You will have to try out these delicious red bell peppers stuffed with seasoned minced meat and baked in a rich tomato sauce. Flavourful dish, where the peppers become tender while absorbing the savoury juices, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and heartiness. Served with soft and fluffy bread dumplings, ideal for a cozy family dinner.
This week, I am sharing with you one of the most common dish in any household in the Czech Republic. And this meal is called PLNENA PAPRIKA v RAJSKE OMACCE, & it’s stuffed peppers with minced meat, baked in tomato sauce and served with classic Czech bread dumplings
In Czech, we sometimes call it in abbreviation “Rajska” and everybody knows exactly what they will get on the plate. This dish can also be found in any traditional Czech pub or restaurant.
You will find this dish:
- Comforting and Hearty – The combination of tender bell peppers, flavourful minced meat, and rich tomato sauce makes for a satisfying, homey meal.
- Well-Balanced – It includes protein, vegetables, and carbs in one dish, making it a complete and nutritious meal.
- Versatile – You can customize the filling with different meats, spices, or even vegetarian alternatives.
- Great for Meal Prep – It reheats well, making it a convenient choice for batch cooking.
- Crowd-Pleasing – The mild sweetness of red bell peppers and the rich tomato sauce appeal to both adults and kids.
Ingredients
- Large Red Bell Peppers – bright red bell peppers are the most appealing for this recipe, but other colours can be used. Use firm peppers. Their natural sweetness will balance the savoury, spiced filling and the tangy tomato sauce.
- Ground Meat Mix (Beef, Pork, Veal) – provides a rich, hearty base. Beef adds depth, pork contributes juiciness, and veal offers tenderness.
- Small Egg – Acts as a binder, holding the meat mixture together and ensuring a cohesive texture.
- Whole Milk – Softens the breadcrumbs, adding moisture to prevent the filling from becoming dry.
- White Toast – Soaked in milk, it helps keep the meat filling tender and juicy.
- Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs – Adds texture, absorbs excess moisture, and enhances flavour with herbs.
- Cooked White Rice – Lightens the meat mixture and provides a soft, tender bite inside the peppers.
- Small Onion (finely chopped) – Adds mild sweetness and aromatic depth to the filling.
- Garlic (2 medium cloves, minced) – Enhances the overall flavour with a warm, slightly pungent note.
- Dried Marjoram – Provides an earthy, slightly citrus aroma that complements the meat and tomato sauce.
- Paprika – Adds a mild smokiness, sweetness and enhances colour.
- Salt & Pepper – Essential for bringing out the flavours of the meat and balancing the overall dish.
- Olive Oil – Used for sautéing and enhancing flavour richness.
- Tomato Sauce – preferably already seasoned. Keeps the stuffed peppers moist while infusing them with a rich, tangy-sweet tomato flavour.
- Fresh Parsley – Adds a fresh, herbaceous note and a pop of colour, making the dish visually appealing.
Simple preparation & tips for stuffed peppers
This dish is fairly easy and quickly prepared. The key is to prepare the filling from minced meat and carve the peppers in advance. By preparing these two-steps the day before, will allow you to sit down after a long day of work and wait for the oven to make the magic.
A great way to save on some more time is also buying already seasoned canned or jarred tomato sauce. So you don’t have to spend extra time to season the tomato sauce, and simply pour the jar over the stuffed peppers.
For the stuffing, use these three kinds of minced meat: beef, pork and veal, it adds more flavour. We will use a lot of onion, garlic and some Czech herbs and spices to bring this stuffing to the right level of flavour.
Preparation time for this dish is in between 20–30 minutes and cooking of stuffed peppers will be around 40 minutes. If you are planning making tomato sauce from scratch, count extra 40 minutes. In this recipe, I am using pre-cooked and pre-seasoned tomato sauce in a jar, so I am simply emptying the content straight on the stuffed peppers.
How to make stuffed peppers with tomato sauce
Step 1 – Carve the peppers
Slice Off the Tops – Using a sharp knife, cut about ½ inch (1 cm) off the top of each pepper. Keep the tops as decorative lids if desired. I have used them for snacking.
Remove Seeds & Membranes – Use a spoon or your fingers to scoop out the seeds and white inner membranes. Shake out any remaining seeds. Wash them thoroughly inside out and brush them with olive oil inside and out.
Step 2 – Prepare minced meat filling
In a large kitchen bowl, add the mix of three minced meats, chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, dried marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, cooked rice and cut toast. Pour over this mixture, lukewarm milk. Mix with a wooden spoon or use well washed hands to mix well this meat mixture.
Step 4 – Fill the peppers
With a help of a tablespoon, fill up each bell pepper with the meat mixture. Press down gently to fill any gaps. Set aside
Step 5 – Place in baking dish and bake
In the oven safe dish, spread the seasoned tomato sauce and place the stuffed peppers inside. Bake the stuffed peppers, covered with aluminum foil, for 30–40 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. For the last 10 minutes, you can remove the aluminum foil to let the peppers char a little.
Serve with cooked rice of breaded dumplings.
FAQ
Yes, this dish is fully freezable, once cooked or even unbaked. Freeze them unbaked or fully cooked. If freezing unbaked, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. If freezing cooked peppers, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
Yes! If you don’t feel using all three kinds of minced meat, you can use just beef, pork, or veal, but a mix provides the best flavor and texture. If using only beef, consider adding a bit more breadcrumbs and milk to keep the filling juicy.
No, it’s not necessary. The peppers will soften as they bake in the tomato sauce.
Yes! You can assemble the stuffed peppers a day in advance and store them in the fridge. Just bake when ready. They also reheat well, making them great for meal prep.
If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can use extra cooked rice, toast, crushed crackers, or even oatmeal.
More recipes
- CZECH ROAST PORK, SAUERKRAUT & DUMPLINGS
- SVICKOVA RECIPE-CZECH SPECIALTY BEEF SIRLOIN WITH CREAMY VEGETABLE SAUCE & CARLSBAD DUMPLINGS
- HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL GOULASH
- THE BEST APPLE STRUDEL
- STRAWBERRY DUMPLINGS WITH COTTAGE CHEESE
STUFFFED PEPPERS WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers
- 1 pound (450 g) ground meat mix beef, pork and veal
- 1 small egg
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml)/ whole milk lukewarm
- 1 white toast
- ⅓ cup (40 g) Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup cooked white rice
- 1 small onion finally chopped
- 2 medium cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups (1000 ml) tomato sauce seasoned
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Wash and clean the red bell peppers by cutting the tops off and removing the seeds and membranes inside the peppers. Rinse the insides of peppers under cold water and brush them inside and outside with an olive oil. Set them aside.
- In a large kitchen bowl, add the mix of three minced meats, chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, dried marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, cooked rice, toast. Pour over this mixture, lukewarm milk. Mix with a wooden spoon or use well washed hands to mix well this meat mixture.
- With a help of a tablespoon, fill up each bell pepper with the meat mixture. Press down gently to fill any gaps.
- In the oven safe dish, spread the seasoned tomato sauce and place the stuffed peppers inside. Bake the stuffed peppers, covered with aluminum foil, for 30–40 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. For the last 10 minutes, you can remove the aluminum foil to let the peppers char.
- Serve warm, with cooked rice or breaded dumplings.
Julia
Delicious hearty dinner for busy week-nights. Everybody will love it!