Lamb-and-rice-stuffed Peppers
By OcadoLife
Published on 21 January 2025
Inspired by her Greek-Cypriot heritage, presenter and cook Tonia Buxton created these healthy, veg-packed Lamb-and-rice-stuffed Peppers, served with a tahini sauce. “Stuffed peppers – yemista piperia – are a favourite Greek dish, while tahini is the ketchup of the Med: it goes with pretty much everything.” This is a high-protein recipe.Time and servings
1 hr 25 minsTotal time
Serves 4479 kcal/serving
15 minsPrep time
1 hr 10 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 350g 10% fat lamb mince
- 1 (250g) pack long-grain rice, cooked
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus a little extra
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 (400g) tin plum tomatoes
- 1 pinch finely chopped red chilli (optional)
- 8 mixed peppers, tops sliced off and reserved, deseeded
- 3 lemons, juiced, plus extra wedges to serve
- 1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 3 tbsp greek yoghurt
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Fry the onions in 1 tbsp olive oil for 5 mins until golden. Add the mince; cook for 5 mins. Stir in the rice, 2 tbsp parsley, sumac, cinnamon, pomegranate molasses, tomatoes and chilli (if using); season.Step 2
Spoon the mince into the peppers to about three-quarters full; stand snugly in a baking dish (you can wedge in some potato slices to keep them upright) and pop the lids back on. Mix one-third of the lemon juice with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and 6 tbsp water; drizzle around the peppers. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 mins.Step 3
Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. Beat together the garlic, remaining lemon juice, tahini and some salt; stir in the yoghurt. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little water to loosen.Step 4
Serve the peppers with a drizzle of the sauce, a scattering of chopped parsley and wedges of lemon for squeezing.