Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for Lamb Stuffed Green Peppers

On any night I use this recipe to make a quick dinner for my family. I tend to keep green peppers on hand and lamb in my freezer. It’s one of those dishes you can pull together in no time. I shop for ground lamb or you can use ground beef, at the butcher department of the grocery store. He can always grind you a pound or two. The choice is up to you what rice you use, I use organic rice from Lundberg Farms.

Whatever you have on hand works, this is what I call a pantry recipe.

  • Choose your meat, lamb or beef or use mushrooms, grains, and rice only for a meatless version.
  • Select whatever hard cheese you may have on hand. I used a salty hard Greek cheese.
  • Choose your grain and nuts. ( I used pine nuts but you can use walnuts, almonds…)
  • Choose your onion. You can use red or white onion, leeks, green onions, shallots and garlic.

Let’s get started…

These are four peppers I cut in half, they cook faster for a weeknight dinner.

Start with a large pan and saute the meat, onions, and salt and pepper.

Stuff and add your cheese. The cheese is optional, but do drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before baking.

 

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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

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

     

  4. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, wine, and cook until the meat is brown and the juices have evaporated. 

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

You may also enjoy my other lamb recipes!

Grilled Lamb Chops with Greens

Lamb Stew with Artichokes and Gigantes

Lamb Shanks with Rosemary Orzo

Bon Appetit!

Mary 

© 2017 – 2020, Mary Papoulias-Platis. All rights reserved.

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Tagged as: EVOO, Greek Culture, green peppers, lamb, Main dishes, rice, Simply Greek, stuffed, Traditional Greek, weeknight

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Tami

I love the flavor but the rice doesn’t get cooked. Any suggestions? I assume cooked covered too?

2 Mary Papoulias-Platis

Hi Tami,
I cook the white rice with meat, so it can partially cook through before stuffing. If you use any other grain, I suggest you precook it, then add it to the peppers. I hope that works for you. Mary

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