Tender, juicy peppers with a spiced bulgur filling, fresh herbs and creamy tahini yogurt. Chickpeas make it a hearty meal, while lemon and a little chili oil keep the flavors bright.
In this dish, the peppers remain the star: halved, stuffed and roasted until the edges turn dark and the flesh is tender. Meanwhile, the bulgur soaks up the juices from the onion, olive oil and spices. Chickpeas add a little bite and make the filling hearty enough for a main course. Parsley and mint bring freshness; use them generously, but set a little aside to scatter over the peppers just before serving.
Medium-grain bulgur works well here because the grains stay separate after cooking and mix easily with the chickpeas. If you use a different grind, follow the package instructions: fine bulgur needs less water and time, while coarse bulgur takes longer to cook. Let the cooked bulgur steam dry thoroughly before stirring it into the onion. This keeps the filling from getting soggy and gives it a chance to pick up some of the peppers’ flavor in the oven.
Roast the peppers uncovered, cut side up. The heat makes the flesh juicy and colors the edges without the filling spilling out of the halves. Peppers vary in size and thickness, so check after about 25 minutes to see if they’re done: a knife should slide easily into the flesh. A few dark spots are delicious; take them out of the oven before the halves collapse completely.
The tahini yogurt is more than just a sauce on the side. Tahini has a rich, slightly bitter sesame flavor; yogurt and lemon freshen it up and contrast with the warm, sweetish peppers. Stir in a small splash of cold water if the sauce is too thick. No tahini on hand? Serve yogurt with lemon and a little olive oil instead, though the sauce will miss its distinctive sesame flavor. For a milder finish, leave out the chili oil.
In the Netherlands, peppers are most abundant in summer and early fall, but they’re available all year round. Serve them straight from the oven with extra tahini yogurt and, if you like, a simple cucumber salad. Leftovers can be cooled within two hours, covered and stored in the fridge, then eaten within three days; reheat them thoroughly in the oven or microwave. Store the sauce separately if possible, so it stays fresh.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place them cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bring the bulgur, water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the bulgur covered for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir the bulgur and chickpeas into the onion. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the parsley, mint, salt and black pepper. Set aside a little of the herbs for serving, if you like.
Divide the filling among the pepper halves and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the edges are dark.
Meanwhile, stir the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice until smooth. Mix in 2 tablespoons cold water; add a little more if needed, until the sauce is spoonable.
Serve the stuffed peppers warm with the tahini yogurt. Finish with the reserved herbs and drizzle with the chili oil.
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