Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

Pork and Rice Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Passata

Recipe by
Reviewed by Arturs Arnicans
Prep Time: 15m
Cook Time: 2h
Total Time: 2h 15m
Temp.: 375 °F
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
4.9 (15 Reviews)
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Ingredients

Adjust servings:

For the Peppers:

For the Sauce:

Nutritional Information

291
Calories
18g
Fat
19g
Carbohydrates
15g
Protein
71mg
Cholesterol
309mg
Sodium
Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

Recipe Description

Originating in Romania and enjoyed all across the Mediterranean and Middle East, these Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti) are, in one word, unbelievable.

Preferably use medium, colorful peppers to stuff with ground pork, uncooked rice, chopped onion, some egg, fresh dill, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Over a low heat, cook the stuffed peppers in a sour cream and tomato puree sauce. I love it when a delicious dish is simple to make and sometimes, less is more. These are so much more!

To make Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti), you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients for Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

Recipe Features

Cuisine

No specific cuisine for this recipe

Steps to make

  1. 1

    Preheat oven

    1 min

    Preheat the oven to 375 °F.

  2. 2

    Prepare peppers

    3 min
    Step 2 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    To prevent the peppers falling, carefully slice a flat, even piece off the bottom of 8 medium peppers.

  3. 3

    Prepare stuffing

    2 min
    Step 3 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)Step 3 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    In a mixing bowl, combine 1½ lbs of ground pork, ½ cup of uncooked rice, 1 chopped onion, 1 egg, ¼ cup freshly chopped dill, ¼ cup of freshly chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.

  4. 4

    Stuff peppers

    7 min
    Step 4 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)Step 4 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    Stuff the 8 prepared peppers with the stuffing mixture and place them standing upwards in a large 5-quart Dutch oven.

  5. 5

    Prepare sauce

    2 min
    Step 5 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    In another mixing bowl, whisk 2 cups of tomato passata with ½ cup of sour cream. 2 cups of water, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper until combined. Pour the sauce into the pot of stuffed peppers so the sauce reaches halfway up the peppers.

  6. 6

    Cook

    2 h
    Step 6 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours, covered. Remove the lid and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes - 1 hour until the peppers are softened and can be easily pierced with a fork. The rice should be cooked too.

  7. 7

    Serve

    Step 7 - Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti)

    Serve hot with extra sour cream and some crusty bread, if you wish!

Do you love feel-good food? Then you’ll love these Romanian Stuffed Peppers (Ardei Umpluti). Simple and delicious dinner prep that will please the whole family. Is this recipe new to you? Let us know what you think about it and contact us online when you tag #cookmerecipes in your own posts online!

About the author

Lilly Mathuse

Lilly is an enthusiastic and cheerful young mom. She knows as well as any parent that children can be really picky when it comes to food. And she’s had plenty of experience trying to cook meals that are both tasty and nutritious, and able to satisfy the tastes of a fussy kid right away! To save you some precious time, Lilly's going to share with you all the tricks she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! She has a wealth of recipes for quick and easy meals for kids and families on a budget.

Recipe Reviews

Have you made this recipe? Share your experience and help other cooks!

★★★★★
★★★★★
4.9 out of 5 (15 reviews)
Xander
June 20, 2024
Verified

Wow!

Ursula
February 16, 2024
Verified

So simple, yet delish!

Tom
February 11, 2024
Verified

Simply amazing dish

Jakey
February 10, 2024
Verified

These peppers brought back memories of my childhood family dinners. Super easy and oh so tasty!

Hannah Scott
October 21, 2023
Verified

OMG, these Romanian Stuffed Peppers are just fab! Made 'em for a dinner party last week and everyone was raving about 'em. Super easy to whip up and so delish! The mix of spices and that creamy sauce? Massive win! Can't wait to make 'em again, perfect comfort food. Highly recommend, trust me!

Ursula
October 15, 2023
Verified

So easy, delicious.

Megan Smith
October 3, 2023
Verified

Wow! These stuffed peppers are a game changer! I made them for my friends, and they were a hit! The flavors blend so well together—it’s simple yet fancy!

Vicky98
October 3, 2023
Verified

Unbelievable!

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