Stuffed Green Bell peppers also known as 'Bharwa Shimla Mirch' in the native language, is a must-try and a highly recommended recipe for bell pepper lovers. Today's recipe is a vegetarian one. The filling in the bell peppers is mainly mashed potatoes and grated cottage cheese (Paneer). You can also choose to fill in interesting stuff like seasoned rice or meat, chickpea flour, potatoes, and cheese by itself and get creative with the stuffings.
Why you'll love this?
- A great dish for vegetarians for a nice dinner or lunch, non-vegetarians can substitute with meat stuffing in the bell peppers.
- The combination of bell peppers, potatoes, and cheese is awesome.
- They can be baked or cooked on a stove-top.
- They look fancy and taste even better.
Stuffed Green Bell peppers recipe
In general, it is very exciting and gratifying to make any stuffed vegetable dish. We got a good harvest of bell peppers from our kitchen garden this time. Thanks to the lockdown, and spending free time gardening. I saved a batch to make this delicious dish. It might seem a lot of effort to make this dish, in the beginning. However, when you actually start making, it is quite straightforward.
If you have the stuffing ready, all you do is fill it in the empty, scooped-out bell peppers. Cook them on low to medium heat with a little oil in a deep-bottomed pan with a closed lid for 20 -25 minutes. You can leave the bell peppers half-cooked, and need not cook through fully as well. A little crunch of bell pepper in the bite with the stuffed potatoes is nice to have. But, if you prefer it fully cooked, you may cook for a little longer.
What contents go in the stuffed pepper?
The stuffing in this recipe is mainly grated cottage cheese (Paneer) and mashed potatoes. Heat a little oil and season it with spices, onions, and green chilies, and cool the mixture. Later, fill this into the bell peppers that are completely scooped out. It is best to fill the bell peppers to the top, press it down lightly, and finally top it with grated paneer. The paneer gives a nice reddish-golden color to the top when the bell peppers are finally cooking upside down.
If you have plenty of remaining stuffing you can use it for other dishes. You can use it in dishes like the stuffing in aloo paratha or malai kofta or even in a sandwich.
Many folks like to cut the bell pepper stalks completely. I leave it on and cook it on the side. You can cut it all the way to the end, and leave it hanging or chop it fully, and cook it separately. It looks appealing and presentable to have the tops on. If you decide to have the tops hanging, it might be a challenge to keep them from separating while cooking. It is easier to cook them on the side or just discard them.
Bake or cook the bell peppers on the stovetop?
I would recommend the stovetop and cook on medium heat in a closed pan for this recipe. I like cooking the stuffed peppers on the stovetop, so I can control the charring, and turn it when I like. It however needs your attention every five minutes, to turn over until it cooks on all sides for about 20 -25 minutes. Use a spoon and fork to turn over gently without spilling the stuffed contents. Cook it on low to medium heat, too low might release water, and too high might end up in the bell peppers not cooking well.
You can also bake the stuffed peppers as in many recipes that use the baking method like this or another with lots of loaded cheese. That way you do not have to babysit the dish while cooking. They look very delicious and simple to make as well.
Hope you enjoyed reading about this dish and will try making it as well. Have a wonderful day!
Stuffed Green Bell Peppers (Bharwa Shimla Mirch)
Ingredients
For Stuffing
- 1 cup cottage cheese (paneer)grated
- 3 - 4 potatoes large
- 5-6 green chilies finely chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp dry mango or amchur powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- 1 onion medium diced
- ¼ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
For the Peppers
- 8-10 Bell peppers scooped and cleaned , base cut
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Potato cheese stuffing
Instructions
To make the stuffing
- Boil and mash the potatoes
- Grate the cheese and keep aside
- In a deep bottom pan heat oil
- Add cumin seeds and sautee onions
- Add green chillies
- Add all the spice powders turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, amchur, garam masala
- Add salt, cheese and coriander leaves
Cook the Peppers
- Cut the bell peppers stalk and scoop out the insides. Cut the base of the bell pepper evenly so it can sit on the pan while cooking
- Fill the potato cheese filling till the top
- Heat a pan with oil , place the peppersand cover the lid .Ccook on low to medium heat
- Check every five minutes and turn to cook on all sides .Finally cook it upside down carefully turning with a spoon and fork .
- After about 25 minutes take it out into a serving dish .
Nutrition
Love stuffed green peppers, your recipe looks delicious and healthy:).
Many Thanks Sonila, stuffed vegetables are always fun to make .The bell pepper was indeed yum and yes healthy as well.
looks so yummy!
Thank you so much!
Oh, that looks so delicious! 😀 Definitely something I haven't had in a long time!
Thank you so much for the comments. Hope you will try it soon. Have a wonderful day!
You're so welcome. And you as well. ❤
Home grown peppers must have tasted incredible. I too love stuffing them with this filling but I add some roasted peanuts powder too😊
Thank you Nisha! yes, home grown bell peppers were awesome. Interesting that roasted peanut powder can be added too , that must give it a unique and different flavor .
How nice that the bell peppers came from your own garden! I really love colorful dishes and this one sounds like so much fun to make. Thanks for sharing!
Yes indeed Lynn that made it even more special as they were home grown. I thoroughly enjoyed making it . Thank you so much ,appreciate your comments!
Delicious recipe loaded with different flavors😋 !! Sure I will try it with veg. and meat !! 💌
Thank you so much Suni, yes rightly said loaded with flavors . I'm sure the combination with meat or beans will also be great !
I would really like to try this, so many flavors, an exciting delicious dish that you so nicely present in words and great images.
So glad to hear you would love to try this. It is indeed delicious. Thank you so much Anita, appreciate your wonderful comments.
I know this one ☝️ we r doing it with rice 🍚 & meat in Russia;)) ☀️💚 yummy!
That would be a great stuffing in the bell peppers as well. Yes they are really yum.Thank you so much !
The stuffed peppers look super delicious Nisha! I have not made them in a long time and your photos are tempting me to make it soon.
Thank you so much Sandhya, appreciate it! So glad this post reminded you of making them again. Enjoy!
Absolutely packed with flavours. Beautifully prepared and presented. Love all your recipes.
Thank you so much for such a wonderful comment! Glad to hear that you love all the recipes.
The peppers look so tasty. The cheese-potato filling sounds amazing. 🙂
Thank you so much Ronit .They were indeed delicious , the flavor of the pepper gets infused in the potato and cheese very well!