Craving lasagna but trying to cut back on carbs? These keto lasagna stuffed peppers are the perfect solution! They offer all the comforting flavors of lasagna without the noodles, making them a satisfying and guilt-free meal. This recipe is easy to customize, meal-prep friendly, and sure to become a family favorite.
Why You'll Love These Keto Stuffed Peppers
- Lasagna Flavor: Experience the same meaty, cheesy filling as traditional lasagna, but without the carbs.
- One-Dish Meal: Enjoy a complete meal with protein and veggies all in one dish.
- Customizable: Adapt the recipe to your liking by using different ground meats or cheeses.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Assemble the peppers in advance for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Leftovers also heat up well.
- Low-Carb and Gluten-Free: These stuffed peppers bring you all the joy of gooey lasagna without the noodles.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Bell Peppers: A variety of colors (yellow, orange, red, and green) adds visual appeal and flavor. You can use all of one color or any combination you prefer. Medium to large sweet bell peppers work best and any color will do.
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef (or ground turkey) to minimize excess oil.
- Tomato Sauce: Opt for a homemade tomato sauce for the best flavor, or use a lower-carb marinara sauce. A jarred marinara sauce and mix in some cooked ground beef also works. They are also delicious made with Pesto Marinara Sauce.
- Cheeses: A combination of full-fat ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan creates a rich and cheesy filling. Whole milk ricotta cheese is recommended, but cottage cheese also works. Shredded mozzarella is recommended for a classic lasagna flavor.
- Spinach: Frozen spinach is convenient, but fresh spinach can also be used.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic provides the best flavor.
- Other: Olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (optional), onion.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Peppers: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs. Drizzle the peppers with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes to soften them slightly. If you like your peppers extra crunchy, you will still need to pre-bake them before baking with stuffing because you risk them staying on the raw side if you bake them while stuffed. If you want them to be more tender-crisp, pre-bake them for half the time (5 minutes instead of 10).
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook for another minute. Once beef is browned, add onion and garlic, sauteeing for another 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Filling: Squeeze the spinach to remove excess moisture. In a large bowl, combine the drained spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and cooked beef. Mix well. Alternatively, stir spinach into the skillet with the beef mixture.
- Assemble the Peppers: Spread with a layer of ricotta cheese (about 2 tbsp), then finish with more beef mixture. Spoon the beef/ricotta mixture into each pepper half, mounding the tops.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce over the filling in each pepper cup. Spread with a layer of ricotta cheese (about 2 tbsp), then finish with more beef mixture. Top each pepper with 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. Top each pepper with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.
- Bake: Transfer the peppers to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the peppers have softened. I recommend baking these peppers in a glass or ceramic baking pan for this recipe. Metal heats up too quickly and can brown the bottoms of the peppers before they are cooked through.
- Broil (Optional): Turn the oven to broil and broil the peppers 6 inches from the heat until the cheese is lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the tops of the peppers with chopped basil or parsley before serving.
Tips for Perfect Keto Lasagna Stuffed Peppers
- Don't Overbake the Peppers: The trick to preventing soggy peppers lies in the amount of time you bake them before adding the filling. Baking the peppers before stuffing is a technique for partially cooking them, but you don’t want to overbake them. 10 minutes in the oven is enough time to ensure they are tender but not overcooked. You can always bake in 5-minute intervals and test the tenderness as you go before stuffing.
- Use a Glass or Ceramic Baking Dish: Metal pans can cause the bottoms of the peppers to brown too quickly.
- Adjust Servings Easily: There is a nifty feature on my recipe card where you can adjust the servings and it will change the amount of all the ingredients. You can easily cut this recipe in half to make only 4 servings. Just use three quarters of a pound of ground meat and freeze the rest for another time.
- Make it Ahead: Because the ground meat is cooked first, you can prepare these peppers in advance and bake them later. Simply follow the instructions through step 5, then cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
- Get Creative with Fillings: Feel free to add other vegetables to the filling, such as diced zucchini, mushrooms, or onions.
- Try Different Cheeses: Experiment with different types of cheese, such as provolone or Monterey Jack.
Serving Suggestions
These keto lasagna stuffed peppers are a complete meal on their own. However, you can serve them with a side salad or some roasted vegetables for a more substantial meal.
Storing and Reheating
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Place cooled peppers in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Reheat the peppers in the oven at 375°F (190°C) until heated through. You can also microwave them, but the peppers may become slightly softer. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw them in the fridge overnight then uncover and bake them in the oven at 375° F.
Variations
- Slow Cooker: These stuffed peppers work well in crockpots. The preparation of the peppers will be the same, up to the point of baking. They will take about 4 to 5 hours in a slow cooker.
- Instant Pot: These stuffed peppers also work well in Instant Pots. The preparation of the peppers will be the same, up to the point of baking. They will take about 10 to 15 minutes in an Instant Pot.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling for a spicy kick.
- Vegetarian: Substitute the ground beef with cooked lentils or crumbled tofu.
Nutritional Information
This keto stuffed pepper recipe has 7.3g of carbs and 1.9g of fiber per serving. That comes to 5.4g net carbs for each stuffed pepper half. These ricotta stuffed peppers have 296 calories per serving, so they’re a great low-calorie meal option. They also have just 13 grams of carbs per serving - you’re getting all those amazing lasagna flavours without any of the extra calories or carbs. One half may not seem like a lot but it’s filled with 28g of protein!
FAQ
- Should peppers be cooked before stuffing? Yes, you will want to bake peppers before stuffing to soften them up for this lasagna stuffed peppers recipe.
- How do you make sure they’re not soggy? The trick to preventing soggy peppers lies in the amount of time you bake them before adding the filling.
- Can keto stuffed peppers be prepped in advance? Because the ground meat is cooked first, you can prepare these peppers in advance and bake them later.
- Can I make keto stuffed peppers in a slow cooker or Instant Pot? Yes, these stuffed peppers work well in crockpots and Instant Pots.
- How many carbs are in stuffed peppers? This keto stuffed pepper recipe has 5.4g net carbs for each stuffed pepper half.
- Do you have to cook the ground meat before stuffing the peppers? You should always cook the ground meat before stuffing your peppers.
- Why are my stuffed peppers watery? Your stuffed peppers are likely watery if you used fattier ground meat.
- How long does it take for peppers to get soft? It takes peppers about 30 minutes at 350°F to get soft.
- How long does it take to parboil bell peppers? It takes only 2-3 minutes to parboil peppers.
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