Anything stuffed on a plate looks pretty tasty to me, but the real treat with these capsicums is what you’ll find inside their bright red packaging: a fully loaded bolognese and rice filling that oozes with the perfect amount of melted cheese.
How to make stuffed capsicums: key tips
To speed up the cooking process and ensure the capsicum flesh is tender all the way through and doesn’t taste ‘raw’, it’s best to blanch the capsicums before stuffing them. Simply pop them whole in a large pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon or strainer. Let them dry on paper towels before you use them.
Slice the lids off the capsicums about 2cm from the top, leaving the green stalk intact, and reserve them for placing back on top once the capsicums are stuffed.
Key ingredients in this stuffed capsicums recipe
Capsicums come in all crazy shapes and sizes. Choose large capsicums for this dish that are well-shaped and will stand easily on their bases. If any are a little wobbly, you can slice off a little bit of the base so that they stand more upright – be careful you don’t cut through to the hollow section or all your lovely bolognese sauce will drain right out!
You won’t need the whole 570g jar of pasta sauce. Start with about 150g, then add a little more if you want to. Save the rest for another use.
As it cooks, the soup will thicken up, becoming a lovely rich sauce you can spoon over your stuffed capsicums when serving.
Make the most of in-season capsicums with these 21 ways to enjoy capsicum. And here are some great tips on how to roast and peel capsicum. Enjoy!
This recipe was originally submitted by Melissa, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 6 red capsicums medium
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 onion diced large
- 4 tbs rice
- 440 ml canned tomato soup
- 570 g pasta sauce
- 300 ml water
- 1/4 cup cheese grated
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1Fry onion.
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Step 2Add water and rice. Simmer for 10 minutes.
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Step 3Stir in mince and bolognese sauce.
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Step 4Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 5Stuff the capsicums with the mince mixture and place in an ovenproof dish. Replace the reserved capsicum lids on top.
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Step 6Pour the soup around the capsicums. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top and bake at 180C for 55 minutes, or until capsicums are soft.
Recipe Notes
How do I serve these stuffed capsicums?
You can enjoy these capsicums on their own as a light meal, or serve them with a side salad.
Can I make these stuffed capsicums ahead of time?
This is a great dish to make ahead. Prepare the stuffed capsicums until step 5 and then cover the dish in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 1 day. To serve, simply add the soup to the dish, sprinkle with the cheese and then bake in the oven. You’ll need to add 10 minutes to the cooking time, as you will be baking from chilled ingredients.
Make cheat stuffed capsicums
Blanch your capsicums, slice off the lids, then stuff them with leftover bolognese sauce! Return the lids and continue with step 6 to bake and serve your stuffed capsicums. Weeknight dinner done!
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