Ricotta Stuffed Bell Peppers (Printable version)
Roasted bell peppers filled with herbed ricotta, spinach and melted mozzarella for a satisfying vegetarian dish.
# 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 bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove all seeds. 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 chopped onion and garlic, sautéing until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, basil, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Fold in the cooled spinach mixture until evenly incorporated.
05 - Spoon the ricotta filling evenly among the pepper halves. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over 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 mozzarella is bubbly and golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The ricotta filling stays incredibly creamy inside the pepper, almost like a savory little custard tucked into a edible bowl.
- Everything comes together with one baking dish and a skillet, which means cleanup is mercifully simple for a dish this impressive.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the ricotta on paper towels for ten minutes, because excess moisture will make the filling watery and the peppers will not hold their shape.
- Covering with foil for the first half of baking is the trick to tender peppers without dried out edges, so trust the process even when you are tempted to skip it.
03 -
- Choose peppers with flat bottoms so they sit upright and do not tip over and spill their filling halfway through baking.
- Let the spinach mixture cool completely before mixing it into the ricotta, because hot spinach will start cooking the egg and leave you with a lumpy, curdled filling.