Roasted peppers stuffed with minced meat and red lentils, flavoured with cumin and smoked paprika, is a simple and delicious recipe that not only tastes great, but also looks impressive. It's perfect for a family dinner, and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd. While the addition of cheese is optional and can be omitted, who can resist melted, gooey cheese? 🙂
Stuffed bell peppers are not only simple to make, but they're also packed with healthy and wholesome ingredients. If you're following a low-calorie diet, consider using lean meats like chicken or turkey, and skip the cheese for a healthier option.
Do I need to pre-roast the bell peppers?
Yes, I highly recommend pre-roasting the bell peppers. This will speed up the preparation process, allowing you to work on the stuffing while the peppers roast in the oven. To pre-roast the peppers, simply wash them, cut them in half, and remove the seeds and white membranes. Place the peppers on a baking tray or another ovenproof dish, drizzle them with a little olive oil or rapeseed oil, and sprinkle them with salt. Then, pop the tray into the oven and roast the peppers for about 20 minutes. While they're roasting, prepare the stuffing according to the recipe below.
If you're looking to try more recipes for stuffed vegetables, take a look at the list below:
- Jacket potatoes with beans and chorizo
- Simple roasted stuffed butternut squash
- Baked sweet potatoes stuffed with turkey and chickpeas
Stuffed bell peppers - meat and lentil | Gluten-free
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 400 g minced meat
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 cup red lentil
- 5 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp oil (+ for drizzling)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 30 g grated cheese (optional)
- parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Wash the bell peppers, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds and white membranes. Place the prepared peppers in a baking tray, drizzle them with a little oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the stuffing.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the finely chopped onion and fry over low heat until the onion is translucent. Increase the heat and add the minced meat, cumin and smoked paprika, continue to cook, stirring occasionally.
- When the meat is almost fried, pour in the vegetable broth, add the peeled and coarsely grated carrots, red lentils and tomato paste. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender and most of the broth has evaporated. Finally, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Fill the roasted peppers with the prepared stuffing, place the tray in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. A few minutes before the end of baking, sprinkle the peppers with grated cheese (if using) and parsley. Serve and enjoy!
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