Turkish Stuffed Peppers (Biber Dolmasi) Recipe
Traditional Turkish Stuffed Peppers (Biber Dolmasi) featuring tender green bell peppers filled with a flavorful mixture of rice, herbs, and spices. The peppers are simmered in a tomato-based sauce and finished with a brief bake for a deliciously comforting dish perfect served warm or at room temperature accompanied by yogurt.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 stuffed peppers 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Peppers and Filling
- 12 green bell peppers (small size preferred or 6 large)
- 12 tablespoons rice (1 tablespoon per pepper)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4–5 cherry tomatoes (halved, for topping each pepper)
- 1 lemon, sliced
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed
- 2 teaspoons dried mint
- 2 cups hot water
Instructions
- Preparing Peppers: Cut the tops of the green bell peppers to create lids and carefully remove the seeds, taking care not to damage the pepper walls.
- Make The Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine rice, finely chopped onion, garlic, tomato, tomato paste, chopped parsley, dried mint, black pepper, paprika, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly to create an evenly flavored filling.
- Assemble: Stuff each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of the filling depending on the pepper size, leaving some space for the rice to expand during cooking. Place each stuffed pepper upright in a cooking pot, preferably one that is oven-proof.
- Top Peppers: Place half a cherry tomato on top of the filling inside each pepper as a natural lid; alternatively, use the pepper tops you previously cut off. Arrange lemon slices around the peppers inside the pot.
- Make The Sauce and Cook The Peppers: In a saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, mashed garlic, dried mint, and 2 cups hot water. Bring the sauce to a boil, then pour it over the stuffed peppers in the pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Simmer: Lower the heat and let the peppers simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until the rice inside is fully tender.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). If using an oven-proof pot, place it directly in the oven. If not, transfer the stuffed peppers with lemon slices into a baking pan and pour the cooking liquid over them. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the peppers develop a light golden brown color.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the stuffed peppers warm or at room temperature. These pair wonderfully with a side of yogurt.
Notes
- Choosing small-sized peppers makes stuffing and cooking easier, but large peppers can be used by adjusting the filling amount.
- Leave some space in the peppers while stuffing to allow rice to expand during cooking and prevent bursting.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe pot, transfer the peppers carefully to a baking dish for the final bake step.
- For extra richness, you can drizzle a bit more olive oil over the peppers before baking.
- This recipe can be easily adapted for vegetarian or vegan diets by using olive oil and omitting yogurt from serving.
Keywords: Turkish stuffed peppers, Biber Dolmasi, stuffed bell peppers, Turkish cuisine, vegetarian stuffed peppers, rice stuffed peppers
