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You are here: Home / Diet / Vegetarian / Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Published: July 21, 2021 | Updated: January 10, 2022 | By: Jordan

130.4K shares

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An easy Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Recipe made with spinach and ricotta. This low carb version of my favorite spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe also makes a great meal prep recipe!

This easy vegetarian recipe is a meatless meal the whole family will love. It requires minimal prep time and will be on your dinner table in 30 minutes or less!

Two vegetarian stuffed peppers on a plate

Easy Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Recipe

I love stuffed peppers. I also love stuffed shells. Lately, I’ve been really craving spinach and ricotta stuffed shells but was looking for a low carb alternative. So here it is! Spinach and ricotta stuffed peppers.

This vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe has an Italian flair, less carbs, and more veggies! I’m mixing spinach, ricotta cheese (obviously), red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat, lemon zest for a little tang, among a few other delicious things.

Stuffed peppers in a white pan with tomatoes

It took me a few tries to get this one right because the ingredients in this recipe can expel lots of liquid, which can make everything watery. So, after lots of recipe testing I have finally nailed this one to perfection.

Stuffed Peppers Ingredients

Vegetables and herbs: bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, garlic, spinach, yellow onion, basil, lemon.

I used red bell peppers and orange bell peppers for this recipe, but you can use any color of peppers you like!

Dairy: for this recipe you will need ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. I recommend using full fat ricotta cheese. If you’re looking to make these stuffed peppers vegan, you can substitute for vegan cheese.

Other ingredients: egg, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt.

3 peppers on a marble slab with ricotta on a spoon

How to make stuffed peppers

This took lots of testing in the kitchen to perfect! The flavor was there, but the consistency just wasn’t. So I played around with baking temps and time in order to produce the best results.

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Roast tomatoes and peppers. Add cherry tomatoes, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to a 9 x 11 inch oven safe baking dish. Toss them in the pan to combine. Place peppers in the pan and bake for 10 minutes. If you want more of a charred look and taste, broil them for about 3-4 minutes instead.

3. Sauté spinach. While the tomatoes and peppers are cooking, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté spinach, garlic, and onions until spinach has wilted.

Drain the spinach well (I like to use a fine mesh strainer) and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Sauteed spinach in a pan

4. Make the ricotta filling. Add ricotta, red pepper flakes, egg, basil, and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl with the spinach and mix until fully combined.

5. Stuff the peppers. Remove the peppers from the oven and stuff with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Top each pepper with about half a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.

6. Bake the stuffed peppers. Place the stuffed peppers in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, just until the cheese on top has melted and the peppers are warm all the way through. Don’t bake them too long or they will become watery inside!

Six vegetarian stuffed peppers in a white pan

What to eat with stuffed peppers

You can serve stuffed peppers as a side or as a main dish. I love to serve mine with a side of farro because it’s a protein rich grain. There are six grams of protein in just 1/4 of a cup of farro. Wild rice also makes a delicious side dish.

Stuffed pepper on a plate with farro

If you’re diet is grain free or carb free, you can also eat them as a side dish to your favorite protein like chicken, shrimp, or scallops. Or you can have them as your main dish with a side of broccolini or spaghetti squash!

Vegetarian stuffed peppers pinterest short pin

Healing superfoods

Bell peppers are one of many anti aging superfoods listed in this book. They recommend eating two cups a day but that’s a lot of peppers for me so as long as I get a few servings a week, I feel good!

For this recipe I used red and orange bell peppers, but you can use green peppers, too.

If you’re looking for new ways to incorporate bell peppers into your diet, try this Mushroom Bolognese or these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Lettuce Wraps. All of these recipes work well for meal prepping!

Make stuffed peppers ahead of time

Vegetarian stuffed peppers are perfect for serving at a party! You can prep them ahead of time by completing all the steps except the final 5 minute bake to melt the cheese. I like to serve them on a serving serving tray like this one.

Vegetarian stuffed peppers in a white pan

Recipe Variations

For all my meat lovers, you might be interested in some of these variations:

Ground beef stuffed peppers – ground beef, black beans or pinto beans, brown rice, onion powder, and sour cream.

Taco stuffed peppers – ground chicken or beef, chili powder, garlic cloves, tomato paste, black beans, white rice.

Stuffed pepper meal prep

Stuffed peppers will keep in the fridge for several days, so they make an excellent meal prep option. This recipe yields 4 servings with a total of 8 stuffed peppers. I pack two in each meal prep container to eat for lunch every day.

These are my favorite meal prep containers, I like them so much I have two sets! I also love these meal prep containers because they have 3 compartments to keep everything separate which is great for things like salads, taco bowls, or chili lime pulled chicken bowls.

