Pretty bland. Need to salt the peppers before stuffing, and maybe sauté some onion with the mushrooms? Maybe squish in some garlic, parsley, lemon zest, butter and salt with the breadcrumbs? Use a more flavorful cheese instead of mozz? The breadcrumbs should also maybe be toasted on a higher heat. The peppers also need a little more time to soften. My bake time was 30 mins overall and the peppers were still a little crisp and the barley starting to get chewy.
Lauren R
Providence, RI
5/20/2023
It was OK. I don't think the recipe did justice to the fresh mozzarella. Next time I would use feta or cheddar. I put the peppers in the oven first to get them to soften up before stuffing, and added sauteed onions and garlic. I used brown rice. I also added two eggs for additional protein, and to make it less dry. Next time I might add some walnuts for texture and protein.
audg
Chicago
11/23/2019
So delish! I made this recipe as-is except for a few tweaks based on what I had on hand. I used...- ricotta cheese in place of mozzarella- Poblano peppers in place of bell peppers- Baby portabello mushrooms in place of cremini - And also added local bacon from the farmers market which I partially pre-cooked for 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave before chopping it into the pepper mixture which then baked along with everything else for 30 minutes)The combo of the poblano pepper and the bacon gave this whole dish a nice smoky flavor. Probably our most favorite stuffed pepper recipe to date! Thanks for sharing:)
inthevintagekitchen
Nashville
8/6/2019
I made this pretty much as-written, but I did add some cooked ground turkey for added protein, and it was very good! Simple to make and healthy. I might experiment with par-cooking the peppers so they are a little softer in the final product, but it was good without this step. My picky kids didn't go for it, but I think if I make it a few more times I they might come around!
splaine
1/3/2019
These were great! I followed the recipe but swapped mozzarella for feta, and added chunks of lamb sautéed with garlic, and a medium white onion. Cut the mushrooms so they were the same 1/2" cube as the lamb and followed the suggestion to pre-bake the peppers. We had leftover peppers for lunch the next day and they were just as good. Love using barley instead of rice. This is a recipe we will make again.
we2
Brimfield, MA
8/13/2018
Very disappointing. Bland bland bland, and that's with the addition of onions, ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and cheddar cheese. I also mixed cheese in with the bread crumbs at the end. Still no flavour. We stared at each other then went out to get some food.
glassdragon
Toronto, Ontario
4/16/2017
I totally modified this recipe and it turned out delicious. I pre-baked the pepper halves while preparing the other ingredients. I added 1 lb of ground beef that I sautéed with a chopped shallot, tablespoon of chopped garlic, season salt, a dash of worchestire sauce, and some ketchup (maybe 1/4 cup). I used a mix of white, brown and wild rice to make this gluten-free. Mixed it all together with the cheese and mushrooms. Added some cornflake bread crumbs to top it off. Amazing.
linzeluv1
Las Vegas
12/13/2016
This is a very interesting take on stuffed peppers, though I didn't find it as easy as some. After reading the comments, I made some adjustments. I added 1 cup browned pork cooked with 3 cloves of minced garlic and a small amount of chopped onions. I substituted some leftover rice pilaf for the grains, and added some canned tomatoes to the mix before stuffing the peppers. I baked the peppers for 20 minutes at 350 before stuffing them, and poured a bit of the juice off of the tomatoes over the mix in the peppers before adding the bread crumbs. The result was quite tasty. But, next time I will try adding additional fresh herbs.
dianneblank
Fairfax Station, VA
11/4/2015
The barley component drew me to this recipe, but I made some changes, using some ground chuck, and pre cooking the peppers. Really heaped up the filling on the peppers, unlike the picture. The addition of cheese to a stuffed pepper recipe was new to us, although we generally put cheddar on top of usual recipe. It turned out quite good, both for dinner & a leftover dinner later. It made me think of using barley instead of rice in a couple of other recipes
rtcondon
Hot Springs Village, AR
11/3/2015
Delicious and quick to make!Packed well as a lunch for the next day, too!
jdengler
Haddon Township, NJ
11/1/2015
other reviewers are right... this could end up dry. added garlic to the filling mix and added grated parmesan to the bread crumbs. also added some garlic mariana. turned out very well.
kozmonaut
Venice, CA
10/30/2015
these were good except the peppers were a bit undercooked. next time I would simmer or bake the pepper shells a bit to soften them up before stuffing. I also added 5 minced garlic cloves to the mixture - it came out perfect.
djspell
Houston, TX
10/26/2015
These are quite good if you're looking for a quick vegetarian dish. I found them a bit dry and the peppers are a bit undercooked if you follow the cooking times. I added 5 cloves of garlic minced. next time, I will simmer or bake the pepper shells for 15 minutes before stuffing them to soften them up first.
djspell
Houston TX
10/26/2015
I was looking for something tasty to serve a Hindu friend and pre-tested this one. Dear hubby said it was "pretty good" but would like meat in it. I thought it had promise. I made it mostly as directed. I used regular mozzarella for budget reasons (about half a ball). I don't like dry breadcrumbs on top, so I tossed mine with a tiny bit of olive oil. Crunchy and golden. Yum!I loved the gooey melty cheese of the filling but thought it was a little bland. Next time I make it I will probably add onion and garlic to it, or amp up the herbs or spices.I would suggest cooking the barley first, while chopping the other ingredients. I was standing around waiting for the barley to finish.I think this could be a make-ahead dish. Do all the chopping in advance. Cook the barley and set aside. Then, when ready to cook the peppers, saute the mushrooms while the oven preheats. I may give that a try, as well.
maria4planning
Silicon Valley
10/22/2015
Very tasty. The recipe makes enough filling for at least 3 peppers. I used Italian spiced bread crumbs for the top.
esteepickens
Wayne, PA
10/22/2015
