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These herby ricotta stuffed peppers taste straight out of Tuscany with fresh herbs, creamy ricotta, and sharp parmesan. Ready in under an hour (with minimal hands-on time), they’re a simple side dish that packs a punch of flavor.
save this recipe!For someone who loves Italy and Italian food, the need to have good Italian recipes on Live Eat Learn is strong!
We have Bruschetta Pizza and Classic Panzanella among some of the most popular ones, but these herby stuffed ricotta peppers may take the cake as my personal favorite.
Reader rating
“This was so good and simple to make. I followed the recipe exactly. Definitely will be making this dish again” —Krista
You’ll have these on repeat
- Flavor, flavor, flavor. With 3 kinds of cheese and so many herbs, these just have so much flavor and I want to scream it from the rooftop!
- Toasty and crunchy yet creamy thanks to being topped with breadcrumbs that are toasted to perfection.
- Quick and pretty which is ideal if you are feeding guests. The stuffed peppers only take 35 minutes but people will be oohing and awing over them!
recipe testing notes
Through testing this recipe many times, I’ve learned a few things. Here’s what you need to know:
- Pre-baking the peppers helps to release excess moisture from the peppers thus preventing the filling from getting soggy.
- Adding an egg to the filling ensures the cheese mixture thickens enough so while its not *necessary* taste wise, it is for texture.
- Topping with breadcrumbs makes all the difference because it adds that contrast of textures we are all after in the perfect bite!
Pairing ideas
- Enjoy them with Creamy Gnocchi Soup to have a complete meal.
- Make a Summer Veggie Salad to complement these cheesy peppers.
P.S. Try my unstuffed pepper casserole next! It’s a fuss-free Tex Mex take on stuffed peppers.
Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
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 smash the fennel seeds to release their flavor
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 large eggs
Topping
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp oil
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Cut 4 bell peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and ribs. Set peppers cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush all over with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they begin to soften. When finished, drain the water out of each pepper and reduce oven temperature to 350°F (176°C).
- Mix: Meanwhile, microwave 4 cups fresh spinach for 15 to 30 seconds, or until wilted down. Roughly chop, then combine it in a large bowl with all remaining Filling ingredients.
- Stuff: Fill peppers evenly with the ricotta mixture.
- Topping: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup breadcrumbs and 1 Tbsp oil. Sprinkle this evenly over the peppers.
- Bake: Return peppers to oven and bake for 30 minutes. If the tops aren't golden brown at this point, turn on the broiler and let them brown, watching closely until they're done (it won't take more than a minute or two!)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Made these last week and they are delicious!
Yay! So happy to hear, Katie! Frances Mayes is an Italian food genius 😀
Very delicious food and easy to make. I will learn to make this dish. nutritious food.
Can these be (mostly) prepped a day ahead? I was thinking stuff the tomatoes, cover and refrigerate, then add the bread crumbs and fennel flowers right before backing; would that work?
I haven’t actually tried this so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work. Would love to hear how it goes if you give it a try! 😀
This was so good and simple to make. I followed the recipe exactly. Definitely will be making this dish again
If only ever come across stuffed pepper recipes with a grain these with the ricotta cheese were absolutely amazing and so different and a recipe that I will use often
I made this last night! They were so good! They were our main course!
We love to see veggies as the main course! So happy you loved it Melinda!
It’s such a visually appealing recipe! I personally liked it best with a green pepper. The stuffing holds itself well, so it’s not a problem if half-peppers are on the shallow side.
Looks delicious!!!
Having been a chef for decades I must confess I’ve tended to be (on a personal level) a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Love Italian cooking the most by far. I do the vast majority of the cooking but my wife showed me this recipe and suggested we try it. Fantastic!!! Will be making this again and again.
So happy to hear it, Hal! 😀
They were just lovely, will certainly make these again and share the recipe.
Thank you