Lasagna Stuffed Peppers

I feel like you could stuff a pepper with anything and it would taste good. I’ve done buffalo chicken & quinoa, Philly cheesesteak, and the classic version with ground beef and tomatoes.

I mean, seriously. Can you think of something that wouldn’t taste good stuffed into a pepper? Ice cream, probably. I don’t think ice cream stuffed peppers would be very tasty.

I’m all in when it comes to savory stuffed peppers. I’m open to anything, really. Cheeseburger? Sounds incredible. Caprese chicken? Oh wait, I’ve done that too. I’m all about those Italian flavors.

Speaking of Italian flavors…that’s exactly what I did here. I put all the greatest things about lasagna (um, ricotta, hello!) minus the pasta (boo) and came up with probably my second greatest version ever. Hey, I don’t think anything will ever beat the Philly cheesesteak version. That was the most delicious stuffed pepper I’ve had on this planet.

There’s one thing to remember about stuffed peppers: don’t cook them beforehand. I like my peppers sweet and crispy, and they’ll have plenty of time to cook well in the oven. Most recipes I’ve seen call for bell peppers to be boiled before stuffing them, but I feel like they tend to end up overcooked. Just slapping those babies in the oven pre-stuffed makes them perfectly cooked, in my opinion, but if you like floppy veggies—go ahead and boil them beforehand.

Good, melty cheese is the key here. I mixed together some mozzarella and asiago and got the most delightful blend of cheese in every bite. The ricotta mixture is simple: ricotta, parmesan, dried herbs, and egg. No need for anything more, or anything less. The tomato sauce is really tomatoey, with the mass amounts of tomato paste, sauce and diced tomatoes—but it all tastes great together.

If you’re into exploring different types of stuffed peppers, than this recipe is for you.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add turkey, garlic, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until turkey is no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Drain.

Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Spray a deep baking dish with cooking spray. Add bell pepper halves to dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta, parmesan, remaining basil & oregano, and egg until smooth. Scoop ricotta mixture evenly into pepper halves.

Top ricotta-stuffed peppers with turkey & tomato sauce mixture. You might have some remaining, store and use for other recipes.

Top with mozzarella and asiago. Cover dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes until cheese is melted.