Peppers Stuffed with Farro and Smoked Cheese Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Peppers Stuffed with Farro and Smoked Cheese Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour, plus 15 minutes cooling
Rating
4(293)
Notes
Read community notes

This dish combines smoky-flavored cheese and paprika with the crunch of the farro and walnuts. Simmer the farro or spelt until it splays.

I was inspired to make this filling by a delicious stuffed tomato dish I ate recently at Oliveto in Oakland, Calif., in which the tomatoes were stuffed with a smoky barley filling. I used a Dutch smoked gouda-like cheese that was labeled, simply “smoked cheese.” I added paprika to the mix, which contributes to the smoky flavor, and walnuts, because I love the crunchiness with the grains. The cooked farro or spelt should be soft, so make sure to simmer until the grains splay.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 2cups cooked farro or spelt
  • 3ounces smoked cheese, such as smoked gouda, cut in very small dice
  • ¼cup chopped walnuts (1.5 ounces)
  • ½pound fresh, ripe tomatoes, grated
  • 1teaspoon sweet paprika, and additional for sprinkling
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 6medium-size or smallish bell peppers, any color (1½ to 2 pounds)
  • ½cup water
  • 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

246 calories; 12 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 667 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Peppers Stuffed with Farro and Smoked Cheese Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an oven-proof, lidded casserole or Dutch oven large enough to accommodate all of the peppers. In a large bowl, mix farro, cheese, walnuts, tomatoes and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. Step

    2

    Cut tops away from peppers and gently remove seeds and membranes. Season the insides with a little salt, then fill with farro mix. Sprinkle a little paprika over the top and replace tops of peppers. Place upright in the casserole.

  3. Step

    3

    Mix water, lemon juice, salt to taste, tomato paste and olive oil and pour into the casserole. Cover, place in the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until peppers are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly in the casserole. Remove tops and spoon liquid from the casserole over the filling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ratings

4

out of 5

293

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

SFCook

Made this as written and thought it bland and tasteless so I sauteed in oil and butter - onions, mushrooms, bit of garlic and tops of the bell peppers. Added smoked paprika, salt, balsamic vinegar, pinenuts currents. Significantly increased cheese. I know it doesnt resemble the recipe but it sure was good!

Thomas Sherman

In the absence of smoked cheese, using a sharp cheddar and replacing half of the sweet paprika with a smoked paprika worked surprisingly well. Very kid friendly. Delicious!

Chips

I added a bit more cheese and about a third of a cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes. Delicious.

Klkruger

Screams for at least onion; the nuts (you can use others, other than walnuts) should be toasted first; needs an herb; use a chile more flavorful than paprika or use smoked paprika, or both; cook the farro in flavorful stock. The tomato paste-lemon-oil-water blend needs improvement: use a light stock instead of water; add crushed garlic cloves; add parsley.

STLCooks

After reading reviews, made with buckwheat kasha cooked in veggie broth, provolone for the cheese, smoked paprika. Doubled cheese and walnuts, and mixed in chopped sautéed mushrooms, onion, and lots of garlic, plus an egg for the heck of it. Recommend precooking (blanch or easier: microwave peppers upside down) or they will not tenderize in the allotted cooking time. Served over pasta with a fried yolky egg on top, and everyone, including children, enjoyed.

RyMack

Could tell upon reading this needed enhancement. First, cook your farro in stock or broth. I then added onion, added extra cheese, salt pepper needed throughout, smoked paprika with some garlic and cumin, and toast the walnuts a bit in butter with the onions

katie b

I added a small white onion, chorizo and it was delicious!

embee

Great, with recs:For the mix: Sautéed onion with garlic. 8oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes. Walnuts, farro as written. Mix of smoked Gouda and smoked seaside cheddar (6 oz total). To the sauce: Added more lemon and smashed garlic to tomato/lemon mix per others suggestion, as well as parsley and veggie broth (instead of water). Had to cook a lot longer to get soft peppers, but would have preferred them slightly roasted!

Jim

i made this tonight (Halloween 2022). Couldn't fine "small" peppers, so did 5 instead of 6. Made teh recipe just as is and this dish immediately goes onto my "do again" list (a very exclusive list, to be sure).

Sous Suzy Slickstone

After reading the directions and the comments, I added some other ingredients. Farro was made with vegetable broth. Doubled the smoked cheese and grated it. Sautéed 3 garlic cloves and 1 shallot. Chopped mix of mushrooms and added crumbled bacon. Stuffed peppers and baked at 350 for 30 minutes covered and then 15 minutes uncovered. Spooned sauce on top of peppers after they cooled for 15 minutes. Will make again!

katy s.

I thought these were fantastic as-is and low calorie ta boot. The smokey cheese is perfect and shined through. I made the farro in a rice cooker for the first time. It takes much longer to cook than you’d think but comes out delicious and very tender.

Emily

So yummy and easy! I made this vegan by easily subbing the smoked gouda for crumbled Violife feta cheese and about 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast. I also didn't have ripe tomatoes on hand, so I just used a can of diced tomatoes (drained the excess water before emptying can in the bowl). Dinner was excellent – and so will the leftovers be at lunch!

Sarah

Love the idea of stuffing with farro but the outcome was a bit bland. Next time will double cheese and add onions and mushrooms.

Maya

The cheese is the star of this dish - I'd add double what the recipe suggests.

Julia

Seeing the other comments about blandness, I added sauteed onion and garlic as well as half a bunch of parsley. I also doubled the nuts and cheese. I used half sweet and half smoked paprika as well as a tsp of red chile flakes. The result was okay but I probably would not make this dish again. It is healthy, though, and with some tweaking can be made better.

