Description
These Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are a delightful and comforting dish featuring sweet bell peppers filled with a creamy, flavorful ricotta, spinach, and herb mixture, topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust. Perfect as a vegetarian main or a hearty side, they deliver a delicious blend of fresh herbs and cheeses baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers and Oil
- 4 bell peppers (any color)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15 mL)
- 1 Tbsp oil (for breadcrumbs topping)
Filling
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 15-oz tub ricotta cheese (425 g)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (56 g)
- ½ cup sliced green onions (about 4 green onions)
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 handful chopped flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fennel seed (roughly smashed)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut the 4 bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs carefully. Place the peppers cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each pepper generously all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake them for about 20 minutes until they start to soften. Once baked, drain any water collected inside the peppers. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C) to prepare for the stuffing.
- Mix: While the peppers are baking, microwave 4 cups of fresh spinach for 15 to 30 seconds just until wilted. Roughly chop the spinach and transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, sliced green onions, chopped fresh basil, chopped parsley, dried rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix all these ingredients thoroughly until well combined, forming a rich and herby filling.
- Stuff: Evenly spoon the ricotta and herb mixture into each prepared pepper half, filling them generously.
- Topping: In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup of breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of oil until the crumbs are moistened. Sprinkle this breadcrumb mixture evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers to create a crunchy topping.
- Bake: Place the stuffed peppers back in the oven at 350°F (176°C) and bake for 30 minutes, allowing the filling to set and the topping to crisp. If after 30 minutes the breadcrumb topping is not golden brown, turn on the oven’s broiler and carefully broil the peppers for 1-2 minutes until the tops develop a beautiful golden color. Keep a close eye during broiling to prevent burning.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed nuts.
- You can use fresh or frozen spinach; if frozen, thaw and drain excess water before mixing.
- Adjust the combination of herbs according to your preference or what you have on hand.
- These peppers can be made ahead and refrigerated, then baked fresh for serving.
- Use a mix of colored bell peppers for a vibrant presentation—red, yellow, orange, or green all work well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper half
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
Keywords: stuffed peppers, ricotta recipes, vegetarian stuffed peppers, herb stuffed peppers, baked peppers, cheesy stuffed peppers
