Beefy Stuffed Peppers
I came up with this one when I found a slew of interesting ingredients yet no interest in making the same old quick dinner My solution was to combine them and this recipe was born Serve it with a fresh cucumber lettuce salad to contrast the meaty pepper
I came up with this one when I found a slew of interesting ingredients yet no interest in making the same old quick dinner My solution was to combine them and this recipe was born Serve it with a fresh cucumber lettuce salad to contrast the meaty pepper
- Carbohydrate 54.7341483371062 g
- Cholesterol 170.09713875 mg
- Fat 61.306333750979 g
- Fiber 7.5624001247547 g
- Protein 45.3049887571159 g
- Saturated Fat 22.2247563000088 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (616g)
- Sodium 222.31627726369 mg
- Sugar 47.1717482123515 g
- Trans Fat 14.7808744845983 g
- Calories 954 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare couscous as per directions on the package. Set aside. You can also replace couscous with rice or quinoa if you like. I love to use my left-overs in this recipe.
- Set a large pot of water to boil.
- Carve out the top of the peppers with one careful slice, remove the seeds and wash well. Make sure the peppers are solid without cuts or bruises, so the stuffing will go in easily. Drop the peppers into the boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Remove them from water and set aside. Do not overboil or peppers will fall apart.
- Chop the onion and mushrooms and brown in a skillet with some olive oil.
- Add ground beef, 1 tbsp paprika, salt and pepper to taste and cook stirring frequently.
- Heat the oven to 375 F.
- Add a bunch of freshly chopped dill and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, stir well and cook until beef is cooked through.
- Add the couscous to the beef and mix well.
- Cover a large baking pan with half a small jar of pasta sauce.
- Place the peppers on top of the sauce with the open side up. Stuff each one with the beef/couscous mixture. Generously spoon the rest of the tomato sauce on top.
- Cover the baking pan with tinfoil and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Are the bell peppers actually going to hold their shape once the heavy filling goes inside? Initial doubts fade when blanching the hollowed vegetables in boiling water for three to five minutes softens their outer walls just enough to prevent cracking without causing collapse. Selecting medium specimens with flat bottoms keeps the vessels upright inside the baking dish. Ground beef combined with mushrooms, onions, and couscous demands a thoughtful accompaniment on the plate to cut through the richness of the meat and tomato sauce. Serving a crisp, unadorned cucumber and lettuce salad dressed simply with lemon juice provides the necessary acid and crunch to balance the heavy starch and protein of the main dish. Raw onions can overpower delicate greens, so slice them paper-thin or soak them in cold water for ten minutes beforehand to tame their bite. Judging doneness relies entirely on visual and textural cues rather than internal temperature probes since the components inside are already fully cooked. Covering the baking pan with tinfoil traps steam for the twenty-minute oven phase at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, warming the interior thoroughly while softening the pepper walls until a fork pierces the skin with slight resistance. Removing the foil during the final five minutes allows excess moisture to evaporate from the surface tomato sauce.
