Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you’re eating something fancy, but they’re honestly SO easy to make! Think roasted bell peppers filled with creamy ricotta, three kinds of cheese, fresh herbs, and topped with golden, crispy breadcrumbs.
Love More Recipes? Try My Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach and Cheese or this Garlic Parmesan Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Spinach next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are a light yet flavorful twist on a classic comfort dish. Sweet bell peppers are filled with a creamy ricotta mixture, herbs, and melted cheese, then baked to perfection. They’re easy to make, beautifully colorful, and perfect for a wholesome dinner or impressive side dish.
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Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 stuffed pepper halves
Description
Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are a simple yet impressive vegetarian dinner featuring roasted bell peppers filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, fresh spinach, and aromatic herbs including basil, parsley, and fennel seeds. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs and baked until golden, these stuffed peppers are perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Peppers:
- 4 bell peppers, any color
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 mL)
For the 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 teaspoon each: dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seed, and salt (roughly smash fennel seeds to release flavor)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
For the Topping:
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
Turn your oven to 400°F. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, right through the stem if you can. Pull out all the seeds and white ribs.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set the pepper halves cut-side up. Brush them everywhere with olive oil – inside, outside, all of it. This helps them roast properly and taste better.
Bake for 20 minutes until they start getting soft. They’ll release water, which is exactly what you want. When you pull them out, tip each pepper to drain that water into the sink. Then turn your oven down to 350°F.
While the peppers bake, toss your spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and zap it for 15-30 seconds until it wilts. Give it a rough chop.
Dump the spinach into a large bowl with your ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, smashed fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix everything really well with a big spoon. You want it all combined so every bite tastes the same.
Divide your filling between the 8 pepper halves. Really pack it in there and mound it up a bit in the middle. Use all of it.
Mix your breadcrumbs with a tablespoon of oil in a small bowl until they’re coated. Sprinkle this over all the peppers evenly. This is what makes them golden and crispy on top.
Put the peppers back in the oven for 30 minutes. Check if the tops are golden brown. If not, flip on the broiler and watch them like a hawk. They’ll brown in 1-2 minutes and can burn fast, so don’t walk away.
Let them cool for a minute or two before serving.
Notes
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheet. The peppers will release moisture and cheese might bubble over—parchment makes cleanup a breeze.
- Squeeze your spinach! If using frozen spinach, you need to squeeze it like you’re mad at it. Excess water will make your filling runny.
- Room temperature ingredients mix better. Take your ricotta and eggs out of the fridge 15 minutes before starting.
- Make the filling the night before and store it covered in the fridge. Then all you have to do is prep and stuff the peppers the next day!
- Save your pepper tops! Chop them up and freeze for future soups, stir-fries, or omelets.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Not draining the peppers after pre-baking (leads to watery filling)
- Overfilling the peppers (the filling will overflow)
- Forgetting to reduce oven temp after pre-baking (burns the tops)
- Not watching closely when broiling (hello, charcoal!)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes (20 min pre-bake + 30 min final bake)
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredient List
For the Peppers:
- 4 bell peppers, any color
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 mL)
For the 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 teaspoon each: dried rosemary, dried thyme, fennel seed, and salt (roughly smash fennel seeds to release flavor)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
For the Topping:
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon oil
Substitution Notes:
- Bell peppers: Grab whatever color looks good at the store. I mix colors for a prettier dish.
- Ricotta: Cottage cheese works if you drain it really well first.
- Spinach: Frozen is fine! Just squeeze out ALL the water or you’ll have soup.
- Breadcrumbs: Gluten-free ones work great.
- Herbs: Fresh tastes way better but dried will do in a pinch.
Why These Ingredients Work
The ricotta makes everything creamy without being heavy like cream cheese would be. It’s mild enough to let all the herbs shine through.
Mozzarella gives you those cheese pulls when you cut into the peppers. Parmesan adds the salty, nutty bite. Together they’re magic.
Those eggs bind everything together so you get neat slices instead of ricotta falling all over your plate. Don’t skip them.
Fennel seeds are the secret. Smash them up first to release the oils, and they’ll give you this subtle Italian sausage flavor that makes people go “wait, is there meat in this?”
Pre-baking the peppers isn’t just busywork. They release a ton of water when they roast, and you want that OUT before you add the filling. Otherwise everything gets watery and sad.
The breadcrumb topping adds crunch. Creamy filling needs something crispy on top or the whole thing is one-note.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper (saves your sanity during cleanup)
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl for breadcrumbs
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Spoon for stuffing
How To Make Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
Step 1: Prep the Peppers
Turn your oven to 400°F. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, right through the stem if you can. Pull out all the seeds and white ribs.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set the pepper halves cut-side up. Brush them everywhere with olive oil – inside, outside, all of it. This helps them roast properly and taste better.
Bake for 20 minutes until they start getting soft. They’ll release water, which is exactly what you want. When you pull them out, tip each pepper to drain that water into the sink. Then turn your oven down to 350°F.
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
While the peppers bake, toss your spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and zap it for 15-30 seconds until it wilts. Give it a rough chop.
Dump the spinach into a large bowl with your ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, smashed fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix everything really well with a big spoon. You want it all combined so every bite tastes the same.
Step 3: Stuff the Peppers
Divide your filling between the 8 pepper halves. Really pack it in there and mound it up a bit in the middle. Use all of it.
