Ricotta Stuffed Sweet Peppers (Printer-friendly)

Sweet bell peppers filled with creamy ricotta, fresh herbs, and Parmesan baked to tender perfection.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Cheese & Dairy

03 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 1 large egg

→ Aromatics & Herbs

07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Seasonings

12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Optional Topping

15 - 1/4 cup additional grated Parmesan

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Place them cut side up in a lightly oiled baking dish.
03 - Drizzle the peppers with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix until smooth.
05 - Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly into each pepper half, mounding slightly.
06 - Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the stuffed peppers. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan if desired.
07 - Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until peppers are tender and tops are golden.
09 - Garnish with fresh basil before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filling stays impossibly creamy while the peppers turn meltingly tender
  • It's the kind of vegetarian dinner that makes everyone forget there's no meat
  • Lemon zest brightens everything up so nothing feels heavy
02 -
  • Don't skip covering the dish with foil for the first 25 minutes or the peppers will char before they're fully tender
  • The filling might look slightly loose going in, but the egg will set it perfectly during baking
  • If your peppers wobble in the dish, crumple small pieces of foil around the bases to steady them
03 -
  • Look for peppers with flat bottoms so they sit steady in the baking dish
  • Room temperature ricotta mixes more smoothly than cold from the fridge
  • If the peppers seem large, you might need an extra half cup of ricotta to fill them properly

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