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middle eastern stuffed bell peppers on a white background surrounded by pine nuts and mint
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4.91 from 11 votes

Middle Eastern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Middle Eastern Stuffed Bell Peppers (Koosa Mih-shee) is a Syrian traditional dinner recipe ideal for large families. Green bell peppers are stuffed with an authentic lamb and rice filling, then simmered in a tomato and pomegranate broth. This one pot dinner is easy to make and can be eaten as a full meal or with a Middle Eastern side salad.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: Arabic dinner, Middle Eastern recipes, stuffed vegetables
Servings: 6
Calories: 496kcal
Author: Kristina Tipps

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 green bell peppers
  • 1.5 lbs ground beef
  • 1 cup uncooked white rice
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 3 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 ½ teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
  • 4 cups water
  • 6 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 6 cups tomato sauce
  • 6 tablespoon dried mint
  • 10 garlic cloves, crushed

Instructions

  • Cut the tops off of the pepper, wash, and remove seeds from inside.
  • In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, uncooked rice, allspice, crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Fill peppers with mixture, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top.
  • Make the broth by combining the water, tomato sauce, pomegranate molasses, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
  • Place the stuffed peppers into a large pot. Pour the sauce on top. Add more water to almost cover the peppers. Place a heavy plate on top of the peppers.
  • Turn the burner to high heat and bring to a bol. Reduce to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
  • Remove the stuffed peppers immediately using tongs or 2 wooden spoons, being careful to support the bottom of the peppers so they do not rip. The peppers will be very soft and fragile.
  • Pour extra broth on top of peppers and serve with your favorite side salad or bread.

Notes

Reserve extra broth for future recipes. You can freeze it for up to 1 year. 

Nutrition

Serving: 5oz | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 784mg | Potassium: 1111mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1148IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 5mg