Name: Stuffed bell pepper with pork and beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 6 red bell peppers; 350g minced pork; ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 cooked corn on the cob or 1 small tin corn; 1 egg, beaten (optional); 2 Tbsp chopped parsley or coriander; 1 tin kidney beans, drained; For the sauce:; 1 red onion; 2 garlic cloves; 1 carrot; 2 sweet potatoes, peeled; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp cumin powder; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 Tbsp tomato purée (or half/half with chipotle pasta); 1 tin plum tomatoes; 1 small handful coriander or parsley leaves

Stuffed bell pepper with pork and beans

22 Nov 2023

by Dinna

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Total Time

55 minutes

Background

This Mexican-style stuffed bell pepper with pork and beans, cooked in tomato and sweet potato sauce, is a hearty and delicious dish. The stuffing is made with an egg, so the dish is low-carb and gluten-free, but you could use cooked rice or some flour for binding the mince. Any remaining stuffing can be mixed (and cooked for 5 minutes) with the sauce and served with pasta for another meal. This dish is ideal for parties and dinner parties, as the sauce can be made ahead and cooked further with the stuffed peppers (which only takes 15 minutes).

Ingredients

6 red bell peppers
350g minced pork
½ tsp dried oregano
1 cooked corn on the cob or 1 small tin corn
1 egg, beaten (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley or coriander
1 tin kidney beans, drained
For the sauce:
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
1 carrot
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp tomato purée (or half/half with chipotle pasta)
1 tin plum tomatoes
1 small handful coriander or parsley leaves

Instructions

In a frying pan stir-fry the mince with the oregano in a little oil. Add some salt and pepper. When the colour has changed, turn the cooker off and set aside. When cooled, drain through a sieve and put it in a mixing bowl.
Cut off one-third of the peppers (with the stem) creating a cup.
Cut any flesh off the stems and chop these up.
Finely chop the onion, garlic, sweet potatoes and carrot.
Heat the oil in a large, shallow saucepan and gently sauté the chopped vegetables for about 10 minutes.
Add the oregano and spices, stir for a minutes, then add the tomato purée and stir for a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the tinned tomatoes, and using the tin, add enough water to cover the veggies.
Bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes until the veggies are tender.
Add the herbs and, using a hand-held blender, blitz the soup until you get a slightly textured sauce.
Cut the corn kernels off the cob or drain the tinned corns.
Add about half a cup of the sauce to the fried mince together with the chopped parsley, corn, beans and egg. Mix well. Add more sauce if it looks too dry but the mixture must not be wet!
Stuff the pepper cups with the stuffing an put them in the sauce, tightly next to each other, looking upwards.
Put a lid on and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
Serve warm with rice or flatbread.