Ricotta Stuffed Bell Peppers (Printable)
Roasted bell peppers filled with creamy herbed ricotta and sautéed spinach for a vibrant vegetarian meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and seeded
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
→ Cheese Mixture
05 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 tbsp dried basil)
09 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
10 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Topping
12 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush a large baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and membranes. Arrange the pepper halves cut-side up in the prepared baking dish.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Fold in the cooled spinach mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Spoon the ricotta filling evenly into each pepper half. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each stuffed pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
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, until the cheese is bubbly and golden on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The filling comes together in one bowl with no fancy techniques, just a fork and five minutes of stirring.
- They are naturally gluten free and vegetarian, which makes them a safe bet for nearly any dinner guest.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day and taste even better when the flavors have had time to mingle.
02 -
- Do not skip the foil cover in the first bake or the peppers will stay crunchy and the filling will dry out before everything cooks through.
- Let the spinach mixture cool before adding it to the ricotta or the egg will start to cook and you will get streaky bits in the filling.
03 -
- Choose peppers with flat bottoms so they sit upright in the baking dish without tipping over and spilling their filling.
- Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh strainer for 15 minutes before mixing if it seems watery, because excess moisture makes the filling soupy.