Description
Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are a delightful and flavorful vegetarian dish featuring bell peppers filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, fresh spinach, herbs, and cheeses, topped with crispy breadcrumbs. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a wholesome dinner or lunch and combines comforting textures with vibrant herbal notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pepper
- 4 bell peppers, any color
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
Filling
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 15-oz tub ricotta cheese, 425 g
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan, 56 g
- ½ cup sliced green onions, about 4 green onions
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 handful chopped flat-leaf parsley, aka Italian parsley
- 1 tsp each dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seed, and salt (roughly smashed fennel seeds)
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 large eggs
Topping
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp oil
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs. Place the peppers cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush all over with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes until they start to soften. After baking, drain any water that has accumulated inside each pepper. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (176°C).
- Mix: While the peppers are baking, microwave the fresh spinach for 15 to 30 seconds until wilted. Roughly chop the spinach and combine it in a large bowl with ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, sliced green onions, chopped fresh basil, chopped flat-leaf parsley, dried rosemary, dried thyme, smashed fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix thoroughly to combine the filling.
- Stuff: Evenly fill each half of the bell peppers with the ricotta and herb mixture, pressing gently to fill them well.
- Topping: In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle this breadcrumb mixture evenly over the stuffed peppers to create a crispy topping.
- Bake: Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake at 350°F (176°C) for 30 minutes. If the tops have not turned golden brown after baking, switch the oven to broil and carefully broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned, watching closely to prevent burning.
Notes
- Storage: Best enjoyed the same day, but leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
- Additional Protein: Add crispy tofu or chickpeas to the filling mixture for extra protein.
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute regular breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs without affecting the recipe.
- Using Frozen Spinach: If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess moisture before adding to the filling mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper half
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
