Berbere-Spiced Stuffed Peppers with Ethiopian Beef Filling

About This Recipe

Stuffed peppers aren't part of traditional Ethiopian cooking, so this dish is an honest fusion: it takes the deeply savory flavor of siga wat, Ethiopian spiced beef stew, and uses it to fill bell peppers rather than serving it as a standalone stew. The filling follows the same technique as any proper wat — onions cooked down slowly until soft, then berbere and niter kibbeh bloomed together before the beef goes in — so the filling itself tastes authentically Ethiopian even though the format is borrowed. Baking the stuffed peppers lets the filling's flavors meld further while the pepper walls soften just enough to eat easily, and a light dusting of crumbled ayib (Ethiopian fresh cheese) or feta on top before serving adds a cooling, mild tang that plays well against the berbere's warmth. This is a practical way to bring Ethiopian spicing into a familiar, easy-to-serve format for a weeknight dinner, honestly presented as a modern combination rather than a traditional dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6 mediumbell peppers(tops cut off and seeded)
• 2 largeonions(finely chopped)
• 3 tbspniter kibbeh or vegetable oil
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 2.5 tbspberbere spice blend
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 500 gground beef
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupwater
• 0.75 cupcrumbled ayib or feta cheese(for topping)
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley(chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch the peppers

   Boil peppers in salted water for 4-5 minutes to soften slightly. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook down the onions

   In a dry pan over medium-low heat, cook onions, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until deeply softened.

3. 3

   Add fat and aromatics

   Stir in niter kibbeh or oil, garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Bloom the berbere

   Add berbere and tomato paste, stirring constantly 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.

5. 5

   Cook the beef

   Add ground beef and salt, breaking it up as it browns, about 8 minutes. Stir in water and simmer 5 minutes until the filling is thick and well combined, not soupy.

   Cook off any excess liquid before stuffing the peppers — a wet filling will make the peppers soggy in the oven.

6. 6

   Stuff and bake

   Fill each pepper generously with the beef mixture. Place in a baking dish and bake at 190C (375F) for 20-25 minutes until the peppers are tender.

7. 7

   Finish

   Top with crumbled ayib or feta and fresh parsley just before serving.

Variations

• •

  Swap ground beef for ground lamb for a richer, slightly gamier filling.

• •

  Make it vegetarian using the misir wot lentil filling instead of beef.

• •

  Serve with a side of injera to scoop up any extra filling that spills from the peppers.

Storage

Refrigerate stuffed peppers up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 175C (350F) oven for about 15 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions