If you've ever wondered how to make traditional ardei umpluți (Romanian stuffed peppers) with juicy minced meat, you're in the right place! This cherished family recipe delivers tender peppers stuffed with seasoned pork (or lentils for vegetarian) and rice, slow-cooked in a golden tomato-sour cream sauce until caramelized.
🍽 Serves 8 | 🌾 Gluten-Free | 🥛 Dairy-Free | 🥩 High-Protein
Why this recipe stands out:
🍖 Uses my grandmother's trick: 1:1 tomato-sour cream sauce (stirred into the cooking water) for extra richness
🌶 Best with Hungarian peppers (thinner skins = faster cooking) but works with any bell peppers
🔥 Two-stage cooking: Simmered gently, then oven-charred for that perfect smoky depth
🥖 Serve the Romanian way: With freshly made polenta or crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce
Fun fact: In Romania, we call these "ardei umpluți" (pronounced ar-dey oom-plootz), and every family has their own version!
You can also try this chicken and pepper stew or another Romanian recipe stuffed grape leaves (sarmale) both recipes go beautifully with some freshly baked bread or some Lebanese rice and broken vermicelli. Give them a try, I am certain you will love them!
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💗 Why This Recipe Works
✅ No Precooking Needed – Raw peppers + uncooked meat transform into tender perfection together (less work, more flavour!)
✅ One-Pot – Just stuff, bake, and serve (easy cleanup!)
✅ Budget-Friendly – Uses pantry staples + cheap bell peppers
✅ Feeds a Crowd – Hearty portions that satisfy big appetites
✅ Meal Prep – Freezes beautifully for quick future meals
✅ Customizable – Works with meat, lentils, or any rice you have
Secret Tip: The slow bake + final char creates caramelised edges and juicy centers that taste like restaurant quality!
🥘 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Minced Meat of Your Choice (Turkey, Chicken, Beef, Pork): Take your pick of minced meat—whether it's turkey, chicken, beef, or pork, you're in control of the taste! You can even use a mixture of beef and pork, in equal parts! Look for fresh, high-quality meat from a trusted source.
- Bell Peppers: Opt for firm, brightly coloured peppers without wrinkles or blemishes. Choose peppers that are uniform in size for even cooking.
- Onions: Look for onions that are heavy for their size, indicating they are fresh and juicy.
- Carrots: Grate or finely dice these carrots to give your filling that extra oomph.
- Rice: Choose a variety of rice that cooks quickly and maintains its shape, such as long-grain or basmati.
- Tomato juice: If you don’t have tomato purée or passata, you can swap in 3–4 tablespoons of tomato paste. Just mix it with enough water to come about halfway up the peppers. Tomato juice works too.
♻️ Smart Swaps
Meat: Lentils (1:1) • Tofutempeh • Plant "meat"
Rice: Quinoa • Cauli rice (less liquid) • Bulgur
Binder: Flax egg (1tbsp+3tbsp water) • Breadcrumbs • Omit
Liquid: Passata+water • Veg broth+tom paste • Canned tomatoes
Peppers: Poblanos • Zucchini (30min bake) • Portobellos, or yellow Hungarian peppers.
Diet Combos:
- Veg: Lentils+quinoa
- Vegan: Tofu+flax
- Low-carb: Cauli rice+mushrooms
*All keep original time except zucchini/mushrooms (30-45min)*
💭 Expert Tips
- Pick sturdy peppers: Choose firm, glossy bell peppers with flat bottoms so they stand upright while baking.
- Don’t overfill: Leave a little space at the top of each pepper. This helps prevent splitting and ensures even cooking.
- Rinse the rice: Wash the rice until the water runs clear to stop it from clumping. It’ll absorb more flavor as it cooks.
- Use the right dish: A deep pot or a baking dish with high sides helps keep the peppers upright and cooking evenly.
Alternative Cooking Methods for Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluți)
You don’t have to bake the peppers fully in the oven to enjoy classic Romanian stuffed bell peppers. These other methods still give you that authentic Ardei Umpluți taste—and they’re perfect for busy days.
- Slow Cooker: Place the filled peppers and tomato sauce in your slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours until the peppers are soft and the filling is cooked through. - Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot): Set the peppers on the trivet, add sauce, and seal the lid. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
This traditional Romanian recipe pairs perfectly with creamy taditional Romanian polenta (mămăligă) to soak up the rich tomato sauce. For authentic flavor, add a dollop of cool sour cream (smântână), Greek yoghurt, or kefir to balance the dish. Spicy pickled peppers or tangy pickled cabbage salad make refreshing contrasts. Don't forget to bake a 3-ingredient no-knead bread or some soft white dinner rolls for dipping into that delicious sauce - one perfect comfort food experience!
Storage and leftovers
- Refrigerate: Cool leftovers and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat: Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes per pepper or bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.
❓ FAQs
No, you don’t have to precook the peppers for this recipe. The peppers soften during the 1–2 hours of stovetop cooking (covered) and finish in the oven. However, if you’re short on time, blanching them for 3–5 minutes in boiling water beforehand can speed up the process.
