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Middle Eastern Cinnamon-Spiced Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Middle Eastern Cinnamon-Spiced Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers reads umami 6.8, richness 5.6 and nutty 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 1 hr 24 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.8 · Richness 5.6 · Nutty 4.5 · Allium 4.2 · Salinity 3.9 · Sweetness 3.8 · Sourness 3.3 · Fruity 2.8 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Heat 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Earthy 2.0 · Bitterness 1.6 · Floral 1.2 · Citrus 1.1

What's in it (16)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 24 min (1 hr 19 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 99.2 kcal, 7.9 g protein, 3.6 g fat, 9.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the peppers and their tops for 3-4 minutes, until just pliable at the cut edge but still holding their shape; drain upside down on a towel.
  2. In a fresh pot of boiling salted water, simmer the rinsed rice for 8-9 minutes, until the grains are tender at the edges but still opaque and firm at the center; drain and set aside — this head start is what keeps the filling from going gummy or leaving a raw core once baked.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  5. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the ground beef, and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until deeply browned with no pink remaining and an instant-read thermometer reads at least 160°F, 6-8 minutes.
  6. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring, until the spices smell toasted.
  7. Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the par-cooked rice, toasted pine nuts, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce until evenly combined.
  8. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the blanched peppers with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and set them upright in a baking dish just large enough to hold them snugly. Pack the beef-and-rice filling into each pepper, mounding slightly, and replace the tops.
  9. Whisk the remaining tomato sauce with the beef broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pour into the dish around the peppers. Cover tightly with foil.
  10. Bake covered for 40 minutes, then uncover, spoon some of the pan sauce over the peppers, and bake uncovered until the peppers are tender when pierced and the tops are lightly caramelized, 10-12 minutes more.
  11. Let rest 5 minutes, then spoon the pan sauce over the peppers, scatter with extra parsley, and serve.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.