you’re ready to make these Stuffed Bell Peppers give yourself time to bake them thoroughly and not to be rushed. It takes extra time when making a stuffed vegetable like this, to taste it several times to determine when it’s ready. Poke the potatoes with a small knife to check for doneness. You can be creative by mixing your vegetables in one dish. You can add zucchini to this dish and trade out the potatoes. I tend to grow bell peppers in my garden, just for this reason. You can always find them today in your local supermarket, which is very handy when choosing to make this recipe.

Here are more stuffed recipes from my blog for you to try!

Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Rice

Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers

Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Let’s Get Started!

For this recipe, we like a more heavy substantial meal for the Fall, so we have used ground beef and rice as the stuffing. Together, they are a complete meal and often served alone, or with a salad or potatoes, which is very traditional, in Greek homes. Once you make this recipe you can change it up any way you choose. You can also substitute lamb for this dish. Once, you have your filling ready, you’re ready to stuff.

The bell peppers need to be prepped, and you can do this before or after you make the filling, allowing it to cool before adding it to your pepper.

When prepping the peppers, cut off about 1/4 – 1/2 -inch of the top. Make sure you keep them together, as you assemble the dish.

Fill your peppers to the top, and place the lid on exactly as they were. I added potatoes for two reasons, one for keeping the peppers in place and upward while baking, and seconds for a more complete side dish. Greeks love their potatoes in every way possible. I used white potatoes here, and sliced them lengthwise. Any potato will do.

A close up on the filling and the top removed.

This are ready, when the potatoes are soft and the peppers have roasted and browned nicely.

Here is the final baked peppers and potato dish ready to serve.

Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a perfect Greek main dish to serve to your family on any given night. Prepping can be made ahead of time and baked when you get home. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream. This recipe has been in our family for years, tried and true.

Course Main Course

Cuisine California Greek

Keyword bell pepper, Greek, meat, stuffed

Servings 4 people

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

6 large peppers, cut in half, seeds removed
1 large onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground meat or lamb
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine - optional
1 cup rice of your choice
3-4 sprigs fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
2-3 teaspoons olive oil (drizzle on top)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Wash and dry the bell peppers. Using a sharp knife cut off 1/2-inch of the top of each pepper. Clean out the inside flesh of each pepper ands replace the tops.
If using potatoes, wash and dry them, and cut them lengthwise into six pieces and again if needed. Set aside.
On medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet and add the onions. Add a large pinch of salt to the onions. Saute until softened not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add more olive oil if needed.
Add the ground beef, tomato paste, wine, and cook until the meat is brown and the juices have evaporated.
Add the rice, pine nuts, golden raisins and herbs and continue to cook slowly for 15 minutes on low to par-cook the rice. Taste for seasoning, if needed. This step is very important to taste as you go. You may need to add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water to the mixture. Taste the rice for doneness. Cool the meat mixture slightly before adding it to the peppers.
Stuff the peppers to the top. Replace the lid. Snugly place the peppers in a 9x13 baking dish. If using potatoes, add them between peppers to prop them up and hold them in place. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of water to the bottom to cook the peppers and potatoes.
Drizzle peppers and potatoes with olive oil and finely chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to the potatoes.
Bake covered with foil or parchment paper in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees until peppers are soft. Remove cover and bake for 10-15 minutes longer until pepper tops are lightly brown in color and potatoes are done.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with any remaining sauce from the pan. You can also serve this dish with Greek yogurt or sour cream on the side. (optional)

Recipe Notes

You can make this ahead and freeze it before baking. Or you can prep it ahead of time, refrigerate and bake that evening. Make the meat mixture the day before and refrigerate and bring to room temperature before stuffing.