Bosnian Stuffed Peppers with Rice

Bosnian stuffed peppers are like none you have ever tried before. They are rich and filling and make a wonderful meal you can enjoy them any time of the year.

Stuffed Peppers and Dolmas

The summer in Bosnia is the time when people are enjoying their vegetables and meals made with them. After an exhausting winter and consuming loads of meat and meat-based dishes, it is time for something lighter. Of course, Bosnians must include some meat and create a wonderful fusion called “dolma.” “Dolma” is the meal brought by the Ottomans to the Balkan region where it was accepted and living even today.

By the term “dolma” Bosnians are talking about rich filling, instead of outer vegetable shell. It refers to any kind of vegetable stuffed with special meat mixture, which can be called “dolma.” So, there are zucchini dolma, tomato dolma, onion dolma, and probably the best among them, the pepper dolma.

Assembling Your Ingredients | Anela Tripkovic

The Bosnian Recipe and Traditions

If you are coming from the U.S., you have probably eaten a similar dish, bell peppers stuffed with meat mixture. The Bosnian stuffed peppers are similar, but still so different.

The difference is obvious in so many things, starting from the appearance, use of the ingredients, and final serving. The Bosnians do not use large bell peppers, but instead very small ones, like mini bell peppers. It is something in the Bosnian culture that celebrates small bites, and only the best cooks can pull this off.

If you are serving a big bell pepper stuffed with 8 ounces of meat, regardless of its taste, it will not be welcomed and will become a subject of jokes and evaluation of your culinary skills. Remember, the smaller the better. And the “dolme” along with few other dishes are at first glance being evaluated by their size.

It may seem the Bosnians are rigid, but they take their food seriously. The smell of stuffed peppers is something they remember from the earliest years of life. It is special to all Bosnians and for some, it carries fond memories of their grandmas and carefree childhood. Words simply cannot describe how they taste, but with the first bite, it will all become very clear to you.

Traditional Bosnian Fillings

When it comes to the stuffing, it may vary with seasonings, but in general, two main ingredients must be present; ground beef and rice. You can find other Balkan recipes for the stuffed peppers, but they may vary – stuffed peppers are popular in Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, but they all have their own versions.

The Bosnian peppers are just the way they are – made with caring hands, the best ingredients, and served with high hopes that the person they are being served will like them.

So besides ground beef and rice, Bosnian peppers contain simple seasoning, consisted of salt, pepper, and some additions in form of red onion, garlic, and carrots. Once the peppers are stuffed with prepared mixture they are being cooked in some sort of tomato stock, made with tomato sauce, paprika, and water.

The cooking usually takes around 1 hour 15 minutes, but they are not hard to make. Just follow simple guidelines and you will have an exquisite meal at your table.

Preparing Your Pepper Stuffing | Anela Tripkovic

Bosnian Stuffed Peppers: The Ingredients

But, let us get back to the ingredients…

You may get tempted to fill your peppers just with meat. But that won’t work if you want an authentic Bosnian meal. The Bosnians are not using rice because they want to use meat sparingly, but because they know the peppers made just with meat will have a thick and firm filling. Instead, they fluff it with rice and make it soft and airy, allowing the cooking juices to fill every part of the dish.

Tomato stock is also very important for cooking. In the old days, women used to make it with freshly pureed tomatoes, and you can do it too. Instead of using store-bought tomato sauce, you can use fresh tomatoes and just puree in a food processor. Still, if you prefer tomato sauce, you cannot go wrong. It will just have more intense tomato flavor.

Thinking about skipping the onion? That would be the biggest mistake. Onion is known as a flavor enhancer and it is a must-have in Bosnian cuisine. If you are a picky eater, just grate your onion, using a fine side of the grater.

The next staple ingredient is garlic, and this “stinky rose” is another must-have in stuffed peppers, along with parsley. Carrots, on the other hand, are not mandatory, but Bosnians like to include them and create a more colorful picture. You can grate these as well.

Preparing Your Peppers

Once you have assembled your filling, the peppers must be cleaned properly. Wash them and remove stems and seeds. Many like to cut the tops, but it is not a tradition in Bosnia. Instead, choose peppers with petiole. Once you wash your peppers, gently push the petiole with the tip of your finger downwards, going around it.

After releasing it from the pepper flesh, gently lift and remove with seeds. Also, make sure you do not break the pepper, as the filling may fall out. If you are wondering why to do this, and not just simply cut the tops, well the best answer is “as it is the right way.” With this removal, the filling will remain within the pepper and will absorb just the right amount of the cooking stock.

After this needed intro we bring you a genuine recipe for the Bosnian stuffed peppers—a recipe that has not changed for hundreds of years—except for the use of store-bought tomato sauce.  😊

Bosnian Stuffed Peppers, Prepared

Bosnian Stuffed Peppers

Anela Tripkovic

Enjoy this traditional Bosnian stuffed pepper recipe with rice, beef, tomatoes, and onions.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Bosnian

Servings 4 people

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• small bell peppers
• 12 ounces ground beef
• 1 small red onion finely grated
• 1 small carrot finely grated
• 2 small cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 4 ounces rice well rinsed
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2-3 tablespoons water as needed
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Wash the peppers and remove the pepper petiole and inner seeds. Rinse the peppers once more to remove all the seeds. Place aside.
• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, carrots, if using, and parsley
• Stir to combine with clean hands.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, to make the filling more pliable and softer. You can use oil, but with water the mixture will be less fatty.
• Stuff the peppers with clean fingers, making sure you do not overfill. If you overfill, the pepper will not soak up enough cooking juices, and if you underfill, they will get too soggy.
• Place the stuffed peppers aside.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepot over medium-high heat.
• Pour in tomato sauce. It should be sizzling. Add paprika and cook stirring for 30 seconds.
• Place in the peppers, and pour enough water to barely cover the peppers.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Serve peppers warm, sprinkled with some fresh parsley and cooking sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal

Keyword Balkan recipes, Bosnian recipes, green peppers, stuffed peppers

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