Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers (Printable)
Bell peppers filled with herbed ricotta and spinach, baked until tender for a vibrant vegetarian main.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and seeded
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Ricotta Filling
03 - 1½ cups ricotta cheese
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
06 - ¼ 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 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 large egg
→ Topping
14 - ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
02 - Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, spinach, parsley, basil, chives, garlic, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and egg. Stir until smooth and thoroughly blended.
04 - Spoon the ricotta filling evenly into each pepper half, pressing gently to ensure the filling is well distributed.
05 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper, if using.
06 - Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the filling is golden on top.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It is one of those rare vegetarian dishes that actually feels like a main event rather than a sad side dish apology.
- The ricotta filling is endlessly forgiving, so you can swap herbs and add whatever you have lurking in the fridge.
02 -
- Undercooked peppers are rubbery and unpleasant, so if they still feel stiff after the full baking time, give them another 5 minutes covered with foil.
- Wet ricotta is the enemy of good filling, so if yours seems loose, press it through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth for 15 minutes before mixing.
03 -
- Taste the ricotta filling before you stuff the peppers and adjust salt accordingly, because once it is baked, there is no fixing a bland center.
- Use the largest peppers you can find because smaller ones are harder to stuff evenly and leave you with extra filling and not enough vessels.