Cut the tops off peppers and remove seeds carefully. Keep the tops for later if desired.
Make the filling:
In a bowl, mix ground meat, cooked rice, chopped onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Stuff the peppers:
Fill each pepper with the meat mixture, pressing gently but not overstuffing.
Prepare the sauce:
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
Add tomato sauce and water/broth, season with salt and paprika.
Cook the peppers:
Place stuffed peppers upright in the pot.
Cover and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes, until peppers are tender and filling is cooked through.
Serve:
Spoon tomato sauce over peppers.
Optional: serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and fresh bread or mashed potatoes on the side.
🇭🇺 Tip: For a richer flavor, you can sauté onions and garlic before adding them to the tomato sauce, and let the peppers sit covered off the heat for 10–15 minutes before serving.
If you want, I can also give a quick stovetop version that’s ready in under 45 minutes and tastes just as authentic.
