Bake Romanian peppers with bulgur, tomatoes, herbs and protected Telemea de Sibiu cheese. A clear four-serving recipe with a tender, savory filling.
Stuffed Peppers with Bulgur and Telemea de SibiuTender Romanian peppers filled with tomato bulgur, parsley and protected Telemea de Sibiu cheese.
Stuffed peppers are a familiar home-cooking format across Romania, with fillings that vary by household and region. This Sibiu-centered version takes its cue from a published Romanian preparation and a European Commission feature pairing bell peppers with bulgur and Telemea de Sibiu IGP. It is a practical adaptation for a home oven, not a single official or universal Romanian formula. Tender pepper halves hold a tomato-rich bulgur filling, while crumbled sheep’s-milk cheese adds a salty, tangy finish.
Telemea de Sibiu is a protected geographical indication cheese from Sibiu County, made from sheep’s milk. The registered product is sold fresh or matured; the mature form is aged for at least 21 days. Its saltiness and moisture can vary, especially between fresh and mature pieces, so drain brined cheese and taste it before seasoning the filling. Use a clearly labelled Telemea de Sibiu IGP if you want the named product. Another brined sheep’s-milk telemea can make a similar dish, but it is not the protected cheese.
Bulgur is cracked wheat, so it contains gluten. Medium-grain bulgur gives the filling a tender, distinct texture. Cook it according to the package, then measure about 400 g cooked; 160 g dry usually makes a similar amount, though absorption varies. Let excess liquid drain and allow the grains to steam-dry before mixing. If the label calls for a different ratio or timing, follow it and use the cooked amount needed for the peppers.
Choose four medium-large peppers that can sit snugly in a baking dish. Red, yellow or a mix all work; red peppers are usually sweeter. Halving them lengthwise makes the filling easy to portion and gives the cut edges room to soften and brown. Remove the seeds and pale ribs without cutting through the walls. A little oil on the dish prevents sticking, while a spoonful of water around the peppers helps the edges soften as they bake.
The filling begins with onion, garlic, paprika and ripe tomatoes softened in olive oil. Cook the tomatoes until their juices reduce so the bulgur does not turn watery. Fold in the cooked grains, parsley and part of the crumbled cheese, then taste before adding salt. Telemea may supply enough seasoning by itself. Divide the mixture among the pepper halves and finish with the remaining cheese so it melts and lightly colors in the oven.
Bake at 190 °C / 375 °F until the peppers are tender and the center of the filling is hot, about 25 minutes for medium peppers. Ovens and pepper thickness vary, so check a thick-walled pepper with the tip of a knife and continue in five-minute increments if it still feels firm. If the cheese is browning too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil. Let the peppers stand briefly before serving; the filling will settle and be easier to lift.
Serve the peppers warm as a main dish or a substantial lunch, with a simple green salad if desired. The recipe is vegetarian when the cheese is made with vegetarian rennet, but the protected specification uses rennet and does not guarantee that choice; check the product label if it matters to you. Telemea is sheep’s milk and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container, and reheat until steaming hot.
A wide skillet helps the tomato mixture reduce instead of simmering in a crowded, watery layer. If your tomatoes are especially juicy, let them cook for another minute or two before adding the bulgur. Keep the pepper halves in a single layer, cut side up, and avoid overfilling them: a small mound is fine, but packed grains can dry out at the edges. The finished dish should hold its shape when served while remaining moist inside.
Heat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F. Cook the bulgur in water according to its package directions until tender, then drain excess water and let it steam-dry. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove their seeds and pale ribs. Arrange them cut side up in a lightly oiled baking dish; add a spoonful of water to the bottom.
Warm about 30 ml of the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and paprika for 30 seconds, then add the diced tomatoes and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften and most of their liquid has reduced, 5–7 minutes.
Put about 400 g cooked bulgur in a bowl. Fold in the tomato mixture, chopped parsley and half of the crumbled Telemea. Taste and add salt only if needed. Divide the filling among the pepper halves without packing it too tightly. Scatter the remaining cheese over the tops and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the pepper walls yield to a knife and the filling is hot. Check a thick pepper and continue in five-minute increments if it is still firm. If the cheese browns too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil. Let the peppers rest for 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Telemea is brined and can be salty. Season the filling only after mixing in the cheese.
Drain any extra water and let cooked grains stand uncovered briefly so the tomato filling stays cohesive.
Medium peppers are easier to arrange in one layer and usually soften within the stated baking time.
Pepper thickness and oven temperature vary. Continue baking in short increments if the walls still feel firm.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The filling looks wet | Cook the tomato mixture until its juices reduce and drain excess water from the bulgur before mixing. |
| The cheese tastes too salty | Use less cheese in the filling and add no salt; serve with plain cooked bulgur or salad if needed. |
| The pepper walls are still firm | Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in five-minute increments until a knife enters easily. |
| Original ingredient | Practical substitute | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgur wheat | Cooked rice | Rice changes the texture and removes the wheat from the ingredient itself; check all labels for cross-contact if cooking for someone with coeliac disease. |
| Telemea de Sibiu IGP | Another brined sheep’s-milk telemea | The result can be similar, but the substitute does not have the protected Sibiu identity. Drain and taste before adding salt. |
Cool leftover stuffed peppers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within a short refrigerated period consistent with local food-safety guidance.
Reheat until steaming hot throughout. Add a spoonful of water and cover the dish if the filling seems dry.
It is a protected Romanian semi-hard cheese made from sheep’s milk in Sibiu County. It is sold fresh or matured; the registered mature version is aged for at least 21 days.
A brined sheep’s-milk telemea can give a similar salty, tangy filling, but it is not Telemea de Sibiu IGP. Feta may be saltier and firmer, so taste before seasoning.
Yes. Cook it according to its package, drain extra water and measure about 400 g cooked for the filling. The dry amount is an approximate guide because bulgur absorbs water differently.
The pepper walls should yield easily to the tip of a knife and the center of the filling should be hot. Add five minutes at a time if the peppers remain firm.
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