Jamie Oliver Stuffed Vegetables

When I say Jamie Oliver Stuffed Vegetables, I mean that rare kind of dish that actually stops you mid-bite. Not because it’s fancy. It’s not. It’s just—it hits something. Roasted peppers collapsing gently under a fork, rice that’s soaked up every last whisper of mint and feta and whatever magic pistachios do when they’re toasted and crushed and folded into something warm. I made it on a night when I didn’t really want to cook. And then… couldn’t stop tasting it. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

For the stuffing:

• 200g long-grain rice
• a good handful of shelled pistachios
• 2 onions, chopped down fine
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin, almost shaved
• 1 red chili, seeds out, chopped up
• a teaspoon of oregano, dried
• a spoonful of tomato purée
• a block of Greek feta, 200g or thereabouts, crumbled by hand
• one bunch each of mint and parsley, just roughly chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt. Pepper.

For the veg itself:

• 2 red peppers
• 2 yellow ones
• 2 beef tomatoes, big and proud

And the broth:

• 600ml of stock. Chicken or veggie. Just… good stock.

How To Make Jamie Oliver Stuffed Vegetables

1. Getting started, I switched the oven on to 200°C. While it heated, I took the tops off those tomatoes like I was peeling back little lids. Scooped them out. The peppers? Halved them the long way. Pulled out seeds with my fingers. Sticky work. Worth it.
2. I threw the pistachios in a hot, dry pan. Didn’t walk away. They go from golden to burnt if you blink. Once they smelled like a bakery on holiday, I smashed them roughly. You want bits. Not dust.
3. Same pan. Olive oil. Onions and garlic in. Low heat, slow time. They melted, kind of. I tipped in the rice, oregano, chili. Salted, peppered. Stirred it till everything glistened. Then the first half of the stock—about 300ml. I stayed there, stirring, as the rice drank it all in.
4. Off the heat, in went the feta, herbs, crushed pistachios. That moment smelled like the inside of a Greek bakery, but greener.
5. Stuffed it all in—peppers first, then the tomatoes. Carefully. You don’t want it bursting out later. Popped the tomato lids back on. Into a dish they went. Olive oil drizzled lazily. The rest of the stock stirred with tomato purée, poured around them like a moat.
6. Foil over the top. Into the oven for an hour and some. I peeled the foil off about 15 minutes before the end. Just to get some crunch on top. The smell was nuts by then. Smoky, cheesy, herby…
7. I plated them hot. Side of whatever green salad I could throw together. Crusty bread. No one spoke much during dinner.

Why I Love This Recipe

I didn’t expect them to be that filling. Or to taste that alive. That’s the word. Alive. Something about the herbs, the tiny hit of chili, the warm saltiness of feta. My partner, who’s picky with peppers, asked for seconds. That never happens.

Recipe Tips

• No mint, Basil’ll work. Maybe even dill if you’re bold.
• Can’t do nuts, Use seeds. Sunflower or pumpkin. Still crunchy.
• Make the filling ahead, stuff the veg later. Easier than it sounds.
• Undercook the rice a bit. Let the oven finish the job.
• Foil off at the end = crispy top. Trust me.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver Stuffed Vegetables

• Room temp: Let ‘em cool, sure, but don’t leave them sitting around too long. Two hours tops.
• Fridge: Airtight container. You’ve got three days.
• Freezer: Yep. Freeze in portions. Use decent containers. Keeps for two months. Maybe more. Defrost in the fridge.
• Reheat: Oven’s best—180°C, foil on, 20 minutes. Microwave if you’re starving. Covered. A couple minutes should do.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions!

Can I swap the rice for something else?
Sure. Quinoa works. So does bulgur. Just adjust the cooking time.

Don’t like spicy food—what now?
Skip the chili. Maybe add smoked paprika instead. It’s different, but it works.

Are they okay cold?
Totally. Like a picnic version of themselves. Tastes even brighter, somehow.

Can I double up?
Of course. Just need a bigger dish and more patience.

More protein?
Toss in some lentils. Or chickpeas. Stir them into the filling.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 295
• Carbs: 27.8g
• Protein: 14.8g
• Fat: 14.5g
• Sugar: 5.5g
• Fibre: 1.8g
• Sodium: 1.6g

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Pasta Peperonata
• Jamie Oliver Chicken Shawarma Recipe
• Jamie Oliver Creamy Seafood Pasta