Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 6 medium bell peppers (about 900 g)
- 2/3 cup (120 g) long-grain rice
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium onion (150 g), 1 medium carrot (120 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 450 g (1 lb) ground beef + 340 g (12 oz) ground pork
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp chopped dill + 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1.25 tsp fine salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp cold water (to loosen filling)
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato passata, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) low-sodium stock, 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp sugar, 3/4 tsp fine salt (for sauce)
Do This
- 1. Parboil rice 8 minutes; drain and cool. Sauté onion and carrot in oil 6–8 minutes; add garlic 30 seconds.
- 2. Prep peppers: trim tops, remove seeds. Optional: blanch 2 minutes; drain.
- 3. Mix filling: meats, rice, sautéed veg, egg, herbs, paprika, salt, pepper, 3 tbsp water.
- 4. Stuff peppers loosely; leave 1 cm headspace. Nest upright in a wide pot.
- 5. Whisk sauce: passata, sour cream, stock, bay leaves, sugar, salt. Pour to come 3/4 up sides.
- 6. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, cook 55–65 minutes (aim 180–190°F/82–88°C). Internal temp 165°F/74°C.
- 7. Rest 10 minutes. Stir in extra herbs; spoon sauce over peppers and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic comfort: silky-tender peppers with a juicy, aromatic beef–pork–rice filling.
- Balanced sauce: tomato’s brightness meets sour cream’s gentle tang for a velvety braise.
- Make-ahead friendly: assemble in the morning, braise at dinner, and leftovers reheat beautifully.
- One-pot ease: everything cooks together, and the sauce doubles as the perfect gravy for serving.
Grocery List
- Produce: 6 bell peppers, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 garlic cloves, fresh dill, fresh parsley
- Dairy: Sour cream, 1 large egg
- Pantry: Long-grain rice, tomato passata, low-sodium stock, bay leaves, sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, neutral oil
Full Ingredients
For the Peppers
- 6 medium bell peppers (about 900 g), tops trimmed and seeds removed
For the Filling
- 2/3 cup (120 g) long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or grapeseed)
- 1 medium onion (150 g), finely diced
- 1 medium carrot (120 g), coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 450 g (1 lb) ground beef, 80–85% lean
- 340 g (12 oz) ground pork
- 1 large egg (about 50 g)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1.25 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp cold water (or milk) to loosen the mixture
For the Tomato–Sour-Cream Sauce
- 2 cups (480 ml) tomato passata (or very smooth crushed tomatoes)
- 1 cup (240 g) full-fat sour cream
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) low-sodium chicken or beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For Serving (Optional)
- Additional chopped dill and parsley
- Extra sour cream for dolloping
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Parboil the rice and sauté aromatics
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rinsed rice and cook for 8 minutes (it should be just shy of al dente). Drain and spread on a plate to steam-dry and cool. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a wide, heavy pot (one that can hold the peppers upright) over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until soft and sweet, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Transfer the sautéed mixture to a mixing bowl to cool slightly. Remove the pot from heat but keep it handy for braising.
Step 2: Prep the peppers
Trim the tops and remove seeds and membranes from each pepper so there’s ample room for filling. For extra-tender skins, blanch the peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain well. This step is optional but results in especially silky peppers.
Step 3: Mix the filling
In the bowl with the cooled onion-carrot mixture, add the ground beef, ground pork, cooled rice, egg, dill, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons cold water. Mix gently with a fork or your hands just until evenly combined—do not overwork, which can make the filling dense. The mixture should feel soft and slightly loose.
Step 4: Stuff and arrange
Spoon the filling into each pepper, loosely packing and leaving about 1 cm (1/2 inch) headspace to allow the rice to expand. Nest the peppers upright in the same wide pot you used earlier. If they won’t stand, trim a thin sliver from the base so they sit flat (avoid puncturing the pepper).
Step 5: Make the sauce
In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the passata, sour cream, stock, bay leaves, sugar, and salt until smooth. Pour the sauce around the peppers—it should come about 3/4 of the way up their sides. If needed, add a splash more stock or water to reach that level.
Step 6: Braise gently (stovetop or oven)
Stovetop: Set the pot over medium heat and bring the liquid to a bare simmer. Reduce to low, cover, and cook 55–65 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer (about 180–190°F / 82–88°C). Spoon sauce over the pepper tops once or twice during cooking. The filling is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the peppers are very tender.
Oven option: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bring the pot just to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, then transfer to the oven and braise 55–65 minutes.
Step 7: Rest, garnish, and serve
Remove from heat and let the peppers rest, covered, for 10 minutes so juices settle. Stir a handful of fresh dill and parsley into the sauce and taste for salt. Serve peppers hot with plenty of the tomato–sour-cream sauce spooned over, plus a dollop of sour cream if you like.
Pro Tips
- Keep the simmer gentle. A rapid boil can split the peppers and toughen the filling.
- Loosen the filling with a bit of water or milk—this helps it cook juicy and tender rather than dense.
- Don’t overpack. Leave headspace so the rice can expand without pushing the filling out.
- Blanching peppers for 2 minutes yields an extra-silky texture and helps them braise evenly.
- Use a pot that holds the peppers snugly upright so they stay submerged in sauce up the sides.
Variations
- Dairy-free: Skip sour cream and use 2.5 cups (600 ml) passata plus 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil for body. Add 1 tsp smoked paprika for depth.
- Lighter poultry version: Replace beef and pork with 750 g (1 lb 10 oz) ground turkey or chicken thigh. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the filling for succulence.
- Oven-roasted finish: Uncover for the final 10 minutes at 425°F (220°C) to lightly caramelize the pepper tops and thicken the sauce.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate leftovers in sauce, covered, for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in a 325°F (165°C) oven, covered, until hot (15–25 minutes). Freeze cooked peppers in their sauce for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To prep ahead, mix the filling and prep peppers up to 24 hours in advance; store separately and assemble just before cooking. You can also assemble the peppers in the pot, cover, and refrigerate up to 12 hours; add 5–10 minutes to the braise time.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. 490 calories; 27 g protein; 29 g fat; 28 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 930 mg sodium. Values are estimates and will vary with brands and exact produce size.