More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

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  • Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
  • Wild Mushroom Beyond Meat Burgers
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This delicious Tofu Salad is full of shawarma seasoned tofu, crisp lettuce, and flavorful vegetables, topped with a creamy yogurt tahini dressing.
Check out this recipe
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Easy weeknight vegetarian dinners never looked so good! These Roasted Sweet Potato Bowls are easy to make, bold, and vegetarian-friendly!
Check out this recipe
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A must-have Thanksgiving side dish! Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing is flavorful, moist, and the perfect holiday side dish.
Check out this recipe
vegetarian cornbread stuffing with a gold spoon
Buffalo Tofu Bowls
Nutritious, flavorful, and full of protein! These Buffalo Tofu Bowls are incredibly delicious. Crispy tofu, covered in hot buffalo sauce and served bowl style; what more could you ask for?
Check out this recipe
buffalo tofu bowl on a striped napkin

WANT TO TRY THESE VEGETARIAN STUFFED PEPPERS?

PIN IT to your vegetarian recipes, dinner recipes, or stuffed pepper recipes board to save it for later!
Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes. I’m always pinning!

Vegetarian stuffed peppers pinterest long pin

Did you make this recipe? Post a photo on Instagram and tag me @JZEATS or #JZEATS so I can see! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think, too!

Stuffed peppers in a white pan with tomatoes
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4.49 from 27 votes

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

An easy vegetarian stuffed peppers recipe with spinach and ricotta. This low carb version of my favorite spinach and ricotta stuffed shells recipe also makes a great meal prep recipe!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Ricotta, Spinach, Stuffed peppers
Servings: 8 stuffed peppers
Calories: 334kcal
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Author: Jordan

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 4 bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 25 ounces ricotta cheese, drained*
  • 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
  • 1 lemon, zest
  • parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Add cherry tomatoes, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to a 9 x 11 inch oven safe baking dish. Toss them in the pan to combine. Place peppers in the pan and bake for 10 minutes.*
  • While the tomatoes and peppers are cooking, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté spinach, garlic, and onions until spinach has wilted. Drain the spinach well (I like to use a fine mesh strainer) and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  • Add ricotta, red pepper flakes, egg, basil, and lemon zest to the mixing bowl with the spinach and mix until fully combined.
  • Remove the peppers from the oven and stuff with the spinach and ricotta mixture. Top each pepper with about half a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.
  • Place the stuffed peppers in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, just until the cheese on top has melted and the peppers are warm all the way through. Don't bake them too long or they will become watery inside!

Video

Notes

  • To drain the ricotta, line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth and push out any excess liquid.*
  • If you want more of a charred look and taste, broil the tomatoes and peppers for about 3-4 minutes before stuffing them instead of baking for 10 minutes.
Helpful Items For This Recipe:
  • Enameled baking dish
  • Meal prep containers with 2 compartments
  • Mesh sieve

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2665IU | Vitamin C: 8.5mg | Calcium: 391mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Tried this recipe?I’d love to see your dish, mention @jzeats or tag #jzeats!
130.4K shares

Published: July 21, 2021 Filed Under: Meal Prep That Doesn't Suck, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged With: meal prep, peppers, stuffed peppers

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. V

    May 19, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Oh my, these look so delicious. I want them for dinner tonight!

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      May 19, 2019 at 10:00 pm

      Let me know if you make them!

      Reply
  2. Barbara Gambert

    May 20, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    These look so good! I love stuffed peppers and can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  3. Alexandra

    June 10, 2019 at 11:41 pm

    I love this recipe 🙂 It is such a delicious meal in itself, or perfect with a side salad!

    Reply
    • Esther

      June 27, 2020 at 2:15 pm

      Question……ingredients says 4 peppers, video shows 3. Which is it, please?

      Reply
      • JZ Eats

        June 27, 2020 at 6:41 pm

        Follow the recipe in the post, the video looked better with less peppers 😉

  4. Natalie

    June 11, 2019 at 12:16 am

    Looks so delicious and balanced! Perfect for a healthy dinner or brunch!

    Reply
  5. Shanika @ Orchids + Sweet Tea

    June 11, 2019 at 12:34 am

    I love Stuffed Peppers, but I love that you’ve used Spinach and Ricotta which looks so creamy and delish!

    Reply
  6. ThermoKitchen

    June 11, 2019 at 12:41 am

    What a perfectly delicious recipe and so healthy too.
    Thanks for sharing
    Julie

    Reply
  7. Sally

    June 11, 2019 at 12:45 am

    So colorful and delicious looking! Looks perfect to serve for summer gatherings!

    Reply
  8. Bren

    January 29, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    Looks delish. Is the egg necessary?

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      January 29, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      Thank you! The egg acts as a binding agent and I haven’t made them without it, however, you could probably replace them with arrowroot powder – a mixture of 1 tablespoon arrowroot, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 cup water for each egg. You can also try adding about 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to the ricotta mixture.

      Reply
  9. Cindy

    January 30, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    I am making this recipe right now! It is in the oven, and I cannot wait to try it!

