Are you looking for healthier recipes that your family will love? Look no further, these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers are a dream to make and eat! You take the flavor components of a traditional lasagna and pack them into halved bell peppers to create a new family favorite!
This is such an easy recipe to make and even picky eaters will enjoy it. Who doesn’t love sauteed meat mixed with ricotta and Parmesan cheese? It even sneaks in some spinach but your kids and guests will never notice because they will be too busy scarfing it down.
Assembly and baking the stuffed bell peppers
While green bell peppers may be the most common variety, I like to use the milder red, orange, and yellow peppers for bright pops of color. Which are your favorites?
Today’s recipe is from The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen cookbook by Carolyn Ketchum. Carolyn is the remarkably talented voice and personality behind the massively popular food blog, All Day I Dream About Food. This book is packed with over 150 delectable recipes and stunning photographs that Carolyn took herself. Such a multi-talented woman!
Hot from the oven!
Many of Carolyn’s recipes are both gluten free and low carb, making them great options for many people. Even if you don’t follow the ketogenic diet, these are recipes that will tantalize you and the book is a welcome reference when you are cooking for those on low-carb and gluten-free diets. No need to stress, just pull out this book and enjoy making something delicious and new!
The recipes are delightful that you could serve them to everyone and they would never know that they were eating a low carb meal. The Artist and I inhaled our stuffed peppers, fully satisfied and delighted at the combination of flavors. It definitely tastes like lasagna and the still slightly firm peppers were a lovely bonus. The slightly crunchy texture was a welcome contrast to the creamy cheese and meat filling.
If you want to convert this to vegetarian, replace the ground beef with chopped mushrooms and add some aromatics then drain and mix them into the ricotta cheese filling.
This recipe considers one half pepper to be one serving. If you have big eaters coming to the table, you may want to plan on two halves for them or increase your side dishes.
Have fun making this new take on the traditional lasagna, one that is naturally gluten-free and totally delicious! I hope you and your family will love these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers just like we did! And pick up a copy of Carolyn’s cookbook, The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen to get all of her amazing recipes!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Lasagna Stuffed Peppers:
- Ground beef or pork, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, frozen spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, large bell peppers, tomato paste, water, garlic powder, mozzarella, basil
PRO Tip:
Leaving the stem ends as intact as possible helps contain the filling and adds support to the peppers.
How to make Lasagna Stuffed Peppers:
- Brown the beef with salt and pepper, breaking up as many clumps as possible. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute.
- Squeeze spinach dry and mix with the ricotta and Parmesan in a large bowl. Add the cooked beef and stir to combine.
- Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, removing the seeds and ribs and keeping the stem as intact as possible. Set the pepper halves into a baking pan and spoon the beef and ricotta mixture into each half, mounding it on top.
- Combine the tomato paste with the water, mixing until smooth. Add the garlic powder and a large pinch of salt. Spoon the sauce over the tops of the cheese-filled peppers. Sprinkle them with the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil the peppers for a couple of minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each pepper with some shredded basil. Serve hot.
PRO Tip:
Try to use fresh basil if you can find it. It tastes so much better than dried basil, they are entirely different flavors.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and keto! Just watch the tomato paste you use – it should be gluten free, but always check the label. Penzey’s and McCormick’s both sell spices and herbs with great labeling practices making is easy to see if there are any gluten ingredients.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Lasagna Stuffed Peppers (GF)
Are you looking for healthier recipes that your family will love? Look no further, these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers are a dream to make and eat! You take the flavor components of a traditional lasagna and pack them into halved bell peppers to create a new family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454g) ground beef or ground pork (not sausage)
- 1-1/4 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 oz (113g) frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 cup (227g) whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 oz (about 1/2 cup;14g) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 large bell peppers, any color
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup (78ml) water
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup (about 4 oz; 113g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup (59ml) chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sprinkle with 3/4 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes, breaking up clumps with a spoon. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
3. Squeeze the spinach to remove the excess moisture. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, and Parmesan. Add the cooked beef and stir to combine.
4. Cut each bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs, keeping the stem end as intact as possible. Set the pepper halves into a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Spoon the beef and ricotta mixture into each pepper half, mounding it on top.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk the tomato paste with the water until smooth. Whisk in the garlic powder and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Spoon the tomato sauce over the peppers. Sprinkle with the mozzarella.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven to broil and broil the peppers 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat for 1 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Serve while hot.
7. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and keto! Just watch the tomato paste you use – it should be gluten free, but always check the label.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Recipe from The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen by Carolyn Ketchum
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 155Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 1306mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 13g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook for review purposes. I was not asked to write a review or compensated to do so. As always, these opinions are my own.
Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in Mar 2018. The article was updated in 2025.
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