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Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie
Vegetable-rich stuffed peppers with Mediterranean flavors
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lean ground beef I used 94% lean
  • 1 16-ounce package frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 medium zucchini coarsely grated
  • 1 small onion minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup bulgur wheat*
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3-4 medium bell peppers a mixture of red and green
  • 2 14.5-ounce cans of Mediterranean-style stewed tomatoes with juices
  • 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cut peppers lengthwise, preserving the stem end but carefully removing the core, seeds, and ribs.
  • Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Using a large bowl, combine the ground beef, spinach, zucchini, onion, garlic, bulgur, egg, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands, making sure to distribute vegetables and bulgur well.
  • Spoon mixture into pepper halves and arrange peppers with mixture-side up in baking dish.
  • Cut canned tomato pieces into smaller pieces by dipping kitchen shears into the cans and snipping away. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the canned tomato juices over the tops of the stuffed peppers. Spoon the tomatoes around the peppers, surrounding them on all sides.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove baking dish from oven and carefully remove foil. Baste stuffed pepper tops with juices from baking dish. Sprinkle crumbled feta over tops of stuffed peppers.
  • Return to oven and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. The peppers will be tender and the cheese a lovely golden brown.

Notes

*You can substitute brown rice for bulgur if you want a gluten-free option.
Peppers can be stuffed up to a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate them in their baking dish. Add tomatoes right before baking.
Adapted from Ellie Krieger The Food You Crave