August 7, 2018 / By / 106 Comments
stuffed capsicum recipe, bharwan shimla mirch recipe
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stuffed capsicum recipe with step by step photos – this is a punjabi style delicious stuffed capsicum recipe. in this recipe, capsicum are stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes.

this punjabi bharwa shimla mirch recipe is how i make this dish at home and is liked by everyone. sometimes i also add green peas to the potato stuffing. there are many variations of making the stuffing and even with different ingredients like paneer (cottage cheese) or besan (gram flour).

stuffed vegetable dishes are quite popular in india. few more bharwa (meaning stuffed) recipes on the blog are: 

most of the times i bake the stuffed capsicum. but in this post, i have mentioned on how to cook the capsicum in a pan, as i do get a lot of requests for making stuff without an oven. however, if you do have an oven, then bake the capsicum. baking is easy and effortless, than sauteing & cooking them in a pan.

the bharwa shimla mirch goes best with rotis accompanied by a raita. you can also serve these stuffed capsicum as a side dish. this dish also makes for a good tiffin box lunch.

if you are looking for more veggie recipes then do check capsicum gravy, aloo capsicum, paneer capsicum, vegetable korma and mix vegetables.

bharwa shimla mirch or stuffed capsicum recipe below:

bharwan shimla mirch recipe
4.32 from 25 votes
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stuffed capsicum recipe | bharwa shimla mirch recipe

stuffed capsicum - delicious recipe of green bell peppers stuffed with spiced potatoes.

course side dish
cuisine north indian, punjabi
prep time 30 minutes
cook time 25 minutes
total time 55 minutes
servings 2 to 3
calories per serving 258 kcal
author dassana amit

ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

  • 4 to 5 medium to large shimla mirch (capsicum or green bell peppers)
  • 4 to 5 medium potatoes Or about 180 to 200 grams potatoes
  • ⅓ to ½ cup steamed or cooked peas (matar) - optional
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped or ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 green chili, chopped (hari mirch)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
  • ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or as required. - (substitute with ¼ teaspoon lemon juice if dry mango powder is not available. you can also increase the quantity of lemon juice as per your taste)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
  • 1 tablespoon oil for sauteing the onions
  • 1 or 1.5 tablespoon oil for sauteing the capsicum
  • salt as required

how to make recipe?

making stuffing for stuffed capsicum recipe:

  1. first, boil the potatoes till they completely tender and cooked thoroughly. peel and grate the potatoes. keep aside.
  2. slice off the tops of the capsicum. remove the seeds. rinse them in water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. keep aside.
  3. in a small frying pan, heat oil. fry the cumin first and then add chopped onions.
  4. saute the onions till translucent. add chopped green chilies.
  5. stir and then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida. stir again.
  6. add the potatoes and mix everything.
  7. saute the potatoes for 2 mins and then add garam masala powder, dry mango powder and salt.
  8. stir well and then add chopped coriander leaves. mix again and let this spiced potato stuffing become warm or cool down.
  9. with a spoon or with your hands, stuff the potato mixture in the capsicum.

  10. if baking, then brush or rub oil outside the capsicum, before you stuff them with the spiced mashed potatoes.

  11. now you can bake the stuffed capsicum in an oven or saute in a pan.

for cooking stuffed capsicum in a pan:

  1. heat oil in a pan or kadai/wok and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.

  2. cover the pan and allow the stuffed capsicum to cook on a low flame.

  3. you will have to check often after every 5 to 6 mins and keep on changing the sides of the stuffed capsicum, so that all sides are cooked well. check, turn the sides and cover the pan again.

  4. you also have to place the open potato side touching the pan. the capsicum will get golden and wrinkled.

  5. continue to check, change the sides and then cover again till the stuffed  capsicum are cooked well. it took me about 25 mins to cook these on a low flame.