Step 4: Add Topping
Mix your breadcrumbs with a tablespoon of oil in a small bowl until they’re coated. Sprinkle this over all the peppers evenly. This is what makes them golden and crispy on top.
Step 5: Bake
Put the peppers back in the oven for 30 minutes. Check if the tops are golden brown. If not, flip on the broiler and watch them like a hawk. They’ll brown in 1-2 minutes and can burn fast, so don’t walk away.
Let them cool for a minute or two before serving.
You Must Know
Pre-baking the peppers is non-negotiable. I tried skipping it once and ended up with watery, soggy filling. The peppers need to release their moisture first.
Don’t leave out the eggs. They make the filling set up properly instead of staying loose and falling apart when you try to serve it.
Smash those fennel seeds before adding them. Just whack them with a mug or the bottom of a pan on your cutting board. It releases the oils and makes them actually taste like something.
Personal Secret: Right after I stuff the peppers but before adding the breadcrumbs, I drizzle about ½ teaspoon of honey total across all of them. Just tiny drops. It adds this subtle sweetness that plays off the fennel and herbs in the best way.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
Use parchment paper or you’ll be scrubbing baked cheese off your pan for days.
If you’re using frozen spinach, squeeze it hard. Like really squeeze it. Excess water ruins the filling texture.
Let your ricotta and eggs sit out for 15 minutes before mixing. Room temperature ingredients combine better.
You can make the filling the night before and just stuff the peppers when you’re ready to cook.
Save those pepper tops and stems. Chop them up and freeze for soups or scrambled eggs later.
Don’t Do This:
- Skip draining the peppers after pre-baking (you’ll have pepper soup)
- Overfill them (the filling will overflow and burn)
- Forget to lower the oven temp (burnt tops, raw filling)
- Zone out during broiling (hello burnt breadcrumbs)
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Mediterranean: Throw in sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and swap half the mozzarella for feta. Use oregano instead of rosemary.
Spicy: Add red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, or a spoonful of calabrian chili paste to the filling.
Meaty: Mix in cooked ground beef or Italian sausage if you want that lasagna vibe.
More Veggies: Fold in sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, or diced tomatoes.
Protein Boost: Add crispy tofu cubes or roasted chickpeas to keep it vegetarian but more filling.
Extra Hearty: Stir cooked gnocchi into the filling. It’s like eating stuffed pasta shells.
Make-Ahead Options
The filling keeps in the fridge for 24 hours. Just let it come to room temp for 15 minutes before stuffing.
You can stuff the peppers up to 6 hours ahead, cover them, and refrigerate. Add 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time since they’re cold.
For freezing, stuff them but don’t bake them. Wrap each one in plastic wrap, then freeze in a bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F for 50-60 minutes (cover with foil for the first half).
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Fennel seeds make this recipe. They’re what gives it that Italian restaurant flavor.
If your filling seems thick, add a splash of milk. Too thin? Mix in more breadcrumbs.
Whole milk ricotta works best. Part-skim can be watery.
Season the filling well. The peppers are mild so the filling needs to be flavorful.
Leftovers are honestly better the next day after everything melds together.
Serving Suggestions
These are a full meal on their own, but I usually add:
- Simple green salad with lemon dressing
- Garlic bread for soaking up any cheese that leaks out
- Roasted veggies like zucchini or cherry tomatoes
- Light tomato sauce on the plate underneath (fancy!)
- White wine like Pinot Grigio
I throw fresh basil on top right before serving and maybe extra parmesan. If I’m feeling fancy, I put them on a bed of arugula.
Make it Pretty:
- Fresh basil ribbons
- Balsamic glaze drizzle
- More grated parmesan
- Red pepper flakes if you like heat
- Lemon zest for brightness
These Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are my go-to when I want dinner to feel special without the stress. They’re vegetarian comfort food that actually satisfies, and the leftovers reheat beautifully.
How to Store Your Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I separate the pepper halves so they don’t stick together.
Freezer: These freeze perfectly. Let them cool completely, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and freeze in a container for up to 3 months.
Reheating:
- From fridge: Microwave 2-3 minutes or reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
- From frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge first, then reheat. Or bake from frozen at 350°F covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 more.
They taste even better the next day. The flavors really come together overnight.
Allergy Information
Contains:
- Dairy (ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan)
- Eggs
- Gluten (breadcrumbs)
Swaps:
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free ricotta (Kite Hill is good), vegan mozzarella, and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan. Swap eggs for flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes).
- Gluten-Free: Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Everything else is already gluten-free.
- Egg-Free: Flax eggs work but the filling won’t be as firm. Add an extra ¼ cup breadcrumbs to help it hold together.
- Nut-Free: Already nut-free!
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
My peppers are still crunchy after the full baking time. What should I do?
Some peppers have thicker walls than others. Just keep baking and check every 5 minutes. Cover with foil if the filling is browning too much while the peppers finish softening.
The filling seems really thick. Is that normal?
Yep! It should be thick like paste. The spinach and peppers will release moisture during baking and loosen it up. If you make it loose from the start, it’ll be runny when done.
Do I have to use fresh herbs, or will dried work?
Fresh basil really makes a difference here, especially since there’s so much of it. But in a pinch, use about 1 tablespoon dried basil and 1 teaspoon dried parsley. It won’t be as bright and fresh-tasting but still good.
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me how your peppers turned out and if you tried any fun variations!
