Go Back
Roasted stuffed red bell pepper served on a plate with sauce and chopped green herbs.

Mashi Phil-Phil: Sweet, tender peppers packed with fragrant rice and meat

Mashi phil-phil is the Egyptian version of stuffed peppers, filled with a fragrant mixture of rice, minced meat and warming spices, then gently simmered in a rich tomato sauce.
Servings 4
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

Peppers

  • 4 medium peppers any colour

Tomato sauce

  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 can tomato purée
  • 950 ml / 4 cups water or chicken/beef stock (broth)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Filling

  • 340 g / 1.5 cups minced beef or lamb
  • 240 g / 1.5 cups rice dry weight
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the peppers

  • Wash the peppers
    4 medium peppers
  • Cut off the tops and remove the seeds, keeping the tops aside as lids if desired.

Make the sauce

  • In a large pot, sauté the diced onion over medium heat until soft.
    1 onion
  • Add the water or stock and stir in the tomato purée until fully dissolved.
    1 can tomato purée, 950 ml / 4 cups water or chicken/beef stock (broth)
  • Add the cinnamon stick and whole garlic cloves.
    1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves garlic
  • Season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer gently while preparing the filling.
    salt, black pepper

Prepare the filling

  • In a large bowl, combine the minced meat and rice.
    340 g / 1.5 cups minced beef or lamb, 240 g / 1.5 cups rice
  • Add the chopped garlic, ground cinnamon, allspice (if using), salt and pepper.
    4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground allspice, salt, black pepper
  • Mix thoroughly by hand until evenly combined.

Stuff and cook

  • Fill each pepper about three-quarters full with the mixture. Do not overfill, as the rice will expand during cooking.
  • Replace the pepper tops if using.
  • Place the stuffed peppers upright in the simmering sauce. Ensure the sauce reaches close to the tops of the peppers, adding more liquid if necessary.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for about 2 hours, until the meat is cooked through, the rice is tender, and the peppers are soft.
QR Code linking back to recipe