  6. garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve these potato stuffed capsicum hot or warm with rotis, bread or as a side dish.

recipe notes

for baking stuffed capsicum in the oven:

  1. preheat your oven to 200 degrees C.
  2. place the stuffed capsicum on a baking tray and bake at 200 degrees C for 20 to 30 minutes (oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye) till the capsicum has become golden and wrinkled. you can also top some grated cheese on the potatoes and then bake.


stepwise bharwa shimla mirch or stuffed capsicum recipe:

1. first, boil the potatoes till they completely tender and cooked thoroughly. peel and grate the potatoes. keep aside.

boiled potatoes for stuffed capsicum recipe

2. slice off the tops of the capsicum. remove the seeds. rinse them in water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. keep aside.

slice the capsicum top

3. in a small frying pan, heat oil. fry the cumin first and then add chopped onions.

sauting onions - making stuffed capsicum recipe

4. saute the onions till translucent. add chopped green chilies.

sauting onions for making stuffed capsicum recipe

5. stir and then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida. stir again.

making stuffed capsicum recipe

6. add the potatoes and mix everything.

preparing stuffed capsicum masala

7. saute the potatoes for 2 mins and then add garam masala powder, dry mango powder and salt.

preparing stuffed capsicum masala

8. stir well and then add chopped coriander leaves. mix again and let this spiced potato stuffing become warm or cool down.

spiced potato stuffing for bharwan shimla mirch recipe

9. with a spoon or with your hands, stuff the potato mixture in the capsicum.

stuff potato mixture in capsicum

10. now you can bake them or saute in a pan. i have mentioned the baking instructions in the recipe details above. heat oil in a pan or kadai/wok and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.

place the stuffed capsicum in the pan

11. cover the pan and allow the stuffed capsicum to cook on a low flame.

cooking stuffed capsicum or bharwan shimla mirch

12. you will have to check often after every 5 to 6 mins and keep on changing the sides of the stuffed capsicum, so that all sides are cooked well. check, turn the sides and cover the pan again. you also have to place the open potato side touching the pan. in the below pic, you will see the various sides getting cooked. the capsicum will get golden and wrinkled. i usually cook the bell peppers thoroughly.

cooking stuffed capsicum or bharwan shimla mirch

13. continue to check, change the sides and then cover again till the stuffed stuffed are cooked well. it took me about 25 minutes to cook these on a low flame.

cooking stuffed capsicum or bharwan shimla mirch

14. garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve these potato stuffed capsicum hot or warm with rotis, bread or as a side dish.

stuffed capsicum recipe, bharwan shimla mirch recipe




106 thoughts on “stuffed capsicum | bharwa shimla mirch recipe | stuffed capsicum recipe”

  2. kayanat

    hi dassana ur recipestation r wondering and I always prefer them first.same I did it with this and it was awesome.

  3. Amandeep

    Hi, I’ve been following your recipes for a few months now and they are scrumptious each time. Never have I come across a recipe that has failed to impress. They have a distinct home-cooked flavour which chefs like Sanjeev Kapoor and Pankaj Bhadauria miss. This is the type of cooking that leaves you content and full. Just like eating out of mom’s hands. I appreciate the hard work and heart you put in your recipes and it shows. Thank you.

  5. Malkeet Kaur

    Luking very delicious will try it tonight, I had tried ur other recipes like dal makhani etc. N it was awesome Thanku fr sharing recipes in this pic style it is really very helpful

  7. sunita sil

    Hi Dasaana

    gr8 recipe, wud like to try out for dinner 2nite, need help, in microwave can we use the grill mode or grill+convention mode,

    what is the difference between grill and convention, plz help

    thanks sunita

    1. dassana amit

      sunita, in microwave oven, use the microwave mode. you just need to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. thats it. grill and convection both use dry heat for cooking. in grill its just that the food is touching the heat source, whereas in convection the food is not touching the heat source.

  8. shubhda garg

    Lovely recipe as usual..love your blog and the fact that all recipes are so easy to follow. Your photographs are amazing.
    Thanks for making cooking so easy and fun!!

  9. radha

    Hello,It is an absolutely sumptuous dish..Thanks a lot for sharing..i added some paneer as well,turned out great..Thanks once again.

  11. Nidhi

    Hi Dassana,

    Thank you for this recipe. I want to serve it to a large group at work, and I wanted your advice on reheating (baking option).

    Thanks,
    Nidhi

  12. keyur

    Hi… Stuffed capsicum was awsome. i like it its amazing. i think only one part which taking longer is cocking of capsicum on low heat it took almost 30 minutes. I am very happy, i have pre pared it today.

