About This Dish
A creative coastal Moroccan dish where bell peppers are stuffed with a fragrant mixture of sardines, rice, herbs, and chermoula, then baked until tender. This economical dish transforms affordable sardines into an impressive, presentable main course. It is particularly popular in working-class coastal neighborhoods where sardines are abundant and cheap. The peppers become sweet and soft during baking while the sardine filling becomes rich and aromatic. A complete meal in one colorful package.
Ingredients
- 4 Bell peppers (various colors)
- 400 g Fresh sardines, filleted and chopped
- 1 cup Cooked rice
- 2 tbsp Chermoula paste
- 3 tbsp Fresh cilantro and parsley
- 200 ml Tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- to taste Salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds.
- 2
Mix sardines, rice, chermoula, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- 3
Stuff peppers with the sardine mixture.
- 4
Place in a baking dish. Pour tomato sauce around them. Drizzle with olive oil.
- 5
Cover with foil. Bake at 180C (350F) for 35-40 minutes.
- 6
Remove foil for the last 10 minutes for color.
Tips & Tricks
- Choose peppers that stand upright for easier stuffing.
- Do not overstuff — the filling expands slightly.
- Can be made with canned sardines in a pinch.