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      January 30, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      Yay! I can’t wait to hear how they turned out 🙂

      Reply
  10. MM

    April 6, 2020 at 5:22 pm

    5 stars
    I made these and they were sooooo good! I was a bit apprehensive about the egg, especially because the peppers only baked for ~5 minutes in the oven with the filling in it. Everything tasted great though! I will definitely be making these again 🙂

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      April 6, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      I’m so glad to hear you loved it! As long as the inside heats to about 140F, the eggs are safe 🙂

      Reply
  11. Di

    May 15, 2020 at 8:57 am

    Absolutely perfect for adding to my collection of new late spring / summer recipes to try out (if we ever exit lockdown in the UK!). Thank you so much!!

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      May 15, 2020 at 12:47 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  12. Alyse

    May 26, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    5 stars
    What is the serving size?

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      May 27, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      The recipe makes 8 peppers, and the nutrition facts are based on 1 stuffed pepper. Please keep in mind that the nutrition facts are approximate.

      Reply
      • Nikki

        July 20, 2022 at 1:24 am

        Hello!! I just wanted some clarification on this. When you say one pepper, do you mean one full pepper (as in 2 halves) or 1 of the stuffed peppers (1/2 pepper)?? Thanks!

      • JZ Eats

        September 13, 2022 at 9:46 am

        Hi! You will need 4 peppers, sliced in half to make 8 stuffed peppers.

  13. Bev

    November 10, 2020 at 5:47 am

    4 stars
    Even with the garlic, chilli, plenty of seasoning they were lacking some flavor. Overall, they were pretty good and I would make them again but maybe with ground chicken too.

    Reply
  14. Chenée Lewis

    December 14, 2020 at 2:36 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! I love the addition of the lemon zest — it makes it so bright and flavorful!

    Reply
  15. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

    December 14, 2020 at 3:19 am

    5 stars
    Stuffed peppers are so good and the ricotta spinach combo makes this a great comfort food.

    Reply
  16. Jacqueline Meldrum

    December 14, 2020 at 4:09 am

    5 stars
    It’s the beautiful colours that catch the eye first. These look absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  17. Charla

    December 14, 2020 at 4:21 am

    5 stars
    I always stuff my peppers with lentils and quinoa, so looking forward to trying your recipe.

    Reply
  18. Adrianne

    December 14, 2020 at 4:56 am

    5 stars
    I love stuffed peppers too and yours are cheesy delicious!! Can’t wait to give this a go, it looks so healthy!!

    Reply
  19. Maria

    August 31, 2021 at 1:08 am

    5 stars
    I don’t usually eat peppers but I want to try this!

    Reply
  20. Megan Ellam

    August 31, 2021 at 2:15 am

    5 stars
    Such a deliciously simple and tasty vegetarian dish. I like to make ahead for the week. Thanks for such a great recipe.

    Reply
  21. Anjali

    August 31, 2021 at 2:35 am

    5 stars
    I love stuffed peppers recipes of all kinds – it makes such an easy dinner! Usually I stuff them with Mexican inspired ingredients, so I loved your twist on this recipe! The spinach + ricotta added such a nice creaminess – kind of reminded me of lasagna but in a pepper! 🙂

    Reply
  22. Dannii

    August 31, 2021 at 2:47 am

    5 stars
    What a great protein packed dish. So many ways to adapt it too.

    Reply
  23. Jessica

    December 14, 2021 at 8:15 pm

    2 stars
    Very bland even with hot sauce.

    Reply
  24. Gary B.

    January 11, 2022 at 1:15 pm

    3 stars
    Actually turned out good

    Reply
  25. Shannon

    May 3, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    Are the cherry tomatoes used just as a side or diced and mixed in with the cheese and spinach mixture?

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      May 3, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      Hi! They’re more of a side to the stuffed peppers. I wouldn’t recommend mixing them in because they will make the stuffed peppers watery, you could mix in sun dried tomatoes though.

      Reply
  26. PegW

    August 17, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    2 stars
    Disappointed. The peppers were still hard after 25 minutes of roasting and the ricotta filling was too bland. With 15oz container of ricotta at $7, this was an expensive mistake.

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      September 13, 2022 at 9:32 am

      The peppers should still have some crunch to them/shouldn’t be completely mushy.

      Reply
  27. Dani

    August 23, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    3 stars
    I found this recipe to be a bit bland like others mentioned. It’s also too easy to get a watery ricotta mixture in this recipe, which isn’t very good.

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      September 13, 2022 at 9:21 am

      Hi Dani – sorry to hear you felt that way, I did note in the ingredient list that the ricotta should be drained before using. This helps eliminate the excess liquid when cooking.

      Reply
  28. Sean

    September 17, 2022 at 7:49 am

    5 stars
    Me and my GF love this! We’ve made it at least 10 times in the past month. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • JZ Eats

      September 19, 2022 at 8:28 pm

      WOW! That makes me so happy 🙂

      Reply

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about meI’m that girl behind the camera and the creator of all the delicious recipes on this website. I’m a Baltimore food blogger who enjoys nothing more than food!
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