  13. Urjitha Rajagopalan

    I loved this recipe! I used baby peppers instead of normal-sized peppers hence I only needed to bake it for ~12 minutes. It’s so great! I also added a little cheese right at the top of the stuffed pepper and I added 1/4th teaspoon tamarind paste to my potato stuffing and it turned out SO GOOD. Thank you for the great recipe, totally reminded me of my mom’s own recipe!

  17. Sharmilee

    I made this stuffed bellpeppers today. It turned out good, but the bell pepper itself lacked any taste. Is that because there was no salt added to the peppers ?
    Or is it supposed to taste this way ?

    1. dassana amit

      hi sharmilee, salt is sprinkled on the bell peppers. i forgot to mention this point. but even if salt is added, taste wise they taste the way bell peppers taste 🙂

  18. Lika

    Gorgeous recipe. Very tasty and available for cooking at home.
    Elegant photos and wonderful description.
    Nowhere have I seen such beautiful descriptions of recipes. Gratitude and respect to the author.

  19. Runa

    Hi…, the presentation looks awesome. M gonna try today as i am not a big fan of capsicum. This recipe has inspired me to cook capsicum &taste it. Hopefully it turns out well …. 🙂

    Thank in advance

  20. Stuti

    Hi, and thanks for these lovely recipes and photographs.
    Can I use paneer instead of potato and follow exactly the same recipe?

  21. Pooja

    Hi..having found your food blogs, I m very relaxed now, as I dnt hv to search and keep brainstorming various sites for various recipes. U have so much in store where I can find all at one place..good going!

  22. Radhika

    Dear Dassana, thank you very much for this recipe. Tried it…and loved it!

    Finally, I love capsicums!!

  23. Amruta

    Hi Dassana… I have been a regular visitor to your food blog and love it for the simple instructions and beautiful pics. I am not a regular in the kitchen, howerver,I have tried a few recipes and they turned out to be good. I would love to try out the home-made breads and have been pondering over purchasing a good Oven/OTG. Could you suggest one please?

    Thanks…

    1. dassana amit

      hi amruta. firstly thanks. i have a philips basic OTG which is some years now and still working good. i am not sure about the other brands as i have never tried them. you can read some online reviews and then decide on which brand and model you want to purchase. happy shopping.

  24. Vik

    Thank you so much for your simple indian recipies. Being a guy, even i can follow them step by step with awesome results.

    Please post more dishes from northern india like UP, Bihar.

    Thanks again!

  25. yogita deaale.

    I try every dishes made from this site .
    It’s the fantastic experience
    U make the khana pakana is so simple for me.
    Thank u so………much.

  26. Nisha

    Hey there, I live in Texas n cooking is my passion. And I love to experiment with my food. Ur recipes are really simple n amazing. Instead of aaloo in bharwan shimla mirch, I used soya granules n peas n it turned out awesome. Hv tried lots of ur recipes recent one was dabeli. Thanks for sharing ur recipes in such a beautiful way. Good Luck.

  28. Sneha

    I made this for dinner last week. I have just moved to the US and I didn’t know how to use the oven. I tried this dish it came out fantastic! Thank you so much. Every recipe of yours that I have tried so far have come out great!

  29. Sneha

    I made this for dinner last week and my husband loved it! Thanks for the tips on making it in the oven. This was my first experience of using an oven so I was really reassured and happy with the result. 🙂

    1. dassana amit

      thanks sneha. so now you will be able to use the oven comfortably. in fact not only stuffed capsicum, but also stuffed tomatoes and potatoes can also be made in the oven.

  30. Nitin Gupta

    Hey,
    I moved to Leeds a month back and was only surviving on take away for a fortnight, and eventually started missing home food. Then I came across your website and the result is I now have 5 people coming to my place for dinner everyday. Thanks a lot.. I feel at home in U.K. now…at least on the dinner table.

  31. sneha

    Hi,

    I really love your recipes. they are simply good and you have done a great job in presenting the recipes with pictures. Just love your website. This has inspired me to cook.
    thank you.

