Soft baked stuffed peppers with meat and soaked bread
Baked stuffed peppers are a dish I prepare when I want something complete, tasty, and without too many complicated steps.
The filling is what I often use for other vegetables too: minced meat, soaked bread, cheese, and egg. A simple mixture, but designed to stay soft during cooking and absorb all the flavour of the peppers.
Once in the oven, the peppers release their juices and create a humid environment that cooks the filling from the inside. This is what makes it so soft and well bound, while the peppers soften and lightly brown on the outside.
I prepare them with their ‘hats‘, that is, the top part with the stalk. Besides the more refined visual effect, it helps to retain aromas and juices inside, making the filling even softer and tastier.
The result is a rustic dish, with a succulent filling and a structure that remains compact, perfect for serving directly from the baking dish.
🛒 Ingredients
500 g mixed minced meat
1 egg
100 g grated Parmesan cheese
100 g grated mozzarella
approx. 100–150 g stale bread (soaked and well squeezed)
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil to taste
👩🍳 Instructions
Place the stale bread in cold water and let it soak for about 1 minute. Squeeze it very well, removing all excess water.
Transfer it to a large bowl and add the minced meat, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper.
Mix carefully until you obtain a homogeneous and well-combined mixture.
Wash the peppers under running water and cut off the top part, keeping the stalk: this will be the ‘hat’.
Remove the seeds and white parts inside, doing the same for the hats.
Dry the peppers well before proceeding with the filling.
Arrange the peppers in the baking dish.
Using a spoon, fill them halfway with the meat mixture, add some grated mozzarella, then complete with more filling and another small amount of cheese on top.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil inside each pepper and close with its own cap.
Pour a drizzle of oil onto the bottom of the baking dish and add about half a cup of water.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C, on the middle-low shelf, for about 40 minutes, until the peppers are soft and slightly golden on top.
Once removed from the oven, let the peppers cool for a few minutes before serving.
This step allows the filling to settle and makes it easier to serve them while maintaining their shape.
Tip for the filling
For this type of preparation, it is preferable to use rustic or Pugliese bread: the crumb is more consistent and allows for a soft but not too wet filling.
If you want to add even more flavour, you can add a pinch of:
- chopped parsley
- very finely chopped garlic (optional)
- or a touch of sweet paprika or nutmeg
These are small touches, but they enhance the flavour without overpowering the pepper.
Variations of stuffed peppers
Stuffed peppers lend themselves easily to a few variations, especially depending on the desired outcome.
If you prefer a drier cooking and a slightly crispy surface, you can cut the peppers lengthwise, forming ‘boats’. After cleaning them inside, proceed with the same filling, but without closing them with the cap. This way, the oven’s heat acts directly on the surface, creating a light crust.
Another interesting variation is with rice instead of stale bread. Just add a small amount directly into the filling: during cooking, it will absorb the juices from the meat and peppers, becoming soft and well-bound with the other ingredients. The result is slightly drier, but still rich in flavour.
These are two simple alternatives, but they allow you to achieve different textures starting from the same base.
