Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers are a great one-dish recipe for busy days.  All you need to do is toss all the ingredients into one bowl and mix.  This is a great make-ahead dish that stores well and can serve many.  It is also a great use for leftovers which makes it a perfect last minute meal.

We love using a medley of colorful red, gold and green bell peppers for this stuffed bell pepper dish.  The red and gold peppers are sweeter and adds a complex flavor to the earthy green pepper taste.  The combination of colors are a very attractive and tasty meal that is absolutely veggie perfection!

These delicious Stuffed Bell Peppers with Israeli Couscous recipe, comments, and photos were shared with me by Karen Calanchini, Food Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.

 

Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Couscous Recipe:
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Couscous Recipe
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce, or any red sauce of your choice (add 1 teaspoon of cumin or chili powder of your choice, and mix)
  • 1 pound ground beef (85% beef, 15% fat)
  • 1/2 of a small bell pepper, seeds and pith removed and small chop (any color you like)
  • 1/2 onion, small chop
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 3/4 cup Israeli Couscous, uncooked*
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with chilies
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Chipotle chili powder
  • Coarse salt or sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 large bell peppers, one red and one orange or yellow
  • Hot chili oil
  • 1 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Add a little of the tomato sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish; reserve the rest for the top of the peppers.

  2. Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and the white, mealy, ribs with the tip of a sharp knife; discard.If bell peppers do not sit straight in the baking or casserole dish, use a sharp knife and slice a little piece off the back of the pepper where it will sit on the dish.  I simply put this sliced piece inside the pepper.  You can also cover a small hole you may make when cutting the slice off.

    Stuffed Bell Peppers
  3. Place the ground beef, chopped bell pepper, onion, garlic, couscous, diced tomatoes with chilies, oregano, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper into a large bowl; gently mix just until ingredients are blended well.  Put a handful of the meat mixture into each pepper half.  Using your hands, shape the meat mixture to fit in the form of the peppers.

  4. Put the rest of the tomato sauce over the top of the peppers.  Drizzle with hot chili oil.  Place aluminum foil over the top of the dish.

  5. Place the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.  Remove aluminum foil cover, divide shredded cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper, and return to oven and cook until cheese is browned a little and melted.  Remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes before serving.

  6. You may sprinkle cilantro, parsley, or fresh oregano over the top for garnish

  7. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Recipe Notes

*  A Mediterranean tiny toasted pasta made of crushed and steamed semolina.

 

Categories:

Beef Pasta Recipes    Bell Peppers   

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