This Stuffed Pepper Bowl is the weeknight answer to Middle Eastern stuffed peppers. All the bold spiced meat and rice filling you love without the fuss of stuffing each pepper individually. Ground lamb, red peppers, and a Lebanese seven-spice blend all simmered together in one pot. The rice absorbs every bit of that deeply seasoned broth, finished with fresh herbs and served over cool garlic labneh.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Stuffed Pepper Bowl
🕒 Ready In: ~ 35 minutes
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~ 536 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Rice, lamb, red peppers, cilantro, parsley, mint, garlic, onion
👌 Difficulty: Easy
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
The spiced ground meat and rice filling is used throughout Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. From stuffed vegetables to rolled grape leaves. The combination of allspice, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin is what Lebanese cooks call Baharat, or seven-spice. It is one of the most deeply comforting flavor profiles.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Everything cooks in one pot. The rice absorbs all that spiced broth and every grain is deeply flavored all the way through.
The garlic labneh. Cool, thick, tangy, and creamy against the hot spiced lamb and rice. It is the contrast that makes this dish feel complete.
Feeds six from one pot. Make it ahead, reheat it during the week, and it tastes just as good the next day.
Stuffed Pepper Bowl Video
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Ingredient Notes
Ground Lamb: It has a slightly gamey, rich depth that pairs beautifully with the warm spice blend. Cook it on medium heat, breaking it up as it goes until every bit of liquid it releases has evaporated. That browning is where the flavor in this dish starts.
The Spice Blend: The warm spices in this recipe are inspired by Lebanese seven spice, known as baharat, the defining spice blend of Lebanese cooking built on a core of allspice, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin. These four spices show up in everything from hashweh to kafta to stuffed vegetables across the Lebanese table. The garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in this recipe are additional seasonings layered on top of that seven spice base to add extra depth and savory warmth.
Red Peppers: They soften and sweeten as they cook in the spiced broth and add a natural sweetness that balances the warm spices beautifully. I used red peppers specifically because their sweetness paired beautifully with the spices.
Parboiled Rice: The same variety I use in my Stuffed Cabbage Bowl and my One Pot Chicken Shawarma Rice, and for the same reason. Parboiled rice holds its shape during a 25- to 30-minute simmer and stays fluffy and separate rather than clumping together. Regular basmati works as a substitute, but reduce the broth slightly and check it at the 20-minute mark as it cooks faster.
Tomato Paste: Cook in the pan after the peppers until it darkens and smells rich and sweet rather than sharp and raw. This two-to-three-minute step is what gives the broth its depth and body. Undercooked tomato paste tastes tinny and flat. Properly cooked tomato paste tastes like it has been simmering for hours. The same technique I use in my Stuffed Cabbage Bowl and it makes all the difference every time.
Fresh Herbs: Parsley, cilantro, and mint all go in together, and they are what gives this dish its brightness and freshness after a long simmer. Fresh mint specifically is very Levantine and adds a cool herby note that cuts through the richness of the lamb beautifully. If cilantro is not your thing, skip it and double the parsley. (No judgment. Cilantro is divisive and we respect that haha.)
Garlic Labneh: Labneh is a thick strained yogurt used widely across Lebanese and Middle Eastern cooking. It is tangier and much thicker than regular Greek yogurt, and it holds up beautifully as a base under hot food without becoming watery. The cool garlic labneh against the hot spiced lamb and rice is the same contrast that makes my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes served over whipped feta so satisfying.
Pro tip
The Secret to Perfect Rice
Do not lift the lid during the 25- to 30-minute simmer. The steam trapped inside is what cooks the rice evenly and keeps it fluffy. Every time the lid comes off, you lose steam, and the rice will not cook properly. Set a timer and walk away, friend.
Substitutions & Variations
No ground lamb? Ground beef is the most widely available substitute and works beautifully with the seven-spice blend. Ground chicken works for a leaner version but add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to compensate for the lower fat content.
No labneh? Full fat Greek yogurt works in the same quantity. The base will be slightly less thick and tangy but still very good. Whipped feta also works beautifully here if you want something more indulgent. My whipped feta recipe takes about two minutes to make.
No fresh mint? Skip it and use all parsley instead. The dish will still be delicious. Dried mint is a last resort only as the flavor is quite different from fresh in a hot rice dish.
Want more vegetables? Diced zucchini added with the red peppers or a handful of baby spinach stirred in at the very end both work beautifully and are very much at home in a Lebanese inspired rice dish.
FAQ
Yes and it is actually better the next day. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a small splash of beef broth when reheating and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice before serving to bring the flavors back to life.
Either the heat was too low or the lid was lifted during cooking and steam escaped. If the rice is still firm and the liquid is absorbed add a quarter cup of warm broth, replace the lid, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, but start checking the rice at the 20-minute mark, as regular basmati cooks faster.
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- One-Pot Chicken Shawarma Rice45 Minutes
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- Quick and Fluffy Dinner Rolls1 Hours 10 Minutes
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⭐️ Recipe
Stuffed Pepper Bowl
Ingredients
Stuffed pepper bowl
- 1 lb ground lamb or ground beef or ground chicken
- 2 red bell peppers chopped
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups parboiled rice or basmati rice
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- ½ tablespoon low sodium beef bouillon
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice or see ingredients below
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped (or skip if you dislike it)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- Salt to taste
7 Spice
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves optional - I prefer it without
Garlic labneh
- 1 cup labneh or full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the onion and garlic
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally until softened and translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly so it does not burn.1 medium onion, 4 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Brown the lamb
- Add the ground lamb and increase the heat slightly to medium-high. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the meat is deeply browned and any liquid has been released and evaporated completely. Do not rush this step. Properly browned lamb adds a depth of flavor.1 lb ground lamb
Add the peppers and tomato paste
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the chopped red peppers and stir to combine. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the meat and pepper mixture. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly until the paste darkens to a deep brick red and smells sweet and rich rather than raw and sharp.2 red bell peppers, 3 tbsp tomato paste
Toast the rice
- Add the parboiled rice directly to the pot and stir to coat it in the meat and tomato mixture. Let it toast for 2 minutes stirring regularly until the rice smells slightly nutty.2 cups parboiled rice or basmati rice
Add herbs, seasonings, and broth
- Pour in the beef broth and fresh lemon juice. Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed. It should taste well seasoned and slightly tangy from the lemon.4 cups low sodium beef broth, ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- Add the fresh parsley, cilantro, and mint. Add the allspice, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and beef bouillon. Stir well to distribute everything evenly.½ tbsp low sodium beef bouillon, 1 tsp allspice, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ cup fresh parsley, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh mint, Salt to taste
Simmer
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to medium low. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes without lifting the lid. The steam trapped inside is what cooks the rice evenly. Lifting the lid releases that steam and the rice will not cook properly.
- After 25 to 30 minutes remove the lid. The liquid should be fully absorbed and the rice should be fluffy and cooked through. If there is still liquid replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and taste for seasoning before serving.
Make the garlic labneh
- While the rice simmers stir together the labneh, grated garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside until ready to serve.
Serve
- Spoon a generous layer of garlic labneh onto each plate and spread slightly. Pile the stuffed pepper bowl mixture on top. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately.1 cup labneh or full fat Greek yogurt, 1 garlic clove, Salt and pepper to taste
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!