Bell peppers filled with a garlicky walnut and herb mixture, a cold Georgian appetizer style adapted into a full plate.
Stuffed vegetables with walnut paste are a Georgian appetizer classic — eggplant, cabbage or peppers filled with a thick blend of ground walnuts, garlic, vinegar and herbs, usually served cold as part of a supra (feast table) spread. This version fills roasted bell peppers, which soften and sweeten in the oven, with that same walnut mixture, turning a cold starter into a more substantial warm dish. The key to getting the filling right is grinding the walnuts fine enough that they bind into a spreadable paste rather than staying crumbly — a food processor does this in seconds, though older Georgian recipes use a mortar or a hand-cranked grinder for the same result. A touch of honey balances the vinegar's sharpness without making the filling taste sweet. Served warm or at room temperature, these peppers work well as a starter for a larger Georgian-inspired spread alongside khachapuri or a simple green salad, or as a light vegetarian main with bread on the side.
Serves 4
Toss pepper halves with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast cut-side up at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until softened and lightly charred at the edges.
While the peppers roast, blend walnuts, garlic, coriander and chili flakes in a food processor until finely ground and starting to clump.
Add vinegar, honey, salt and warm water gradually, blending until the mixture becomes a thick, spreadable paste.
Add the water slowly — too much turns the filling runny and it won't hold its shape in the pepper.
Fold the chopped cilantro into the walnut paste by hand.
Spoon the walnut mixture generously into each roasted pepper half, mounding it slightly.
Top with pomegranate seeds and extra cilantro, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 4-5 minutes before blending — it makes a noticeable difference in depth of flavor.
If you can find Georgian utskho suneli (blue fenugreek), add a pinch to the filling for a more traditional aroma.
Let the roasted peppers cool for 5 minutes before filling — piping-hot peppers can make the walnut paste melt and slide off.
Fill roasted eggplant slices instead of peppers, rolled up around the walnut paste, for a classic Georgian nigvziani badrijani presentation.
Add a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses to the filling for extra tang if you don't have vinegar on hand.
Serve cold as a make-ahead appetizer — the flavors deepen after a few hours in the fridge.
Refrigerate filled peppers up to 3 days in an airtight container. Best served cold or at room temperature; reheating can make the walnut filling separate slightly.
Walnut pastes stuffed into vegetables are a hallmark of the Georgian supra, the traditional feast table, where dishes like nigvziani badrijani (walnut-stuffed eggplant) have been documented in Georgian home cooking for generations, reflecting the Caucasus region's long reliance on walnuts as a pantry staple.
Yes — the walnut paste keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days and the flavor actually improves after a day, so it's a good make-ahead component.
A mortar and pestle works, though it takes longer; grind the walnuts and garlic first, then work in the liquids gradually to loosen the paste.
Too much water was added too quickly. Chill the filling for 15 minutes in the fridge to firm it up before spooning it into the peppers.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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