Recipe for Stuffed Green Peppers (Easy for Beginners!)

This is a classic Chinese home-style dish. Crisp and tender green peppers are filled with savory meat filling—with a chewy exterior and juicy interior. The recipe is simple, and it pairs perfectly with rice for daily meals!

1. Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

Main Ingredients:

• 4 medium-sized green bell peppers (Choose ones with smooth skin and firm texture; if you’re afraid of spiciness, opt for slightly spicy or sweet bell peppers, adjusted to your taste)
• 250 grams of ground pork (If you don’t like pork, you can replace it with ground beef or ground chicken)
• 1 small onion (Diced; alternatively, you can use 2 cloves of garlic + 1 teaspoon of minced ginger as a substitute for a richer aroma, optional)

Seasonings (Available at Asian supermarkets or online):

• 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce (Enhances saltiness and umami)
• 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce (Makes the meat filling more fragrant; if unavailable, add an extra 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon of corn starch (Helps bind the meat filling into a cohesive mass and locks in juices)
• 1 teaspoon of white sugar (Neutralizes saltiness, optional)
• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil (For pan-frying)
• 3-4 tablespoons of water (For simmering)

2. Required Tools

• Mixing bowl (For preparing the meat filling)
• Sharp kitchen knife + cutting board (For preparing green peppers and onions)
• Frying pan or wok (Both work; a frying pan is more convenient for beginners to flip the peppers)
• Small spoon (For filling the peppers with meat)

3. Detailed Steps

Step 1: Prepare the Green Peppers

(Stir clockwise for 3 minutes to make the meat filling sticky and bouncy; Remove seeds for better flavor, keep the green peppers intact as tubes)

1. Wash the green peppers and pat dry their surface.
2. Cut off the top stem of the green peppers (you can keep the stems as “little lids” for a cuter presentation).
3. Gently scoop out the seeds and white membranes inside the green peppers with a small spoon or your fingers (these cause the peppers to taste bitter and must be cleaned thoroughly).
4. Cut the green peppers into 2-3 cm thick rounds (you can also leave them whole as long as you hollow out the inside to hold the filling).

Step 2: Prepare the Meat Filling

(Stir clockwise for 3 minutes to make the meat filling sticky and bouncy; Remove seeds for better flavor, keep the green peppers intact)

1. Put the ground pork into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the diced onion (or minced garlic + minced ginger), light soy sauce, oyster sauce, corn starch, and white sugar (if using).
3. Stir in one direction with your hand or a spoon for 1-2 minutes—this step is crucial! It makes the meat filling sticky, glutinous, and juicy; never stir randomly.
4. You can taste a small bite of the meat filling first (heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds to cook it). If it tastes too bland, add a little more light soy sauce.

Step 3: Fill the Green Peppers with Meat

(Key point: Choose green peppers of uniform size and cylindrical shape for easy stuffing; Keep the opening facing up to prevent the meat filling from falling out; Do not overfill, as the filling may overflow during pan-frying)

1. Hold a green pepper segment (or whole green pepper) in one hand.
2. Use a small spoon to fill the hollow part of the green pepper with the meat filling—do not overfill! Leave a little space, as the meat filling will expand when cooked.
3. If you kept the green pepper stems, put them back on as lids (secure with a toothpick to prevent them from falling off during cooking).

Step 4: Cook (Key Step!)


(Pan-fry the meat-filled side for 2 minutes to set the shape; Fry until the surface of the green peppers is slightly wrinkled and has a “tiger skin” texture)

(Boil until the sauce bubbles; Simmer to fully cook the meat filling and infuse flavor into the green peppers)

(Thicken the sauce until it coats the surface of the green peppers)

1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
2. When the oil is hot (small ripples appear on the oil surface), place the stuffed green peppers in the pan with the meat-filled side down.
3. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes until the surface of the meat filling turns golden brown (this locks in the internal juices and prevents them from leaking out).
4. Carefully flip the peppers with a spatula and pan-fry the other sides for 1-2 minutes until the green peppers become soft and their skin is slightly wrinkled.
5. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of water into the pan, cover with a lid, and turn to low heat.
6. Simmer for 5-7 minutes—to fully cook the meat filling and make the green peppers softer and more tender.
7. Uncover the lid, turn up the heat slightly, and cook off the excess water in the pan (a little thick sauce will remain at the end, which is delicious for dipping).

4. Tips for Success

• Reduce spiciness of green peppers: After removing the seeds, soak the green peppers in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce the spiciness.
• Do not skip corn starch: It prevents the meat filling from falling apart during cooking and also makes the filling tenderer and juicier.
• Check if the meat filling is cooked: Insert a toothpick into the meat filling—if the juice that oozes out is clear (not pink), it means it’s fully cooked.
• Best pairing: Serve with white rice! Dip the green peppers in the thick sauce left in the pan for a super satisfying bite.

(Chewy on the outside, tender on the inside, savory with a hint of spiciness, and rich sauce—perfect with rice!)