Bell peppers stuffed with berbere-spiced lentils and rice, baked until tender, a vegetarian Ethiopian-inspired dinner.
This dish adapts the deep, warming flavors of Ethiopian misir wot into a stuffed pepper format, filling hollowed bell peppers with a mixture of berbere-spiced lentils and rice rather than serving the stew over injera. The lentils are cooked down with onion and berbere until thick and richly spiced before being combined with rice, creating a filling that's hearty enough to stand on its own inside the sweet pepper shells. Baked until the peppers soften and the filling is heated through, this dish brings authentic Ethiopian spice to a familiar stuffed-vegetable format, appealing to those newer to the cuisine's distinct flavors.
Serves 4
Cut the tops off the peppers, remove seeds and membranes, and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes; drain.
Heat niter kibbeh or oil in a pot and cook onion until softened and golden, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and berbere spice, cooking 2 minutes, then stir in tomato paste.
Add the rinsed lentils and water, bringing to a boil, then simmer 15-18 minutes until the lentils fully break down.
Cook the lentils down until quite thick before mixing in the rice — a watery filling will make the peppers soggy once baked.
Stir in the cooked rice and salt, mixing until well combined.
Fill each pepper with the lentil and rice mixture, arrange in a baking dish, and bake at 190C/375F for 25-30 minutes until the peppers are tender.
Serve hot.
Cook the lentils down until thick and well reduced before combining with rice — a watery filling won't hold together well once stuffed and baked.
Blanch the peppers briefly before stuffing so they finish cooking evenly with the filling in the oven.
Use niter kibbeh if you can find it; its blend of spices adds meaningful depth beyond plain oil.
Adding shredded cooked chicken or beef to the filling makes for a heartier, non-vegetarian version.
Split peas can substitute for red lentils for a slightly different texture.
A spicier version increases the berbere for those who prefer more heat.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat covered in a 180C/350F oven until warmed through.
This dish adapts the flavors of Ethiopian misir wot, a lentil stew central to fasting-day cooking in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, into a stuffed vegetable format that showcases the country's warming spice blends in a more familiar Western presentation.
Yes, use vegetable oil instead of niter kibbeh, and the rest of the dish is naturally vegan.
Seek it out at an African or international grocery for the most authentic flavor; a homemade mix of paprika, cayenne and warm spices can approximate it in a pinch.
The lentils likely weren't cooked down enough before adding the rice — simmer them longer until thick before combining.
Per serving (340g / 12.0 oz) · 4 servings total
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