Yes! Your recipe calls for raw rice, which cooks perfectly in the tomato juice and meat juices during the long simmering time. Just ensure the rice is rinsed well to remove excess starch.
Choose peppers with flat bottoms (or trim a tiny slice off the bottom to stabilise them). Packing them snugly in the pot (as your recipe suggests) also helps.
Replace the meat with lentils, quinoa, or crumbled tofu (see your Substitutions section). For vegan versions, omit the egg and use a flax egg or extra rice as a binder.
The stovetop simmer ensures the filling cooks through, while the final oven step (uncovered) caramelises the tops and intensifies the flavours. It’s the secret to your recipe’s depth!
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Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe (Romanian Style)
Ingredients
- 400 g minced meat of your choice (I recommend 20% fat for juiciest results) turkey, chicken, beef, pork
- 7-8 bell peppers medium-sized, with lids reserved for cute "hats!"
- 2 onions (white or yellow) medium-sized
- 2 carrots
- ½ red bell pepper
- ½ yellow bell pepper
- 100 gr rice long-grain or basmati holds shape best
- 1 egg (omit for vegan version)
- 200 ml tomato juice (100 ml for the mixture and 100 for cooking) puree or passata
- 120 ml sour cream optional
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley and dill chopped up fine
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Set aside the tops for later use.7-8 bell peppers
- Add the minced meat to a large bowl. Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then strain it and add it to the bowl.400 g minced meat of your choice (I recommend 20% fat for juiciest results), 100 gr rice
- Finely chop the onions, red and yellow bell pepper halves and grate the carrots. Add them to the bowl with the meat. Stir in the egg, parsley, salt, and pepper.2 onions (white or yellow), 2 carrots, ½ red bell pepper, ½ yellow bell pepper, 1 egg, 3 tablespoon fresh parsley and dill, 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Pour in half of the tomato juice and mix well to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to let the flavors meld.200 ml tomato juice (100 ml for the mixture and 100 for cooking)
- Spoon the meat and vegetable mixture into each of the prepared bell peppers. Place the tops back on each pepper and press gently. Place the stuffed peppers upright in a deep pot with a lid.
- Combine the remaining tomato juice with the sour cream, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the stuffed peppers, letting it pool in the bottom of the dish. Add hot water until it almost reaches the tops of the peppers.120 ml sour cream
- Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over low to medium heat for 1 to 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure there's always enough liquid in the pot to prevent it from drying out.
- Towards the end of cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the lid and transfer the dish to the oven. Bake for 15-30 minutes, allowing the tops to brown slightly. Baking uncovered at the end adds a slight crispness to the filling and enhances the roasted pepper flavor.
- Remove the stuffed peppers from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Serve with sour cream, freshly made polenta, homemade white milk bread and a spicy pickled pepper.
Video
Notes
- Wash and prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops, removing seeds, and membranes before filling.
- Don’t overfill the peppers to prevent them from bursting. Leave space at the top for expansion.
- Add enough salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs or spices to the filling for flavor.
- Chop the vegetables into similar-sized pieces for even cooking and a consistent texture.
- Choose a baking dish that holds the peppers snugly so they don't tip over during baking, preferably one with a lid.
- Cover with foil or a lid while baking to steam the peppers and ensure they cook evenly.
- Let the peppers cool for a few minutes after baking to help them hold their shape and avoid burns.
- To freeze, par-bake peppers (without browning), then cool and freeze. Finish baking when ready to serve.
Claudia Ciorteanu says
My family loved this!
Swathi says
This easy stuffed bell pepper is so delicious it rekindled my friends recipe, thanks for shairng I have tried twice.
Swathi says
Thanks for this recipe, I remember one time my friend made it I couldn't the recipe from her. Your recipe is so perfect and delicious.
Swathi says
Stuffed bell pepper looks delicious. I made this for my kids loved it. I added a little spices to rice to make it spicy.
Nora says
Those stuffed bell peppers turned out perfectly! Colorful, flavorful - simply delicious! Thanks!
Krystle says
One of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Easy to make and always tastes amazing.
Sherry says
This is one of the best stuffed pepper recipes I've tried in a while! I really liked the addition of the minced meat.
krystel says
Loved these! Super easy to make and delicious!
tisha says
It has been a little bit since I've had stuffed peppers and I'm not sure why I don't make them more often. I forgot how much I love them!!!
Stephanie says
Love this recipe! Probably the best stuffed peppers I've made (or tasted!). I followed your directions without any changes and the peppers were baked to perfection and nicely flavored.
Gloria says
Stuffed pepper are great as a side dish, or main meal. You can make them just the way you like. Great for busy weeknights.
Liz says
I finally made stuffed peppers that my husband loved as much as I did. Adding ground beef was perfect! These were delicious.
Ashley says
I love stuffed peppers and this recipe is so easy--perfect for busy weeknights! For Halloween this year, I'm going to make these and carve little jack-o-lantern faces in the peppers.