Description
Romanian Stuffed Peppers, known as Ardei Umpluți, are a hearty traditional dish featuring bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, rice, and aromatic spices. Slow-simmered in a tangy tomato sauce, these peppers are tender, flavorful, and perfect as a comforting main course, garnished with fresh parsley and optionally served with sour cream and crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 6 large bell peppers (any color)
Filling
- 1 pound ground pork (or pork and beef mix)
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Liquid and Garnish
- 3 cups tomato juice or tomato passata
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Peppers: Cut the tops off the bell peppers and carefully remove the seeds and membranes. Rinse the peppers thoroughly and set them aside to be stuffed later.
- Sauté the Onions: Heat sunflower oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Make the Stuffing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, sautéed onion, uncooked rice, tomato paste, egg, paprika, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Stuff the Peppers: Spoon the meat mixture into each bell pepper, filling them but leaving a small gap at the top to allow room for the rice to expand during cooking.
- Arrange in Pot: Stand the stuffed peppers upright in a large pot, arranging them so they fit snugly without tipping over.
- Add Cooking Liquid: In a separate bowl, mix the tomato juice or passata with water. Pour this mixture over the stuffed peppers until they are nearly submerged. Add the bay leaves to the pot.
- Simmer the Peppers: Cover the pot and bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the rice is tender and the meat is fully cooked.
- Serve: Carefully remove the bay leaves. Serve the stuffed peppers hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley. Optionally accompany with sour cream and crusty bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- For a lighter variation, substitute ground turkey or chicken for pork.
- These peppers are often served with a dollop of sour cream and crusty bread on the side.
- Leftovers reheat well and tend to develop deeper flavors after resting overnight.
