Hungarian Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Here’s a traditional Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (Töltött Paprika) recipe — a hearty, comforting dish made with bell peppers stuffed with a seasoned pork and rice mixture, simmered in a rich tomato sauce.

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🇭🇺 Hungarian Stuffed Peppers (Töltött Paprika)

🧺 Ingredients

For the Stuffed Peppers:

• 6 Hungarian yellow wax peppers or bell peppers (or a mix)

• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork (or beef/pork mix)

• ½ cup (100 g) uncooked rice

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 egg

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Optional: chopped parsley

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 2 tbsp oil or lard

• 2 tbsp flour (for thickening)

• 1 ½ tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

• 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) crushed or pureed tomatoes

• 2–3 cups water or broth (as needed)

• 1 tsp sugar

• Salt to taste

• Optional: 1 bay leaf

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the Peppers

• Wash the peppers.

• Cut off the tops and remove the seeds and membranes.

• Keep the tops if you want to use them as “lids.”

2. Prepare the Filling

• In a bowl, mix:

  • Ground pork

  • Uncooked rice

  • Finely chopped onion

  • Garlic

  • Egg

  • Paprika

  • Salt and pepper

• Mix thoroughly until well combined (but don’t overwork it).

3. Stuff the Peppers

• Gently fill each pepper with the meat mixture.

• Don’t pack them too tightly — the rice needs room to expand.

• You can also form small meatballs from extra filling and cook them in the sauce.

4. Make the Tomato Sauce

• In a pot, heat oil or lard over medium heat.

• Add flour and stir constantly to make a light roux (don’t brown it).

• Add paprika (off the heat to avoid burning), then quickly stir in the tomatoes.

• Add water or broth gradually to thin it out into a light sauce.

• Season with salt, sugar, and bay leaf (if using).

• Bring to a simmer.

5. Cook the Stuffed Peppers

• Carefully place the stuffed peppers (and meatballs, if any) into the sauce.

• The sauce should mostly cover the peppers.

• Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until rice and meat are fully cooked.

6. Serve

• Traditionally served with crusty bread or boiled potatoes.

• Optional: drizzle with a bit of sour cream.

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🍽️ Tips

• Hungarian wax peppers are authentic and have a distinct flavor, but bell peppers work just fine.

• For a creamier sauce, stir in a spoonful of sour cream before serving.

• You can freeze leftovers — they reheat well!

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