Bell peppers stuffed with a spicy sambal beef and tomato filling, baked until tender and fragrant.
Stuffed peppers aren't a traditional Indonesian dish, so this recipe is an honest fusion, using the bold, chile-forward flavor of sambal to season a ground beef and tomato filling that fills bell peppers rather than being served as a standalone sambal dish. The filling starts with a fried spice paste of shallot, garlic and red chile, the same base technique used across countless authentic Indonesian dishes, giving the filling a genuinely Indonesian flavor even in this borrowed format. Tomatoes are cooked down into the filling until they break apart and thicken into a rich, clinging sauce that coats the beef, echoing the tomato-forward character found in dishes like sambal goreng. Kecap manis stirred in near the end adds a touch of sweetness that balances the chile heat, a hallmark of Indonesian home cooking's sweet-spicy balance. Baked until the peppers soften and the filling turns fragrant and slightly caramelized at the edges, this dish brings authentic Indonesian spicing to a familiar, easy-to-serve dinner format.
Serves 4
Boil peppers in salted water for 4-5 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
Blend shallots, garlic and chiles into a coarse paste.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the spice paste 3-4 minutes until fragrant and darkened slightly.
Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, 8 minutes until browned and coated in the paste.
Stir in tomatoes, kecap manis, salt and water. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the filling thickens.
Cook the filling until it's thick and not watery — a loose filling will make the peppers soggy once baked.
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.
Garnish with sliced scallions and serve hot with rice on the side.
Fry the spice paste until it visibly darkens and smells fragrant, not sharp — this is the single most important step for building real flavor.
Cook down the tomato filling until thick before stuffing the peppers, or excess liquid will make them soggy during baking.
Adjust the number of chiles to your heat preference; this dish is meant to have real spice, but it scales easily either direction.
Swap ground beef for ground chicken or shredded jackfruit for a lighter or vegetarian version.
Add crumbled tempeh to the filling for extra texture and a nod to another staple Indonesian ingredient.
Top with a little grated cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking for a fusion twist.
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.
While stuffed peppers aren't traditionally Indonesian, the filling here relies on genuine Indonesian technique — a fried shallot, garlic and chile spice paste (bumbu) — that forms the backbone of countless authentic dishes across the archipelago.
Yes, reduce the chiles to just one, or remove the seeds and membranes from the chiles before blending, which significantly lowers the heat.
Mix 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar as a rough substitute, though the flavor will be less complex than real kecap manis.
It likely wasn't simmered long enough to reduce — cook it uncovered for a few extra minutes until the tomatoes fully break down and the mixture thickens.
Per serving (340g / 12.0 oz) · 4 servings total
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