Bulgur Stuffed Peppers with Feta, Mint and Walnuts

Name: Bulgur Stuffed Peppers with Feta, Mint and Walnuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 large bell peppers; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 pinch salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ¾ cup Zaiqa Bulgur #2 - Medium Grain; 1 can diced tomatoes; ¾ cup water; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ⅓ cup fresh parsley; 2 tbsp fresh mint; 1 tbsp lemon juice; ⅓ cup walnuts; ¾ cup feta; ½ cup plain Greek yogurt; lemon wedges

<p>These bulgur stuffed peppers turn a few pantry staples into a weeknight dinner that also packs well for lunch. Medium bulgur simmers in tomato, cumin and smoked paprika until it is tender with a gentle chew. Then it gets folded with parsley, mint, lemon, toasted walnuts and salty feta. Roasting the pepper halves first means they come out soft and sweet, never crunchy and raw. Make a tray of bulgur stuffed peppers on Sunday and lunch is sorted for days.</p>

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Beginner

Recipe byAlli P.

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Method

First, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set the pepper halves cut side up on a lined tray, brush them with the oil and season with the salt. Roast for 15 minutes, until the edges soften but the halves still hold their shape.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until it is soft and golden at the edges.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir for about 1 minute, until the paste darkens to brick red and smells toasty.

Then stir in the bulgur for 1 minute so every grain is coated. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the water, salt and pepper and bring it to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender with a slight chew. Rest it off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes.

Next, fluff the bulgur with a fork and fold in the parsley, mint, lemon juice, walnuts and half the feta. Taste it now; it should be bright and well seasoned, so add salt or lemon if needed.

Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). Tip out any liquid that has gathered in the peppers, then pack the filling into the halves, mounding it slightly. Scatter the remaining feta on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the feta is golden at the edges and a knife slides easily through the pepper walls.

Finally, rest the bulgur stuffed peppers for 5 minutes, then serve with a spoon of Greek yogurt and lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Meet the cook

Alli P.

Good food shouldn't be saved for the weekend. That idea sits behind everything I write for Zaiqa.

My kitchen runs on the staples in our pantry: bulgur that cooks faster than rice, lentils that become a salad by lunchtime, chickpeas that stretch a meal for the whole table. I look for the shortcut that doesn't cost you flavour, the prep step that saves you on Wednesday, and the swap that makes a dish more nourishing without tasting like a compromise.

You'll find me writing weeknight bowls, meal-prep guides, Mediterranean-leaning salads, breakfasts worth sitting down for, and the occasional sweet. Every recipe is written to be cooked, not just read: clear amounts, honest timings, and notes for when the week doesn't go to plan.

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