Stuffed Peppers with Beans and Leeks – a Bulgarian specialty, prepared with sweet dried (when rehydrated) red peppers, red kidney beans and lots of leeks. Baked in the oven to perfection. Vegetarian, kid-friendly. Recipe can be prepared with fresh peppers as well.
We are making traditional Bulgarian stuffed dry red peppers with red kidney beans and lot’s of leeks. Baked in the oven, these sweet peppers can be served as appetizer or main meal. The beauty of these peppers is that they can be prepared with fresh peppers as well. Just keep in mind that the traditional sweetness coming from the dried pepper may not be present.
If you like stuffed peppers, definitely try my recipe for old-fashioned Italia stuffed peppers.
FUN FACTS: Cooking with dried red peppers holds an important place in Bulgarian culinary traditions. During the time when Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire, many culinary influences have been adapted and integrated into Bulgarian cuisine. Drying sweet red peppers for winter meals likely being on of them.
If you’ve visited a Bulgarian market, you’ve probably seen bundles of long, dried peppers stacked in groups of 8 to 12. To use them in cooking, they must be rehydrated in hot water, which softens them and restores their rich, meaty texture. When rehydrated, these peppers are known for their sweet, robust flavor and are commonly used in soups, main dishes, and appetizers.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dried red peppers, sweet – should be rehydrated in hot water a few hours before cooking. Recipe can be prepared with fresh peppers as well
- Leeks, minced
- Red kidney beans – or white cannellini beans are used too
- Butter – or vegetable oil of choice
- Water for cooking, plus hot water for soaking dried peppers – rehydration
- Seasoning: 1 tbsp. sweet paprika, tomato paste, savory spice, parsley, sea salt to taste
How to make stuffed dried peppers?
1st: Rehydrate the peppers in hot water a few hours before cooking. They should be soft and meaty on all sides.
2nd: Prepare the filling on the stove top, add water and stuff peppers gently with the filling. Bake as directed.
TIP: Rehydrated red peppers are very fragile and tend to break easily. When stuffing, take care not to tear them with the spoon.
MORE Bulgarian Recipes:
A few suggestions you might have never seen before:
Stuffed Pepper with Leeks and Beans
Ingredients
- 8 medium dried red peppers, sweet
- 2 sticks leeks, minced
- 2 cans red kidney beans
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup water for cooking
- hot water for soaking dried peppers
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. savory spice
- 1 tbsp. parsley, fresh
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak dry red peppers in boiling hot water for 2 hours (or until all parts of pepper are soft). Then, drain well and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan sauté finely chopped leeks in butter on low heat until soft. Stir as needed. Add drained canned red kidney beans and all seasoning.
- Then, combine well and add 1/2 cup (100 ml) water to the mix. Let simmer for 5 minutes on the stove top.
- Next, stuff each pepper with the leek-bean mix and arrange in a baking dish side by side. Gently add 1/2 cup (100ml) of water to the dish (or more as needed), brush peppers with melted butter (optional).
- Cover dish with baking foil and bake in the oven for approx. 30 minutes (or more if needed). Remove foil and cook for additional 5-10 minutes (optional) with ventilation on. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Scrumptious