Black Sea-Inspired Stuffed Peppers with Rice and Herbs

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-28 · Updated 2026-07-28

Bell peppers filled with a savory mixture of rice, onions, fresh herbs, and spices, baked until tender and fragrant. This mediterranean-inspired vegetarian (vegetarian, mediterranean) ready in about 70 minutes pairs (any color) large bell peppers, long grain rice, vegetable broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 (any color) large bell peppers
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, finely chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the tops off 4 large bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes carefully to keep whole peppers intact.
2. Step 2: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.
3. Step 3: Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Stir in 1 cup long grain rice and toast for 2 minutes with the onion mixture.
5. Step 5: Pour in 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until rice is almost cooked but still slightly firm.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and 2 tbsp tomato paste. Mix well.
7. Step 7: Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp olive oil inside each bell pepper, then fill each pepper with the rice mixture, packing gently.
8. Step 8: Place stuffed peppers upright in a baking dish and pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the dish.
9. Step 9: Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until peppers are tender and rice is fully cooked.
10. Step 10: Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes to lightly brown the tops before serving warm.