Herb Ricotta Stuffed Peppers, Baked
Halved red bell peppers filled with a fresh herb and ricotta mixture, topped with fennel-breadcrumb crust, and roasted until tender. Aromatics include basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, and thyme blended into creamy ricotta with eggs and Parmesan. Optional charring on open flame adds subtle smokiness.
Ingredients
- 5 red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup scallion, finely sliced
- ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 handful Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon fennel flower
- 2 tablespoon breadcrumbs
Instructions
- 1
Finely slice scallion.
- 2
Wash, pick, and finely chop basil.
- 3
Wash, pick, and finely chop parsley.
- 4
Wash, pick, and finely chop mint.
- 5
Wash, pick, and finely chop rosemary.
- 6
Wash, pick, and finely chop thyme.
- 7
Grate Parmesan cheese.
- 8
For smokier flavor, char red bell peppers on grill or open-flame stovetop, then cool and peel off blackened skin. Skip if no flame access.
- 9
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- 10
Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds and ribs.
- 11
Brush peppers all over with olive oil and place on greaseproof-lined roasting tray.
- 12
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, basil, scallion, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- 13
Beat in eggs and Parmesan cheese.
- 14
Fill pepper halves with ricotta mixture.
- 15
Mix fennel flower and breadcrumbs together, crumble over tops of peppers.
- 16
Bake for 30 minutes.
- 17
Serve.
Tips
Charring peppers on open flame or grill before stuffing deepens flavor; optional but recommended if equipment available.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350 F for 10-15 minutes.
Prepare filling and stuff peppers up to 8 hours ahead; refrigerate covered. Bake just before serving.
Serve warm as a main course or side dish, optionally with a fresh green salad or crusty bread.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip removing pepper seeds and ribs to avoid watery, bitter filling.
Do not overfill pepper halves to avoid mixture overflowing during baking.
Do not chop herbs too coarsely to avoid large, fibrous pieces in filling.