Stuffed Bell Peppers with Meat and Rice

Recipe of this dish is a bright representative of Bulgarian cuisine. Bulgaria is a country of lecho, kebabche, gyuvech, rakia, shkembe chorba... (the list goes on) and of course, Bulgarian peppers. Stuffed vegetables hold a special place among the variety of Bulgarian cuisine. I have already cooked a Bulgarian dish chushka byurek – bell peppers stuffed with feta cheese and fried in breadcrumbs. Today, I offer a more common and no less delicious dish - stuffed bell peppers with meat and rice.

Ground Meat

3 cups (beef)

Sweet Bell Peppers

15-17 pcs.

Rice

8 tbsp (partially cooked)

Tomatoes

3-4 pcs.

Onions

2 pcs. (large)

Carrots

2 pcs.

Garlic

3-4 cloves

Tomato Ketchup

2 tbsp (or tomato sauce)

Parsley

or dill

Sugar

pinch

Salt

to taste

Black Pepper

freshly ground

For the Tomato-Cream Sauce

Sour Cream

1 cup

Tomato Ketchup

3-4 tbsp (or sauce)

Water

2 cups (or slightly more)

To prepare stuffed bell peppers with meat and rice, wash the peppers and remove the seed box.

Let's prepare the filling. Fry finely chopped onions and grated carrots on vegetable oil until soft.

Take tomatoes, make a cross-shaped incision on each one and dip in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then quickly transfer to ice water, peel off the skin, and cut the tomatoes into small cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, sautéed onions with carrots, tomatoes, ketchup, minced garlic, finely chopped herbs, salt, sugar, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly (it's more convenient to do it with your hands).

Fill the prepared peppers with the stuffing.

Now let's prepare the tomato-cream sauce. In a deep skillet or saucepan, put sour cream, ketchup, and water. Mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the stuffed peppers in the sauce. Simmer the peppers over low heat, covered, for 40-60 minutes.