Chinese Stuffed Peppers

Why You’ll Love Chinese Stuffed Peppers Recipe

• The combination of blistered pepper skins and rich pork filling gives you contrasting textures: tender, slightly charred pepper with soft, savory meat.

• The aromatic filling — ginger, scallion, water chestnuts for crunch — adds depth and freshness.

• The braising sauce adds a savory, slightly sweet finish that makes this dish satisfying enough to serve as a main course.

• It works well for a weeknight meal (about 40 minutes from start to finish) but also looks elegant enough for a more formal dinner.

Ingredients

(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

• Cubanelle peppers (or Anaheim peppers)

• Vegetable oil

• Rice vinegar

Stuffing

• Ground pork

• Shaoxing wine

• Soy sauce

• Water chestnuts, coarsely minced

• Ginger, minced

• Scallion, minced

• Egg

• Cornstarch

• Sugar

• White pepper

Sauce

• Chicken stock

• Soy sauce

• Oyster sauce

• Dark soy sauce

• Sugar

• Garlic, grated

Slurry

• Cornstarch

• Water

Directions

1. Prepare the peppers: cut off the ends, remove and discard the seeds, and dry the surface thoroughly to avoid oil splatter.

2. In a bowl, combine all the stuffing ingredients and mix until the paste becomes sticky and well‑bound. Pack the filling into each pepper, pressing down to fill completely. If you run out of filling before the last pepper, cut off the unfilled portion so all peppers cook evenly.

3. In a small bowl, mix together all the sauce ingredients.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium‑high heat until shimmering. Add the stuffed peppers and let them cook without moving for about 3 minutes per side, until the surface of the peppers is blistered and browned. If the oil begins to smoke heavily, reduce heat to medium.

5. Once the pepper exteriors are blistered, stand the peppers upright (meat‑filling side down) to brown the filling side.

6. Pour the sauce into the pan, cover it, and let the peppers braise for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the meat stuffing is cooked through.

7. While that’s finishing, mix together the cornstarch and water to make the slurry.

8. Uncover the pan, transfer the peppers to a serving plate. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan and stir immediately until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and pour the thickened sauce over the peppers. Serve hot.

Servings and timing

Serves: 4
Prep time: approx. 20 minutes
Cook time: approx. 20 minutes
Total time: approx. 40 minutes

Variations

• Swap ground pork for ground chicken or turkey if you prefer a lighter filling.

• For a vegetarian version, use finely chopped firm tofu and mushrooms in place of pork, and substitute vegetarian oyster sauce with mushroom‑based sauce.

• Use bell peppers if Cubanelle or Anaheim are unavailable — slice them into halves or boats about 1″ deep to maintain appropriate stuffing ratio.

• Add heat by mixing a little chili garlic sauce into the sauce or the stuffing.

• For extra crunch, stir in finely chopped water chestnuts or bamboo shoots into the filling.

Storage/Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

• To reheat, place the stuffed peppers in a skillet over medium heat, add a splash of water or stock, cover and warm through until the filling is hot and the sauce is bubbling.

• You can also reheat in a microwave: cover and warm for 1‑2 minutes, stirring or flipping halfway if possible.

• The peppers are best consumed the same day, as their skins will soften with longer storage.

FAQs

What type of pepper should I use?

The recipe recommends Cubanelle or Anaheim peppers because they are mild in heat, have thinner skin, and a size suitable for stuffing. Bell peppers can be used but you’ll want to slice them into smaller “boats” to ensure proper ratio of filling to pepper.

Can I use a different meat for the stuffing?

Yes — ground chicken or turkey can work if you prefer a leaner option. Cooking time may be slightly less or you might need to adjust seasoning for flavor.

How do I know the filling is cooked through?

After braising with the sauce under cover for about 5 minutes, the filling should be hot throughout. If unsure, you can cut into one pepper to check: the meat should be no longer pink and firm.

Can I prepare this ahead of time?

Absolutely — you can mix the stuffing ahead of time and even stuff the peppers in advance, keeping them refrigerated until cooking. Just make sure to dry the pepper surfaces before cooking for safe frying.

How do I prevent oil splatter when frying the peppers?

Dry the pepper surfaces thoroughly with paper towels before frying. Also, start with medium‑high heat and reduce if the oil begins to smoke heavily.

Is this dish gluten‑free?

With substitutions: use tamari instead of soy sauce, a gluten‑free oyster sauce, and replace Shaoxing wine with dry sherry. Then yes, you can make it gluten‑free.

Can I bake or air‑fry the stuffed peppers instead of pan‑frying?

The author doesn’t recommend using an air fryer because the browning and blistering of the pepper skin and filling side may not be as good. If baking, you could pre‑blister the peppers in the oven under a broiler and then proceed with the braising step.

What should I serve with these stuffed peppers?

They pair well with steamed rice so you can soak up the brown sauce. You can also include them as the main dish in a Chinese‑style meal alongside a soup and vegetable side dishes.

Will the peppers stay firm or get soggy?

Because the peppers are first blistered and then braised only briefly, they maintain some structure with a slightly softened texture — they should not become mushy if you follow the timing.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Freezing is possible but not ideal — the pepper texture may become watery and the sauce may separate upon thawing. If freezing, cool completely, store in a freezer‑safe container, and reheat gently, discarding any excess liquid.

Conclusion

This Chinese‑style stuffed pepper dish is a fantastic blend of comforting and elegant. From the blistered pepper skins to the savory pork filling and rich brown sauce, it offers bold flavour and texture in under an hour. Whether you’re cooking for a weeknight dinner or entertaining guests, it’s sure to impress and satisfy.