Easy Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers (Mediterranean Style)
Air fry these Mediterranean style stuffed peppers in around half the time compared to your oven! This is an easy all-in-one dinner with ground beef, rice and vegetables, so no fancy side dishes needed. There are hidden veggies for the kids, and even picky eaters tend to like these since the stuffing tastes a bit like pasta sauce. Makes enough filling for two meals, or freeze for another time.
Servings: 4 (to 8)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for drizzling (optional)
- 1 large onion grated or chopped finely
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1 small zucchini or half a larger one, grated
- 4 cloves garlic large, crushed
- 1 pound ground beef minced beef
- 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs e.g Italian herbs, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, marjoram
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika regular or smoked
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup rice uncooked arborio, risotto (or any kind)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste concentrate/puree
- 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes 1 can
- 4 medium peppers any color or a mixture
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar optional
- 1 cup fresh herbs e.g. parsley, basil, mint, dill, coriander (any combination of these - more than 1 cup if you have them)
- ¾ cup cheese I like a mixture of crumbled feta, cheddar cheese and parmesan
To serve (optional)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- extra fresh herbs
- toasted bread with olive oil and salt
- fresh green salad (I usually use pre-washed bag salad)
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a large pan with a lid on a medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot and zucchini and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then stir in the garlic.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large onion, 1 large carrot, 1 small zucchini, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef (minced beef), break up with a wooden spoon and stir until it's turned white.1 pound ground beef
- Stir in the dried herbs and spices, and the salt and pepper. Then stir in the rice, tomato paste (concentrate), and canned tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato can with water and add that to the pan too, plus another half a can of water (1½ cans altogether).2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs , 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 cup rice, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 14 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
- Stir well again, bring to the boil, then put the lid on the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Check one to two times during cooking that the mixture isn't drying out. If necessary, add a drizzle more water. At the end of cooking, stir in the honey (or sugar), balsamic vinegar (if using) and fresh herbs well.1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 cup fresh herbs
- Meanwhile, prepare the peppers. With a sharp knife, slice the very top off the peppers. Clean out the inside including any seeds. Pre-heat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 390F/200C. Then air fry the empty peppers for 6 minutes.4 medium peppers
- Using a metal spoon, fill each of the peppers with the stuffing, pressing it right down into the bottom. Then pile the cheese on top of each.¾ cup cheese
- Air fry for another 8 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely golden brown. Serve the stuffed peppers with a big spoonful of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil and extra fresh herbs on top, and with green salad and toasted bread on the side, if you like.½ cup Greek yogurt, extra fresh herbs , toasted bread with olive oil and salt, fresh green salad
Video
Notes
Peppers: If possible, I love to use a combination of different colored peppers (red, green, yellow, orange). The dish becomes very colorful this way, and of course each kind of pepper has a slightly different flavor, with the green ones being less sweet than the others.
If you have a small air fryer and are worried about the top of the peppers hitting the heating element at the top, simply slice a little more off the top of the pepper before stuffing. I often do this.
Fresh herbs: I recommend adding in at least a whole cup of fresh herbs at the end (my favorite are any or all of these: parsley, dill, basil, mint and coriander). If you have more, add even more! They add a lovely green color and freshness to the dish.
Leftovers: This recipe makes enough filling for around 8 medium-sized peppers - so 1 dinner for 8 with simple sides, or two dinners for 4. Keep any leftover filling (or stuffed peppers) well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months to use later. Alternatively, use any leftover filling in burritos, or eat by itself with an egg on top!
How to reheat: It's best to cut peppers in half (from the top down) and lay them on their side with the filling facing up. Air fry at 350F/175C for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the peppers - just keep checking until they are piping hot inside). If you prefer to microwave them, cover and microwave on reduced power for 3 to 4 minutes, again until piping hot.
Making ahead: With the cold, pre-made filling, don't pre-cook the peppers. Instead, stuff the raw peppers with the cold filling, then air fry for 15 to 20 minutes so that the filling has time to reheat thoroughly. Add the cheese around half way through cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 733kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1044mg | Potassium: 1218mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 5496IU | Vitamin C: 137mg | Calcium: 334mg | Iron: 6mg
