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Stuffed Bell Peppers with Couscous, Chickpeas, and Feta

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Couscous, Chickpeas, and Feta reads citrus 5.4, sourness 4.9 and fruity 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mediterranean main, about 54 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 4.9 · Fruity 4.7 · Salinity 4.3 · Nutty 4.1 · Sweetness 4.1 · Allium 3.9 · Richness 3.9 · Umami 3.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Earthy 1.5 · Bitterness 1.4 · Floral 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Marine & Briny 1.0 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (15)

• bell peppers — 400 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 9 g
• couscous — 237 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 296 g
• chickpeas — 425 g
• sun-dried tomato — 118 g
• pine nuts — 79 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• lemon — 65 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• feta cheese — 113 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 54 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 187.1 kcal, 8.2 g protein, 5.6 g fat, 26.4 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Halve the bell peppers lengthwise through the stem, then remove the seeds and ribs. Arrange the halves cut-side up in a 9x13-inch baking dish, brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season with a pinch of the salt. Roast until just starting to soften and the cut edges are lightly blistered, 12-14 minutes.
2. While the peppers roast, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 3-4 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the couscous and toast, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and nutty-smelling, 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour in the vegetable broth and oregano and bring to a boil.
7. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let stand until the couscous is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 5 minutes.
8. Fluff the couscous with a fork, then fold in the chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
9. Spoon the couscous mixture into the roasted pepper halves, mounding it slightly and pressing gently to pack each one.
10. Return the filled peppers to the oven and bake until the peppers are fully tender and the filling is hot throughout, 15-17 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and scatter the feta over the hot peppers so it softens slightly without fully melting. Top with the parsley and serve warm.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Harissa Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Bake — Middle Eastern
• Harissa Chickpea Pasta with Feta — Mediterranean
• Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage — Italian
• Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks and Orzo Salad with Walnuts, Oregano and Tomatoes — Mediterranean
• Baked Orzo with Feta, Tomatoes, and Chickpeas — Mediterranean

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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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.