Get all the flavours of a hearty pasta dish without all the carbs with this easy Lasagna-stuffed Bell Peppers recipe.
This recipe is extremely easy to prep ahead of time and bake when ready so it comes out all cheesy and hot. If you love lasagna like I do, but your digestion can’t tolerate the noodles, this is a great way to still enjoy it.
You might not know this about me, but I love pasta and could eat it every day. But, since hitting menopause, I have become more insulin resistant and a bowl of pasta heads straight to my waistline. With a recipe like these lasagna-stuffed bell peppers, I still get the feel of a lasagna, but low carb!
Ingredients you will need (plus swaps)
- Bell peppers: Any colour will do. I account for one whole pepper per person
- Ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
- Fresh spinach is best. If using frozen, be sure to squeeze out all the water first
- Egg helps keep the filling together. You will need just one
- Parmesan cheese: I use freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella for best melting
- Tomato or meat sauce. Use jarred or a homemade sauce if you have the time
- Spices: Garlic powder and salt are all we added, but there are more needed if you are making the sauce from scratch
How to make lasagna stuffed bell peppers
For the sauce:
The quick sauce method: Use premade or jarred tomato sauce. This recipe only calls for 3/4 cup of sauce
For the bell peppers:
Preheat the oven to 400F. A typical serving size is one bell pepper (2 halves) per person. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise and cut out the stem and seeds, then discard. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the halved peppers and place them cut side up in a baking dish. Roast them for 20 minutes, then drain the excess water that pooled in the peppers. Set the peppers aside.
For the filling:
In a medium sized bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, garlic powder, chopped spinach, and egg. If your tomato sauce is salted, you might not need additional salt, plus the ricotta is salty. Divide the mixture between the bell pepper halves.
Next, spoon a layer of tomato sauce, or homemade meat sauce, over the cheese filling.
Divide the parmesan cheese across the top of each pepper and bake for 30 minutes. If the cheese is not bubbly and starting to brown, then increase the heat to broil and carefully watch that you don’t burn them! (should only take 3-4 minutes)
Transfer them to a platter with a layer of extra tomato sauce and parmesan cheese for serving
Lasagna-stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers cut in half lengthwise and de-seeded
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or mozzarella or a combination
Instructions
- For the sauce: Use premade or jarred tomato sauce. If you want to make a sauce from scratch, get this meat sauce recipe started
- For the bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise and cut out the stem and seeds, then discard. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the halved peppers and place them cut side up in a baking dish. Roast them for 20 minutes, then drain the excess water that pooled in the peppers. Set the peppers aside.
- For the filling: In a medium sized bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, garlic powder, chopped spinach, and egg. If your tomato sauce is salted, you might not need additional salt, plus the ricotta is salty. Divide the mixture between the bell pepper halves.
- Next, spoon a layer of tomato sauce, or homemade meat sauce, over the cheese filling.
- Divide the parmesan cheese across the top of each pepper and bake for 30 minutes. If the cheese is not bubbly and starting to brown, then increase the heat to broil and carefully watch that you don’t burn them! (should only take 3-4 minutes)
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