Homemade Turkish Dolma with Meat (Stuffed Green Bell Pepper)

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Turkish Dolma with Meat

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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 392kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion small diced
  • ½ lb/225 g minced beef
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¾ cup rice
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 handful of parsley chopped
  • 8 bell pepper
  • 2 medium tomato

For simmering:

  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Clean the bell peppers, gently press the stem inwards, remove it when it separates from the pepper, and remove the extra seeds. Set aside.
  • Slice the tomato with peel sides into circles to make the bell peppers’ lids. Set aside. Peel and chop the remaining parts of the tomatoes.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, shallow pan. Add the onions and saute them until they get translucent. Add the minced beef to the pan, and saute until it gets brown.
  • Add the salt, spices, tomato paste, and chopped tomatoes to the pan.
  • After sauteing for about 5 minutes, add the rice and saute for about 3 minutes. Add and stir the chopped parsley. Set aside to cool.
  • Fill dolma stuffing into the cleaned bell peppers. Be sure to fill only 3/4 of the bell peppers, not all, as the rice will swell as it cooks.
  • Put the tomato lids on top of the rice inside the bell peppers.
  • Arrange the dolmas in a pot.
  • Mix the tomato paste and water, then pour into the bell peppers.
  • Cover the lid and cook for about 75 minutes on medium-low heat. Serve after it cools down a bit.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 446mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 8411IU | Vitamin C: 319mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg

Tips, Notes & Substitutes:

Dolma is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Just be sure to follow these tips and tricks, and you’ll be sure to create a dish that everyone will love.

  • The key to making them is choosing the right green pepper. The best green peppers for this dish are the ones that are slightly larger and have a more bulbous shape. This allows for more stuffing and ensures that the peppers will stay intact during cooking.
  • Regarding the stuffing, you can use either ground beef or lamb. Just be sure to cook the meat thoroughly before adding it to the peppers.
  • Another essential tip is not to overstuff the peppers. You should fill them just enough but not so much that the stuffing spills out.
  • If you want to prepare this recipe as a vegan, you can prepare the stuffing without meat. To make vegan dolma, just mix all the remaining ingredients without cooking. You can also add black currants and pine nuts to this stuffing according to your taste.
  • Be sure to cook the peppers until they are tender but not mushy.
  • Now is the time to enjoy! You can serve your dolmas with plain yogurt.

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