Description
A traditional Turkish dish featuring peppers stuffed with a flavorful mixture of ground meat, rice, and spices, served with yogurt.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10–12 small green Turkish dolmalık peppers
- 1 medium tomato, sliced for caps
- 300g ground lamb or beef (or a 50/50 mix)
- 100g short-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 medium onion, finely grated
- 1 medium tomato, grated
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon biber salçası (Turkish red pepper paste)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- A large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste for cooking liquid
- 1 tablespoon biber salçası (optional)
- 400ml hot water or light chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Süzme yogurt (strained Turkish yogurt) for serving
- Pul biber for serving
- Fresh bread for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers by washing and cutting around the stem to remove. Remove seeds and pierce the base.
- Make the filling by combining ground meat, rice, onion, grated tomato, tomato paste, biber salçası, olive oil, dried mint, allspice, cinnamon, paprika, black pepper, parsley and salt in a bowl.
- Stuff each pepper two-thirds full and place a tomato slice on top.
- Make the cooking liquid by mixing tomato paste, biber salçası, and hot water or stock, and season with salt.
- Arrange the peppers in a pot and pour the cooking liquid around them. Cook covered over medium heat for 30-35 minutes.
- Optional: Transfer to an oven-safe dish and broil for 10-15 minutes for a golden top.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving with yogurt and bread.
Notes
Serve with yogurt to contrast the flavors and temperatures. Dried mint is essential for authenticity.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop & Optional Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg