Ah, stuffed peppers—a classic, hearty dish found in many cuisines! In Hungarian cooking (töltött paprika), they’re usually filled with rice, ground meat, and spices, then cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce.
Ingredients (for 4 servings, ~4 peppers)
- 4 medium bell peppers (red, yellow, or green)
- 300 g ground meat (pork, beef, or a mix)
- ½ cup rice, uncooked
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1–2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 400 ml tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
- Optional: sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers:
- Cut the tops off and remove seeds and membranes. Keep the tops if you like to use them as “lids.”
- Prepare the filling:
- In a bowl, mix ground meat, uncooked rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Stuff the peppers:
- Fill each pepper with the meat-rice mixture, pressing gently.
- Cook the peppers:
- Heat oil or butter in a pot.
- Place the stuffed peppers upright, pour tomato sauce over them, and cover.
- Simmer gently for 40–50 minutes, until the peppers and rice are tender.
- Serve:
- Serve warm, optionally with a dollop of sour cream.
Tip: Some recipes add a little sugar to the tomato sauce to balance the acidity, or cook a few more minutes uncovered to thicken the sauce.
If you want, I can also give a baked version, which gives slightly caramelized tops and a richer flavor. Do you want that version?