  32. Zo

    Hi,
    Looks yummy. I was wondering if I can add grated cheddar cheese in the potato mixture. Or whether I should just sprinkle the cheese on top? I would add it without any hesitation if there was no Mango Powder. Since you are the expert and you might have cooked this dish many times, do you think adding cheddar cheese at all is recommended here. If yes than which would be the best way? In the mixture or sprinkling a little on top. I can’t predict cheddar cheese combination with mango powder. Pls guide.

  33. rinku negi

    Hi..cooking is my biggest fear.. i dont know wht i think when i cook but I tried this recipe..n my husband likes it.thanks for generating my confidence in cooking through ur recipes..thanks alot

  34. Zil Patel

    Nice recipe… Its too good… Whenever I m cooking I choose recipes from ur website… I also made coconut barfi, gajar ka halwa, and they were awesome… Thanx…

  35. M.D

    Hello !
    Your recipes are very nice !! Thanks a lot for posting them. I have been able to improve a lot in my cooking because of your recipes.
    I had a small query not directly related to your page. I wanted to buy an otg for baking purpose, but mostly people these days suggest buying a microwave with convection mode as it serves the purpose of an otg also. But there is another group that says that microwave is not good for health and food is not baked evenly in it as compared to Otg.
    What would your suggestion be for some one who is new to baking and cooking as well. I am not asking you to suggest any particular model or brand.
    Request you to clear my doubts as you are so experienced in the field of cooking.
    Thanks in Advance !
    Regards.

    1. dassana amit

      thanks. if you want to bake a lot, then i would suggest an OTG. in oven there is even baking. microwave oven is also good for baking. but the temperature for a standard recipe using oven, needs to be brought down in the microwave oven. in a microwave oven, due to the fan the heating is quick and rapid. so what happens is the top of a loaf gets browned quickly in microwave oven. personally i prefer to bake in an OTG. i have also heard the side effects of microwave rays. i used to cook food in microwave, but now i just use it for reheating. for cooking i use the stove top. i have got so many requests for microwave recipes, but still considering whether to add them or not. i would suggest to go for an OTG since i bake often. i have used both OTG and microwave oven and i feel baking is better in an OTG.

  38. lekha

    hey, i just love all the recipes at vegrecipesofindia.com and the most lovely part is that each recipe is available with photographs which is very helpful for those who are new to cooking.

  39. lubna

    From d time I have tried ur recipes, stopped browsing all other sites. All ur recipes I tried worked out well except rawa onion dosa, it was good but not crispy&my family likes crispy dosas. How do I make crispy rawa dosa, may b omit onions?

    1. dassana amit

      thanks lubna. the onion rava dosa posted is a less crisp version and more on the softer side. to have a crisp dosa, you will have to increase amount of maida/all purpose flour. adding onions directly on top when you spread the batter will make it crisp. if the onions are added in the batter directly, it does not give that crisp dosa. you can try this rava dosa recipe, which gives crisp dosa. but they have to be served immediately. link here – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/rava-dosa-crisp-rava-dosa/

  40. grishma

    dear dassana

    thank u for the recipe….i just need your advice can the potatos be cooked in the microwave and how to grate them after cooking since they will be tender and soft

    1. dassana amit

      hi grishma, potatoes can be cooked in the microwave. either you halve them and place in a bowl of water. cover the bowl and microwave. check the doneness with a knife. if the knife is able to pass easily through the potatoes, they are cooked. then drain them well. peel and grate or mash them directly with a fork or potato masher.

  41. Ritika

    Hi Dassana,

    This site is really boon for me as i am newly married n my in laws are very foody.Initially i was scared of cooking bcoz i am not good in cooking but this site is helping me out n my in laws are happy by my curlinary skills…..Thanksssss to u….Stay Blessed 🙂

  42. Sweta

    Hi Dasanna,

    Can i make the shimla mirch in a microwave? if yes, what is the mode used and temperature settings.

    1. dassana amit

      sweta, i have done it many years back. now i rarely use microwave for cooking as many internet article says its not good for health. i only use microwave to reheat food which also is not healthy. you can microwave on a high power for some minutes. i have forgotten how many minutes i used to keep. you have to keep on checking capsicum after every 2-3 minutes. you can also bake shimla mirch in the convection mode of the microwave. bake at 180 degree for same amount of time. time you have to check accordingly.

