Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
Ricotta Stuffed Peppers offers a unique twist to the usual stuffed pepper recipe lineup. Jump off the train of beef and rice stuffed peps and take a look at this tasty meal! Creamy ricotta is mixed with Tex-Mex-inspired spices and black beans and baked under salsa and the result is heavenly! This is a quick, healthy dinner bursting with satisfying flavor!
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Why Ricotta Stuffed Peppers Should Be President
Why, oh, why, has this meal been one of my favorites for the last 10 years or so? If you make it, then you’ll know, but since you haven’t made it yet, it is my purpose in life to try and convince you. And if you’re anyone other than my husband and mom reading this then…Hello there, how are you? Let me tell you why Ricotta Stuffed Peppers are awesome and why I have nothing more exciting to talk about other than this and the last hilarious Bluey episode I watched with my 4-year-old.
Anyways…
First, this meal is amazing because it is a healthy meal. The roasted yet slightly crisp peppers, the protein from the beans and the creamy ricotta…all the goods. Ricotta Stuffed Peppers is a great vegetarian meal or a pleasing option for a Meatless Monday (because meat prices are getting out of control).
Secondly, it is a quick meal that doesn’t feel like a throw-together meal. So if you’re always in a rush to make dinner and tired of casseroles and pasta, then this might be your ticket. Besides cooking up some rice as a side, this is a one-pan meal. I often will make it ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for later that day. So this is a good one to prep while the baby is napping and you will still have time for yourself once you’ve finished this!
Usually, you see ricotta in Italian dishes, but we love the texture of creamy ricotta in whatever food we can make sense of using it in. Mixing in spices such as cumin, and chili powder, as well as mixing in some salsa, gives it a completely different taste than we are used to with ricotta and it’s delicious! After roasting, the ricotta turns into a sauce that is delicious over rice!
Ingredients
This is a versatile recipe and a budget-friendly one as well.
- Peppers: I use red bell peppers and I try to get the ones that have four bumps on the bottom so they will stand up all pretty. But, I can’t always find my four-bump peppers and have to settle with the three-bump variety. I like using red bell peppers because of their sweetness and how the flavor mingles with the salsa, but if you think you want to try it with another pepper then let me know how it goes! I will say, the pepper needs to stand upright or else the ricotta will run out everywhere during cooking.
- Salsa: A good red salsa. I used Mateo’s (I get nothing from saying it, it’s just the best. I find it at Walmart or Costco). The salsa roasts over the top of the peppers and all of the juices mingle and make magic. A little salsa in the ricotta adds to the Tex-Mex flavor as well.
- Ricotta: I like using whole milk ricotta but you may use a low-fat ricotta as well.
- Beans: Black beans are called for in the recipe, but again, if you don’t have them or prefer pinto or red kidney beans then go ahead. I won’t track you down and berate you over it.
- Spices: The typical Tex-mex spices that you no doubt already have or should have. Cumin, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, salt. If you want some red pepper flakes for added heat then go ahead. I hate heat.
- Cheese: More cheese? Am I crazy?! Yes, cheese is awesome and there can never be enough cheese in a recipe. Just a sprinkling, however, to brown on top of the peppers near the end of cooking will suffice. You can use cheddar, colby jack, pepper jack or monterey will work.
How to Make Ricotta Stuffed Peppers.
This won’t take long to explain.
First, wash your peppers and cut the tops off and discard the seeds. By cutting the tops, I like to kind of stick the knife down around the stem and cut more of a hole rather than straight across the top. Pour a little bit of salsa in the bottom of the pan for the peppers to sit on while they bake. Then mix your ricotta with the spices, salsa, and drained and rinsed black beans.
Fill your peppers with the ricotta filling and prop the peppers up in the pan. Top with salsa and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Then top with cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and browned to your liking.
Then just enjoy!…After letting it rest for a few minutes. It is definitely a kind of lava ricotta if you try to eat it right away. Make yourself a bed of your favorite rice on a plate and plop a pepper on top. I like to cut the pepper into bite-size pieces and mix everything!
Looking for another meatless meal? You will love my Best Cuban Beans!
Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 Red Bell Peppers Hole cut around stem and seeds removed
- 15 oz Ricotta cheese
- 15 oz Back Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 jar Red Salsa
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Coriander
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 oz Cheese Cheddar, Monterey jack, etc. for topping
Instructions
- Wash peppers and cut a hole around the stem to remove stem. Make the hole large enough to be able to remove the seeds and fill with filling.
- Prepare filling. Drain and rinse black beans and let drain further while you mix ricotta with spices. Add 1/4 cup of the salsa and beans and mix.
- Spead enough salsa on the bottom of the pan to just cover it, it doesn't need to be deep. Fill the peppers with the filling and top with salsa--maybe 1/4 cup on top of each pepper.
- Roast uncovered at 400 for 40 minutes.
- Take the peppers out of the oven and top with shredded cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and browned to your liking.
- Serve peppers over a bed of rice and enjoy!
