Hungarian Stuffed Peppers

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/26/23
Stuffed peppers

dirkr/Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 peppers

Two common ingredients in Hungarian cuisine are paprika spice and tomato sauce and they are what put a Hungarian spin on this version of stuffed peppers known as toltott paprika. It definitely wouldn't be Hungarian without the ever-present, but optional, garnish of sour cream.

This filling also can be used for a Hungarian version of stuffed cabbage rolls.

Ingredients

  • 4 bell peppers, in multiple colors

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 1 pound ground chuck

  • 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1/2 cup rice, rinsed and parboiled

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 teaspoon sweet or hot Hungarian paprika

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • Sour cream, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Wash peppers. Cut off tops and remove seeds. Season cavities lightly with salt and pepper. Finely chop pepper tops and place in a large bowl.

  2. Add onion, ground chuck, pork, parboiled rice, egg, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic to the bowl containing the pepper tops. Mix well.

  3. Stuff peppers lightly with meat mixture because the rice will expand. If you have any leftover meat filling, form it into meatballs.

  4. Place stuffed peppers and any meatballs in a small slow cooker. Mix together tomato sauce and sugar and pour over peppers. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. This also can be cooked in a 350 F oven for 1 hour or on the stovetop for 1 hour.

  5. Serve peppers with a dollop of sour cream, if desired, and crusty white or rye bread. Cooked peppers freeze well if covered with sauce.

More About Paprika

Paprika in Hungarian also refers to the peppers from which the spice is made. The peppers are native to the Americas and were taken to Hungary by merchants where it flourished. Hungarian paprika is revered the world over because it is said the soil the peppers are grown in lends a flavor like no other.

The Spanish, however, will argue that their paprika, especially smoked paprika, is superior to Hungarian paprika. It's all a matter of taste.

What the two paprikas have in common is a grading system. This is the grading system for Hungarian paprika:

  • Special Quality: Mild and sweet with a bright red color

  • Delicate: Light to dark red with a mild and rich flavor

  • Exquisite Delicate: Similar to Delicate but more pungent

  • Pungent Exquisite Delicate: An even more pungent version of Delicate

  • Rose: Pale red with a strong aroma and mild pungency

  • Noble Sweet: The most common paprika that is bright red and slightly pungent

  • Half-Sweet: A blend of mild and pungent paprikas

  • Strong: Light brown in color and the hottest paprika

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
577 Calories
33g Fat
19g Carbs
50g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 577
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 43%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 201mg 67%
Sodium 1274mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 51mg 254%
Calcium 91mg 7%
Iron 6mg 33%
Potassium 1151mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)