Steve NH

It's clear that this is a starting point recipe, it has room to grow! Add sauteed onions carrots and celery of course. We have also done it with chorizo which is awesome. Play around a little bit. Cook it once as written to get a baseline and then add what you think you would like.

l faust

What recipe are these notes about? I agree it’s bland as written. Try something else, maybe something with paprika, tomato paste, cheese, etc. forget this.

mmw

We love this recipe in our house, and it’s in regular rotation. I do typically tweak it with more cheese and walnuts (like double) what is called for. I often will cook some Field Roast vegetarian sausage and crumble that into the mixture too. Try the apple sage one, it’s really good!

Mardee

I was surprised to see references to this being bland. I thought it was incredibly tasty comfort food. The only thing I changed was to switch sweet paprika for smoked; otherwise I made it as is. The instructions for grating ripe tomatoes threw me a bit, and I had to jump onto the NYTCC group on Facebook for instructions, but otherwise this was easy-peasy! Will definitely be making this again!

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Peppers Stuffed with Farro and Smoked Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to boil peppers before stuffing them? ›

The peppers need to be par-cooked before filling so that they cook through. Many recipes call for boiling the peppers first, but I prefer to roast them – more flavor and less cleanup!

How do you keep stuffed peppers from getting soggy? ›

How to Prevent Watery Peppers
  1. Pre-cook Peppers. When you bake peppers that are not pre-blanched or cooked, it is normal that they release their natural water – which can be easily avoided by pre-cooking beforehand. ...
  2. Use Leftover Rice. Does this tip sound familiar to you? ...
  3. Save Cheese for the Topping.

Why do my stuffed peppers taste bland? ›

The problem stems from the common practice of boiling the peppers to start. The goal is to tenderize them before they're stuffed and baked, but generally the poor fellas are over-boiled, which results in their tendency to fall apart and, as noted, be flavorless.

Should I cover stuffed peppers when baking reddit? ›

I cover mine with foil to start (30 to 40 minutes) with, then remove foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes to brown the tops. Starting with foil, it steams the peppers while cooking them. This is what the recipe I follow calls for and they're always very soft! This is the way.

How long do you boil peppers to soften them? ›

To boil bell peppers: Cook peppers, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. To sauté bell peppers: Heat a skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add bell peppers and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.

What goes good with stuffed peppers? ›

18 Side Dishes to Serve with Stuffed Peppers
  • 02 of 18. Quick & Easy Sautéed Broccolini. ...
  • 05 of 18. Charred Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame-Chili Sauce. ...
  • 08 of 18. Easy Cilantro-Lime Rice. ...
  • 11 of 18. Chitrannam (Lemon Rice) ...
  • 14 of 18. Zucchini & Mushroom Sauté
Nov 3, 2023

Why do my stuffed peppers fall apart? ›

And while pre-softening them to some degree isn't a bad thing, it's easy to go overboard and end up with a mushy mess. Your best bet is to let the peppers spend a limited time pre-cooking at a high heat.

How do you get stuffed peppers to stand up? ›

If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight.

Are you supposed to eat the pepper in stuffed peppers? ›

Cook the meat before stuffing the peppers. I also parboil my peppers so they are easier to stuff. The flavor the peppers impart to the dish is amazing. Don't forget to eat the peppers!

How do you get the most flavor out of peppers? ›

Searing a pepper until the skin is charred develops the flavor of the pepper's flesh, caramelizes some of the sugars to concentrate their sweetness, and adds a touch of smokiness. It's a flavor profile that is unique, delicious, and useful in a variety of cuisines and dishes.

How do you get the most flavor out of bell peppers? ›

Try adding basil, chives, cilantro, coriander, cumin, curry, garlic, marjoram, or rosemary to you bell peppers when cooking for more amazing flavor combinations. Top them with cheese. Sautéed bell peppers are amazing with a little added cheese and can really elevate their flavor and presentation.

Is there rice in Costco stuffed peppers? ›

🤩 Costco stuffed peppers are amazing! They are macro packed and each pepper is packed full of meat, rice, and cheese. Each pack comes with 6 peppers.

What is in Stouffer's stuffed peppers? ›

GREEN BELL PEPPERS, WATER, COOKED BEEF, TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), TOMATOES (DICED TOMATOES, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), COOKED ENRICHED LONG GRAIN RICE (WATER, RICE, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, FOLIC ACID), 2% OR LESS OF SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, TEXTURED SOY FLOUR, ...

What culture is stuffed peppers from? ›

Stuffed peppers or pimientos rellenos are part of traditional Spanish cuisine, especially that of the region of the Basque Country. Usually piquillo peppers are used. The fillings might include Manchego cheese, chicken, or cod in a red sauce, with chicken likely being the most popular recipe.

Is it better to parboil peppers for stuffed peppers? ›

ANSWER: Some recipes call for blanching the peppers to soften them slightly; others do not. Green peppers at a local store were stuffed with a raw ground meat mixture and looked as though they were not boiled or blanched. If you bake peppers this way, they will take longer to cook and will hold their shape better.

Do you have to cook peppers before canning? ›

Instructions for Canning Sweet Peppers: The skins of bell peppers or sweet peppers are more tender, so they generally do not need to be blistered and peeled (thank goodness). Simple quarter or roughly chop bell peppers and cover them with water in a pot. Boil for 3 minutes, then transfer to pint or half-pint jars.

Does stuffing need to be cooked before? ›

The warm, moist uncooked stuffing mixture is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, so once mixed up, it must be cooked immediately, either inside your turkey or by immediately baking. *You can make the butter/onion/celery mixture ahead and refrigerate apart from the bread, then mix with the bread before stuffing.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Give stuffing a head start by heating it up before placing inside the turkey. Like the turkey, stuffing needs to reach the 165 degree mark. If the bird is done before the stuffing, remove stuffing from the cavities and continue to cook in a baking dish.

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