Crispy Fried Bulgarian Cheese-Stuffed Peppers
Roasted bell peppers stuffed with crumbly feta and yellow cheese, then triple-coated in egg and breadcrumbs for a golden crispy exterior. This traditional Bulgarian chushki burek balances savory cheese filling with fresh herbs and a cooling yogurt-garlic sauce. Serve hot as an appetizer, side dish, or light main course. The combination of roasted pepper sweetness and fried cheese richness with bright dill yogurt creates an authentic Balkan flavor profile that works for family dinners, entertaining, or mezze spreads.
Ingredients
- 8 bell peppers, red or green
- 4 ½ cups feta cheese, white, from cow or sheep
- 1 cups yellow cheesekashkaval or provolone1:1Bulgariandairy-free
regional variant
- 5 eggs
- 11 oz breadcrumbs
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed with salt
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon thyme, dried
- 2 teaspoons parsley, dried
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, powder
- 11 tbsp oil, vegetable or olive
- 2 cups yogurt, Bulgarian or sour plain
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons dill, dried
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- baking powder, pinch, for egg coating(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Char peppers over flame or in a dry pan until skin blackens completely, turning occasionally. Transfer to a plastic bag to steam for 5 minutes, then peel away skin carefully.
- 2
Remove stems and seeds from peppers, keeping flesh intact.
- 3
Grate feta and yellow cheese together. Grate tomato. Combine cheeses and tomato, adding feta water if mixture is too dry.
- 4
Beat 1 egg and fold into cheese mixture. Add thyme, parsley, black pepper, and garlic. Stuff each pepper generously.
- 5
Whisk remaining 4 eggs with salt and baking powder in one bowl. Place breadcrumbs in another bowl.
- 6
Heat oil to 350°F in a large pan.
- 7
Coat each stuffed pepper in egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg again. Fry until golden brown on all sides.
- 8
Mix yogurt with 2 smashed garlic cloves, salt, dill, olive oil, and vinegar. Refrigerate sauce until serving.
- 9
Serve peppers hot with cold yogurt sauce on the side.
Tips
Char peppers until completely blackened, not just browned, for easier peeling and better flavor.
Keep oil between 175-185 degrees Celsius to prevent burning outside while cooking filling through.
Prepare sauce ahead and chill completely for maximum flavor contrast against hot peppers.
Good to Know
Refrigerate fried peppers in airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in 160 degree Celsius oven for 10-12 minutes. Sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated.
Stuff peppers up to 1 day ahead. Bread and fry 2-3 hours before serving, then reheat briefly before plating.
Serve immediately while still hot, with chilled yogurt sauce drizzled over or on the side. Accompany with fresh bread and Bulgarian salad.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip the pepper steaming step to avoid shredding flesh during peeling
Don't fry at temperatures below 175 degrees Celsius to avoid grease absorption
Don't add warm sauce to peppers to prevent softening the fried coating
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
regional variant
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I bake these instead of deep frying?
Yes, brush coated peppers with oil and bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes until golden, turning halfway. Results differ: less crispy exterior but easier, healthier preparation. Deep frying is traditional.
What if my cheese mixture is too dry or too wet?
Add feta brine or water gradually by tablespoons if too dry. If too wet from tomato, strain grated tomato before mixing or use less. Mixture should hold together but remain crumbly, not paste-like.
Can I freeze cooked peppers and sauce?
Freeze cooked peppers up to 2 months in airtight container; sauce keeps 1 month. Thaw peppers overnight in fridge, reheat in 160 degree Celsius oven 15 minutes. Sauce thaws in fridge; stir before serving.