Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers with Lemon Garlic Spinach

• 4 large bell peppers⇄

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the tops off the bell peppers, remove seeds and membranes, and set them aside in a baking dish, standing upright.

💡 Choose peppers with flat bottoms to ensure they stand upright during baking.

• 400 g fresh spinach⇄
• 2 cloves garlic⇄
• 1 whole lemon⇄

Wash and roughly chop the spinach if not pre-washed. Mince the garlic and zest the lemon, then set aside for later use.

💡 Pat the spinach dry with a clean towel to avoid excess water during cooking.

• 30 ml olive oil⇄
• 30 g red onion⇄
• 10 g garlic⇄
• 250 g ground beef⇄

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely diced red onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add ground beef, breaking it into small pieces, and cook for 5-7 minutes until browned.

💡 Use a wooden spoon to break up the beef for an even texture in the stuffing.

• 100 g zucchini⇄
• 50 g spinach⇄

Add finely diced zucchini to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in chopped spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted, mixing well with the beef mixture.

💡 Dice zucchini small to ensure it cooks quickly and blends into the filling.

• 15 g fresh parsley⇄
• 10 g fresh mint⇄
• 30 g pine nuts⇄
• 5 g dried oregano⇄
• 2 g ground cinnamon⇄
• 2 g salt⇄
• 2 g black pepper⇄
• 50 g feta cheese⇄

Stir in chopped parsley, mint, pine nuts, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat and gently fold in crumbled feta to maintain its texture.

💡 Taste the mixture before adding feta to adjust seasoning if needed.

• 15 ml olive oil⇄
• 1 g salt⇄
• 60 ml chicken broth⇄

Fill each bell pepper with the beef mixture, pressing lightly to pack it in. Drizzle the tops with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Pour broth around the peppers in the baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 190°C for 25 minutes.

💡 Add a little extra broth if your baking dish is large to prevent drying out.

• 15 ml olive oil⇄
• 2 cloves garlic⇄
• 400 g fresh spinach⇄
• 1 tsp lemon zest⇄
• 15 ml lemon juice⇄
• 1 g salt⇄

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Add spinach in batches, stirring for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, cooking for another 1 minute until bright green.

💡 Cook spinach in batches if your skillet is small to avoid overcrowding.

Remove foil from the baking dish and continue baking the peppers at 190°C for an additional 10 minutes until the peppers are tender and slightly wrinkled on the surface.

💡 Check tenderness with a fork; if not soft enough, bake for an extra 5 minutes.

Remove the peppers from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to settle. Ensure the spinach is ready and warm for serving.

💡 Use this resting time to reheat the spinach if it has cooled down.