Sun-dried red peppers, sweet, smoky, and intensely fragrant, are a Bulgarian winter treasure. Stuffed with a savory filling of minced meat, rice, onions, and warm spices, then baked until the peppers turn glossy and tender, this dish is classic Christmas fare (most homes make a meatless version for Christmas Eve and the meaty one for Christmas Day), but it’s too good to save for only one holiday.
Preparation Time
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Soaking the peppers: 20–30 minutes
- Cooking Time: 45–60 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients (Serves four people)
For the peppers
- 12–14 dried Bulgarian red peppers (kapia-type), intact stems preferred
- Hot water for soaking
- 2–3 Tbsp sunflower oil or melted butter for baking
For the filling
- 500 g minced meat (traditionally pork or pork–beef 70:30)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 120 g rice (short/medium grain) or 100 g rice + 20 g bulgur
- 200 g tomatoes, grated or crushed (or 150 ml passata)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika (plus a pinch of hot paprika, optional)
- 1 tsp dried savory (чубрица)
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp dried mint (optional, regional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp sunflower oil (or 2 Tbsp oil + 1 Tbsp butter)
- 250 ml hot water or light stock, divided
For the baking sauce (optional but lovely)
- 250 ml tomato juice or thinned passata
- 1 tsp sugar (to balance)
- Pinch salt and pepper
1 tablespoon is circa 15 ml, and a teaspoon is circa 5 ml.
Preparation Method
Step 1: How Bulgarians dry the peppers (background)
At summer’s end, thick-fleshed red kapia peppers are rinsed, dried, and threaded on twine into long garlands (венеци). They hang under the eaves or on sunny balconies where the Bulgarian sun and mountain breezes slowly dehydrate them. Good circulation and shade during the hottest hours prevent scorching; in 1–2 weeks, they become leathery, deeply red, and intensely aromatic. Stored in linen bags, they perfume the pantry all winter.
Step 2: Rehydrate the peppers
Rinse the dried peppers to remove any dust. Cover with very hot (not boiling) water and a plate to keep them submerged; soak 20–30 minutes until pliable and leathery-tender. Drain, trim the stems just enough to create an opening, and shake out most of the seeds. Pat dry.
Step 3: Make the filling
Warm 3 Tbsp oil in a wide pan. Sauté onion with a pinch of salt until translucent (5–6 min). Add the carrots and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the minced meat; cook, breaking it up, until it loses raw color; season with paprika, savory, cumin, mint (if using), salt, and pepper. Add rice; toast 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and 150 ml hot water/stock. Simmer for 5–7 minutes to partially cook the rice (it will finish in the oven). The mixture should be juicy, not soupy. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Step 4: Stuff the peppers
Fill each softened pepper about ¾ full as the rice expands. Do not overpack. Gently press the open end to tuck in the filling; you can close with a small piece of trimmed stem or a light dusting of flour to “seal,” but it’s optional.
Step 5: Pan-kiss (optional)
For a nostalgic taste, quickly brown the stuffed peppers in a film of hot oil, 10–15 seconds per side, just until lightly blistered. This intensifies flavor and helps skins stay supple.
Step 6: Arrange & bake
Nestle peppers snugly in a greased baking dish. Whisk the baking sauce (tomato juice, sugar, salt, pepper) with 100 ml hot water/stock, then pour it around (not over) the peppers; add more hot water if the dish looks dry; liquid should come about 1 cm up the sides. Drizzle with 2–3 Tbsp oil or melted butter.
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30–35 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15–25 minutes more, until the peppers are soft and glossy, the rice is tender, and the sauce has thickened.
Step 7: Rest & serve
Let it stand 10 minutes to settle. The peppers slice cleanly and taste even better slightly warm or at room temperature.
Tips and Tricks
- Soaking water: Very hot water softens without splitting the skins. If peppers are dehydrated, change the water once and soak a bit longer.
- Rice balance: The partial pre-cook prevents crunchy rice but keeps grains distinct.
- Flavor boosters: A few allspice berries or a bay leaf in the sauce add festive warmth.
- Make-ahead: Fill a day in advance, refrigerate, and bake just before serving.
- For creaminess, whisk a spoonful of flour into the tomato sauce for silkier pan gravy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve 2–3 peppers per person with a spoonful of the pan sauce. Add a dollop of thick Bulgarian yogurt (кисело мляко) and a simple salad—shopska, pickled peppers, or winter cabbage salad. Fresh bread or warm качамак (cornmeal) makes it a feast.
Wine Matching
- Reds: Mavrud, Melnik 55, or Rubin—ripe fruit and structure that complement the sweet pepper and spices.
- Whites: Full-bodied Dimyat or oak-kissed Chardonnay if you prefer white.
- Festive choice: A dry Bulgarian rosé (Syrah/Merlot) works beautifully.
Nutritional Information (per serving, approx.)
- Calories: ~520 kcal
- Protein: ~26 g
- Fat: ~28 g
- Carbohydrates: ~44 g
- Fiber: ~5 g
- Sodium: varies by salt/stock
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-free: Recipe is naturally GF; ensure stock and spices are GF.
- Lighter: Use lean beef/turkey; reduce oil by 1–2 Tbsp; skip the pan-kiss step.
- No nightshades: Use dried sweet peppers only if tolerated; replace tomato with a light yogurt sauce (non-traditional).
- Dairy-free: Use only oil; skip the butter and yogurt garnish.
Storage Suggestions
Refrigerate up to 3 days; flavors deepen overnight. Reheat covered at 160°C (320°F) with a splash of water. Freeze up to 2 months; cool completely, pack in sauce, and thaw slowly in the fridge before reheating.
About Stuffed Dried Peppers
Stuffed peppers are a Bulgarian signature, and the sun-dried winter version is the most aromatic. The drying concentrates sweetness while keeping the delicate pepper perfume. Regions vary; some add bulgur, others yogurt—an egg topping (заливка) —and many families alternate vegetarian and meaty fillings throughout the holidays.
Cultural Context
In Bulgarian tradition, Christmas Eve (Бъдни вечер) is a meatless, lenten meal, with stuffed dried peppers filled with rice, beans, walnuts, and onions. The meat version appears on Christmas Day and throughout winter feasts, name days, and Sunday gatherings. The sight of red garlands drying under the eaves is a postcard of late Bulgarian summer; months later, that sunshine returns to the table in the form of these plush, flavor-rich peppers, which are comforting, celebratory, and unmistakably Bulgarian.
