Imagine opening the lid of a vividly painted tagine and unleashing the hot, scented steam that has been trapped for hours under the ceramic top hat. Cumin, ginger, garlic all permeate the air and it just smells like the best rendition of the Middle East you’ve seen to date. Buttery, toasted couscous and plump golden raisins are a wonderful accompaniment to your Morrocan feast. Are you ready to dig in?
Now imagine all that, blanketed in a tender roasted pepper. Perfectly portioned, easy to serve, fantastic flavor, and no cleanup!
Growing up, the only kind of stuffed peppers I ate were the Eastern European kind. Similar to golubtsy, which are stuffed cabbage rolls, peppers were loaded up with beef and rice, and boiled in a red tomato sauce, then served with {drum roll please} sour cream. Aren’t you surprised? They were tasty, but I yearned for the filling to have more complexity and depth. I added some classically Morrocan spices to organic ground beef and cooked the filling on the stove top with sweet onions and garlic. I ate so many spoonfuls of this delightful meat mixture after the soft couscous, white wine and sunny raisins were added that I wasn’t even hungry when the peppers had baked. I added little nuggets of chopped asparagus for freshness, and because green flecks look so pretty. I didn’t use a store-bought marinara sauce, because as you may have heard me say in the past, it is simply overpowering. The focus of this dish should be the well spiced beef filling, not the Prego tomato sauce. To create somewhat of a sauce, I added freshly chopped tomatoes (I had kumatoes, but same difference), white wine, and low-sodium beef broth. 
Couscous and Asparagus Stuffed Peppers
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10 1x
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Flavorful couscous, beef, and asparagus are nestled in roasted peppers for a hearty and satisfying meal. A simple dill yogurt sauce adds a lovely touch.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs (454 g) ground beef
- 1 egg
- 0.5 vidalia onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cups (237 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cups (237 ml) plain couscous
- 1 cups (237 ml) white wine
- 8 small or 4 medium-size tomatoes
- 5 stalks asparagus
- 0.3 cups (71 ml) golden raisins
- 10 medium-size bell peppers
- extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together beef, egg, and spices.
- Cook onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a very large, deep skillet until soft and golden.
- Add garlic and sesame seeds; toast for 2 minutes.
- Add beef and cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink, breaking it into chunks.
- Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add couscous, wine, and beef broth; cover and cook over medium-low heat until the couscous absorbs most of the liquid (about 8 minutes). Add 2 more tablespoons of couscous if necessary.
- Add raisins and asparagus; mix well and season with salt to taste.
- Brush 1 or 2 baking dishes with olive oil.
- Stuff peppers with the meat filling.
- Bake covered at 400°F (204°C) for 45 minutes.
- Bake uncovered at 400°F (204°C) for 15 more minutes.
Notes
- For optimal couscous texture, ensure the beef broth is simmering gently when added. Overly vigorous boiling can result in dry couscous.
- Substitute ground lamb or turkey for the beef for a variation in flavor and leanness.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated gently in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 80
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to cook the couscous before stuffing the peppers?
Yes, cook the couscous fully before mixing it with the asparagus and stuffing the peppers. Uncooked couscous will not absorb enough moisture inside the pepper during baking to hydrate properly.
Should I pre-roast the peppers before stuffing them?
A short pre-roast of about 15 minutes at 190°C softens the pepper walls so they finish cooking at the same time as the filling. Skipping this step can leave the pepper firm and slightly raw-tasting around the filling.
How do I keep the asparagus from getting mushy inside the stuffed peppers?
Cut the asparagus into small pieces and add it to the couscous filling raw or barely blanched. It will continue cooking inside the pepper during baking, so starting with it fully cooked will result in an overcooked, soft texture.
