Description
Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are a delicious and comforting vegetarian dish featuring bell peppers filled with a flavorful mixture of ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, and fresh herbs, topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers
- 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 dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fennel seed, roughly smashed
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 large eggs
Topping
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp oil
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Peppers: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs. Place peppers cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush all over with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Drain any water from peppers and reduce oven temperature to 350°F (176°C).
- Wilt Spinach and Mix Filling: Microwave spinach for 15 to 30 seconds until wilted. Roughly chop the spinach and combine in a large bowl with ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, sliced green onions, chopped basil, chopped parsley, dried rosemary, dried thyme, smashed fennel seed, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
- Stuff Peppers: Evenly fill each pepper half with the ricotta and herb mixture, distributing the filling uniformly among the peppers.
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle this breadcrumb mixture evenly over the tops of the stuffed peppers to create a crispy crust.
- Bake and Brown: Return stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F (176°C). If the topping isn’t golden brown after baking, turn on the broiler and watch closely for 1 to 2 minutes until the tops are browned to your liking. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
- For added protein, consider mixing in crispy tofu or chickpeas into the filling.
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs can be used as a substitute without affecting the recipe quality.
- If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess moisture before mixing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed pepper half
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
