Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers Recipe

Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers are a vibrant Mediterranean-style dinner featuring sweet peppers packed with fluffy couscous, nutty pine nuts, and salty feta cheese. This oven-baked meal uses fresh lemon and parsley to keep the heavy grains tasting bright and light.

Jamie Oliver’s approach here is all about getting the texture of the filling right without it turning into a mushy mess inside the pepper. Most recipes have you cook the grains completely before stuffing, but I’ve found that letting them finish absorbing the vegetable stock inside the oven makes the whole dish more solid. If you don’t leave a little room at the top of each pepper, the expanding couscous will literally blow the lids off while they bake.

The first time I made this, I forgot to seasoned the actual inside of the pepper shells before adding the filling. Now I always sprinkle a pinch of salt and a tiny drizzle of oil into the empty peppers first. It makes a massive difference because the vegetable walls are thick and need that extra help to taste as good as the stuffing. There’s something very satisfying about the way the bottom of the pepper gets slightly charred and sweet against the soft filling.

Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers Ingredients

For the Peppers

• 4 large red peppers
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch black pepper

For the Filling

• 1 cup (200g) couscous
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) hot vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons (30g) pine nuts
• 1/2 cup (75g) black olives, stones removed and chopped
• 1 bunch (30g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
• 1 lemon, for juice
• 7 oz (200g) feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra virgin olive oil

For Serving

• 1 handful fresh rocket
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) balsamic vinegar

How To Make Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers

• 1. Prepare the oven: Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Find a roasting tray or a deep baking dish that’s just big enough to hold the four peppers snugly so they don’t tip over during the cooking process.
• 2. Prep the peppers: Slice the tops off the peppers about an inch down to create little lids, but keep them for later. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and the white pith from the inside of each pepper until they’re completely clean.
• 3. Season the shells: Rub a little olive oil over the outside of the peppers and the lids. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt and pepper into the cavity of each one and place them upright in your prepared baking dish.
• 4. Soak the couscous: Put the dry couscous into a large heatproof bowl and pour the hot vegetable stock over it. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film or a plate and leave it alone for about 5 minutes until the liquid is gone.
• 5. Fluff and mix: Remove the cover and use a fork to rake through the grains until they’re loose and not clumped together. Mix in the chopped olives, sliced spring onions, toasted pine nuts, and most of the chopped parsley.
• 6. Add the cheese: Crumble the feta into the bowl and squeeze in the lemon juice, then add the extra virgin olive oil. Toss everything together gently so you don’t mash the feta into a paste; you want to see distinct white chunks throughout the mixture.
• 7. Stuff the peppers: Spoon the couscous mixture into the pepper shells, pressing down very lightly with the back of your spoon as you go. Don’t pack it in too tight or the heat won’t get to the middle, and leave about half an inch of space at the top for expansion.
• 8. Bake the peppers: Place the pepper lids back on top and slide the tray into the middle of the oven. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pepper skins look soft, slightly wrinkled, and have a few dark charred spots.
• 9. Let them rest: Take the tray out of the oven and let the peppers sit for 5 minutes before you try to move them. This short wait lets the steam settle inside so the filling stays put when you eventually cut into them.

Recipe Tips

• Check your pepper size. Try to buy peppers that are short and wide with flat bottoms rather than long skinny ones. They act like stable bowls in the oven and won’t fall over and spill their filling across the tray.
• Toast the pine nuts. Put the nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for two minutes before adding them to the bowl. It brings out a much stronger nutty scent that would otherwise get lost among the salty olives and feta.
• Keep the lids on. Do not throw away the tops of the peppers because they act like a natural steamer cap. They keep the top layer of couscous from drying out and turning into hard little pebbles while the rest of the pepper cooks.
• Use fresh herbs only. Dried parsley doesn’t work here because it lacks the bright grassy punch needed to balance the salty cheese. If you can’t find parsley, fresh mint or coriander are better swaps than any dried version.
• Prep ahead for parties. You can stuff the peppers and put the lids on up to four hours before you plan to eat. Keep them in the fridge and just add an extra five minutes to the roasting time to account for the cold start.
• Watch the salt levels. Since the feta and olives are both naturally very salty, go easy when you’re seasoning the couscous itself. Taste a little bit of the filling before you put it into the peppers to see if it actually needs more.

What To Serve With Stuffed Red Peppers

A simple green salad with a sharp dressing is the best partner for these. The acidity from the vinegar helps clear the palate after the dense, cheesy filling of the peppers.

If you want something more substantial, some warm crusty bread or a side of roasted courgettes works well. A dollop of Greek yoghurt on the side can also help cool things down if the peppers are coming straight from the oven.

How To Store Stuffed Red Peppers

• Fridge: Put the cooled peppers into an airtight container and keep them for up to three days. Make sure the lids are still on to keep the filling from absorbing any other smells from the fridge.
• Reheat: The oven is the best way to get these hot again without making the pepper skins slimy. Put them back in a dish at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. A microwave is faster but it often makes the pepper collapse and the filling can get a bit rubbery.
• Freeze: These don’t freeze well because the high water content in the peppers makes them turn to mush when they thaw. The filling also becomes quite grainy after being frozen and reheated, so it’s best to eat them fresh.

Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 4):

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Protein: 14g
• Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 36g
• Sugar: 8g
• Sodium: 890mg

FAQs

Can I use a different grain for Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers?

Yes, you can swap the couscous for cooked quinoa or bulgur wheat if you want a chewier texture. Just make sure whatever grain you use is already soft before you mix in the feta and olives.

Why is my couscous filling so dry?

This usually happens if you didn’t use enough vegetable stock or if you packed the grains too tightly into the pepper. The steam needs to be able to move through the filling to keep everything moist during the bake.

Can I make Jamie Oliver Stuffed Red Peppers vegan?

You can easily make this vegan by swapping the feta cheese for a dairy-free Greek-style cheese or by adding more chopped olives and sun-dried tomatoes. The pine nuts provide enough fat to keep the filling satisfying without the dairy.

Do I need to boil the peppers before stuffing them?

No, there’s no need to pre-cook the peppers because 40 minutes in the oven is plenty of time to soften the walls. Boiling them first often makes them too fragile to hold the heavy filling.

Can I add meat to this recipe?

You can add cooked chorizo or browned minced lamb to the filling if you want a meatier version. Just reduce the amount of couscous slightly so you don’t end up with way too much stuffing for the four peppers.

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Cheese Souffle
• Jamie Oliver Chorizo Butterbean Stew
• Jamie Oliver Courgette Gratin