Stuffed Peppers

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Polneti Piperki are a beloved North Macedonian comfort dish of tender peppers packed with herbed ground meat and rice, then gently baked in a sweet-savory tomato and paprika sauce. The peppers soak up the bright red sauce as they roast, creating a rustic one-pot meal that pairs perfectly with crusty bread or boiled potatoes.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 480 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 7 gSaturated Fat
• 42 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 26 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 900 mgPotassium
• 80 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 120 mgVitamin C
• 200 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the stuffed peppers

• 6 medium bell peppers (mixed red, yellow, and green), tops sliced off and seeded
• 300 g ground beef
• 200 g ground pork
• 1 cup short-grain rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium tomato, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons sweet Macedonian red paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the tomato-pepper sauce

• 3 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (or tomato passata)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup water or beef broth
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice the tops off the peppers, reserve them, and carefully remove the seeds and inner membranes without tearing the sides.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, rinsed rice, chopped onion, garlic, diced tomato, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined; do not overwork.
3. Stuff each pepper about two-thirds full with the meat mixture, gently pressing down. The rice will expand as it cooks, so do not pack the filling to the top.
4. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or deep oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, salt, sugar, and water or broth. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and taste for seasoning.
6. Stand the stuffed peppers upright in the simmering sauce, nestling them closely together so they support one another. Place any extra filling or reserved pepper tops between them.
7. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes, until the peppers are fork-tender and the rice is fully cooked through.
8. If the sauce looks too thin near the end, remove the lid for the last 10 minutes to let it reduce and concentrate in flavor.
9. Spoon the peppers onto plates and ladle the glossy tomato-pepper sauce over and around them. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot with crusty bread or boiled new potatoes.

Cook’s Notes

• A 60/40 mix of beef and pork gives the most authentic Macedonian flavor; lean turkey works but loses richness.
• Resist overfilling the peppers — the rice swells significantly during baking, and a too-full pepper can split open.
• For the most traditional result, look for curved, horn-shaped Macedonian peppers (piperki babura) at farmers' markets or Mediterranean grocers.
• A pinch of dried mint stirred into the filling adds a classic Balkan note that pairs beautifully with the paprika sauce.
• Reserve any leftover sauce — it thickens as it cools and makes an excellent base for braising other vegetables the next day.

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