  43. Sunita Jayaprakash

    I am a big fan of ur recipes.Keep cooking great dishes and love to try all the new ones that u post.

  44. Susan

    I’ve been looking for a good vegetarian stuffed green bell Pepper recipe for some time, and I think this is it. The recipe sounds great, with the added caveat that my 91 year old mother loves a good stuffed green pepper. Thanks!

  45. Swathi

    Tried the recipe…loooooved it 🙂 love your blog has helped me so much to try out new dishes 🙂 keep rocking 🙂

  46. Ritu

    Hello Dassana,
    This is a long pending comment that i wanted to post have been trying your recipes since past few months and every single recipe has turned out great.
    Few of my favorites are Rajma Masala, Gobhi Manchurian, Tawa Paneer, Fried rice, Veg Biryani, daal Makhani, Banana Bread, Cabbage kofta…I think I should stop now else it will be a long list 
    I totally love your blog and it is the only reference I am following these days. Your recipes and the way you post those recipes is completely awesome.
    I have not tried this stuffed shimla mirch ever in Oven but I read your note and I am ready to try this on coming weekend.
    A request for you is- if it is possible may you also post the pictures of onions or tomatoes used in recipe.
    Sometimes it is confusing for me to understand medium size tomato or onions as the size vary in India and US.
    I am giving you five stars for rest of the recipes I have tried 🙂
    Ritu

    1. dassana amit

      thanks ritu for your genuinely encouraging and motivating comment. fine, i have taken your suggestion into consideration and will add the pics for some recipes. now i have started giving the measurements in cups and grams also, as i know the small to medium can vary from country to country.

      1. Ritu

        Thanks Dassana 🙂
        I did try this recipe in Oven and result was great. I am going to use only oven for this recipe going forward as its a healthier and equally tasty version.
        Thank you so much for this.

        I am ready to try mawa cake recipe this week as I have some mawa in the refrigerator and was not sure what to do with it.

        Ritu

        1. dassana amit

          thanks ritu for the positive feedback on stuffed capsicum and sharing your inputs. do try the mawa cake recipe, its nice. i will also be posting today khoya matar makhana recipe. its a rich gravy dish from north india.

  47. sheetal

    Hello Dassana Ji,
    I m a big fan of your recipes. I found your site when I was looking for a way to make samosas. I am not much into cooking, but my husband likes to invite friends at dinners etc. So I have become a cook by default and internet has helped me a lot.
    The samosas were a great hit among guests and since then you have become my favouritest reference source.
    Coming to the stuffed capsicum, my mum used to make it when we were kids. She used to make it in a cooker. And we never liked it. May be because it always got cooked too much and potatoes seemed gooey. But the pics here have inspired me enough to try my hands on this recipe. I will try baking method first and see what happens.
    Thanks a lot for such wonderful and easy to understand recipes.

    2. garg

      Hey i am a great fan of ur website…have been following ur blog since so long…i am facing problems in one of ur recipes ie. BIRYANI RICE….it did not come like the picture posted by you…dont know wether i am making any mistakes? can u post step by step pics in the post if possible….it would be a great help….

        1. garg

          The Biryani rice turned out oily and stuck to each other due to the oil. Also the colour and texture did not come as in the pic posted by you.The taste was also not good.Please help….

          1. dassana amit

            firstly did you use the exact tbsp and cup measurements. 2 tbsp ghee or oil for 2 cups of rice, won’t make it oily. with the spices that have gone into the biryani rice, the taste and flavor is aromatic. if you add salt in the right amount, the taste comes through, otherwise the taste will be bland. just like the case with any dish. when you stay stuck, it means the rice has been cooked too much. the grains have to be separate and yet cooked. with practice, you will be able to cook rice perfectly. apart from the rice, i am not sure what has gone wrong. i will try to update this post with step by step, if possible.

  50. Preeti

    I love the idea of frying them in a pan instead of baking. I make these the same way, except that before baking, I add some grated cheese on top.

    I really like your photos. Simple and clean with natural light. No hundreds of food props to distract. The focus is on food – the way I prefer 🙂

    1. dassana amit

      thanks preeti. you are very observant. i shoot photographs in natural light and try to focus on food only and use food props only when they are needed.

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