Pilpel Memula

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190C. Slice the tops off the red bell peppers and remove the cores and seeds. Finely dice the pepper tops, discarding any tough stem pieces, and reserve them for the filling.

   2 large (about 500 g total) red bell peppers
2. 2

   Heat a wide frying pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and the diced pepper tops and cook for 1 minute more; softening the vegetables now prevents the filling from staying crunchy.

   15 ml olive oil120 g onion, finely diced3 cloves garlic, minced2 large (about 500 g total) red bell peppers
3. 3

   Add the minced beef and cook, breaking it up well, for 4-5 minutes until it loses its raw colour. Stir in the tomato paste, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, fine salt, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute so the spices bloom and the tomato paste darkens slightly.

   250 g minced beef20 g tomato paste1 tsp ground allspice1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp fine salt1/2 tsp black pepper
4. 4

   Stir in the rinsed rice and flat-leaf parsley, then remove from the heat. The rice should be only coated and mixed through, not cooked at this stage; it will finish cooking inside the peppers and sauce.

   70 g short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
5. 5

   Fill the hollowed peppers loosely with the beef and rice mixture, leaving about 1 cm space at the top because the rice will expand as it cooks.

   2 large (about 500 g total) red bell peppers250 g minced beef70 g short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed120 g onion, finely diced3 cloves garlic, minced15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped20 g tomato paste1 tsp ground allspice1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp fine salt1/2 tsp black pepper15 ml olive oil
6. 6

   In an oven-safe saucepan or baking dish that fits the peppers snugly, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the crushed tomatoes, water, tomato paste, fine salt, black pepper, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes until lightly thickened.

   15 ml olive oil80 g onion, finely diced2 cloves garlic, minced400 g crushed tomatoes250 ml water20 g tomato paste1/2 tsp fine salt1/4 tsp black pepper1 tsp sugar
7. 7

   Nestle the stuffed peppers upright in the sauce. Spoon a little sauce over the tops, cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes more. The peppers are done when they are tender, the filling is hot throughout, and the rice is fully cooked with no chalky centre.

   2 large (about 500 g total) red bell peppers400 g crushed tomatoes250 ml water20 g tomato paste
8. 8

   Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles and the sauce thickens slightly. Spoon plenty of sauce around the peppers and finish with chopped parsley.

   5 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Origin & History

Stuffed vegetables are deeply rooted in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking traditions, and stuffed peppers are a familiar home-style dish in Israeli kitchens. Israeli versions often reflect a blend of Sephardi, Mizrahi, Balkan, and broader Levantine influences, with rice, tomato, and warm spices such as allspice and cinnamon being especially common.