Bell peppers stuffed with a seasoned ground beef and rice filling, simmered in a light tomato sauce, a German family dinner classic.
Gefullte Paprika is a straightforward, comforting dish found across German home kitchens, bell peppers hollowed and filled with a mixture of ground beef, rice and onion, seasoned simply with paprika and marjoram. The stuffed peppers simmer directly in a light tomato sauce rather than being baked dry, which keeps them tender and lets the peppers soften fully while the filling absorbs some of the surrounding sauce. A dollop of sour cream stirred into the finished sauce is a distinctly German touch, adding richness and a gentle tang, and the dish is traditionally served with boiled potatoes to soak up the extra sauce.
Serves 4
Cut the tops off the peppers, remove seeds and membranes, and set aside.
Combine ground beef, onion, cooked rice, egg, paprika, marjoram, salt and pepper until well mixed.
Fill each pepper generously with the beef mixture.
Heat oil in a wide pot and briefly sear the stuffed peppers on their bottoms, about 3 minutes.
Pour crushed tomatoes and beef stock around the peppers.
Simmer the peppers directly in the tomato sauce rather than baking them dry — this keeps the peppers tender and the filling moist throughout.
Cover and simmer 35-40 minutes until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
Stir sour cream into the sauce just before serving.
Simmer the stuffed peppers directly in the sauce rather than baking them in a dry oven — this keeps them tender and the filling nicely moist.
Stir the sour cream in only at the very end, off the heat if possible, so it doesn't curdle in the hot sauce.
Use day-old rice in the filling if possible, since it holds together better than freshly cooked, sticky rice.
A version with ground pork mixed with the beef gives a slightly richer flavor.
Adding fresh parsley to the filling brightens the flavor.
Serving over egg noodles instead of potatoes is a common variation.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove, as the sour cream sauce can separate if boiled too hard.
Gefullte Paprika reflects a broader Central European tradition of stuffed pepper dishes, adapted into German home cooking with the country's characteristic touches of marjoram seasoning and a sour cream-enriched sauce.
Yes, bake covered at 190C/375F for about 40-45 minutes in the tomato sauce, though the stovetop method keeps them equally tender.
A small amount of dried oregano can substitute, though marjoram's milder, slightly sweeter flavor is more traditional here.
The sauce was likely too hot when the sour cream was added — stir it in off the heat or over very low heat to prevent curdling.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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