Herby Ricotta Stuffed Peppers (Printable)
Bell peppers filled with creamy ricotta, herbs, and lemon zest, baked until lightly golden.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 large bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), halved and seeded
→ Cheese & Dairy
02 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - 1 large egg
→ Herbs & Aromatics
06 - 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Pantry Staples
11 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Optional Garnish
14 - Extra fresh herbs, for serving
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold all pepper halves.
02 - Arrange bell pepper halves cut side up in the prepared dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, egg, basil, parsley, chives, garlic, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix until smooth and well blended.
04 - Spoon the ricotta mixture evenly into each pepper half, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
05 - Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
06 - Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the filling is set and the tops are lightly golden.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with extra fresh herbs if desired. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The filling comes together in one bowl with no cooking required before baking, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy your evening.
- Lemon zest tucked into the ricotta mixture makes every bite taste brighter without adding any acidity that would curdle the cheese.
02 -
- If you skip the foil covering step the peppers will wrinkle and dry out before the filling has time to cook through, so patience here really matters.
- Draining the ricotta changed everything for me because before that step my peppers always wept watery puddles onto the plate.
03 -
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and white ribs inside the peppers because any leftover rib adds bitterness that no amount of cheese can mask.
- Let the stuffed peppers rest five minutes after baking because the filling continues to set and slices much cleaner when not piping hot.