Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers (Printable)
Bell peppers stuffed with creamy ricotta, spinach and herbs, baked until tender with an optional mozzarella topping.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and seeded
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Ricotta Filling
03 - 1 1/2 cups (375g) ricotta cheese
04 - 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup (25g) fresh spinach, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 large egg
→ Topping
14 - 1/3 cup (35g) shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
02 - Arrange the pepper halves, cut side up, in the baking dish. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, parsley, basil, chives, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
04 - Spoon the ricotta filling evenly into each pepper half, pressing gently to fill.
05 - Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, if using.
06 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is golden.
08 - Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The ricotta filling stays creamy and luxurious inside the pepper, almost like a savory little cloud tucked into a brightly colored bowl.
- It looks like you spent hours, but the hands on work is barely fifteen minutes of chopping and stirring.
02 -
- If you skip draining the ricotta, the filling will weep liquid into the bottom of the pepper and create a watery mess I learned this the hard way on my second attempt.
- Covering with foil for the first half of baking is not optional because uncovered peppers will blister and collapse before the filling cooks through.
03 -
- Roast the pepper halves empty for five minutes before stuffing them to jumpstart the softening process, especially if your peppers are particularly thick walled or stubborn.
- Let the filling come to room temperature before you stuff the peppers because cold filling straight from the fridge extends the baking time and leads to uneven cooking.