Stuffed peppers without meat are one of the most beloved recipes of the Apulian tradition, where humble and rural ingredients turn into dishes rich in flavor and aroma. In this version, the filling is made with stale bread, cheese, parsley, and simple herbs, just like in the old country kitchens.
It’s a rustic, fragrant, and very versatile preparation: perfect as a vegetarian main course, a rich side dish, or even served cold at summer lunches and buffets. The peppers are stuffed raw and then cooked slowly in the oven or air fryer, keeping their softness and giving a golden and flavorful filling.
This recipe is meatless, easily adaptable to a light vegetarian diet. A perfect way to recycle stale bread and bring a genuine and Mediterranean dish to the table, as home cooking dictates.
Try it with red or yellow peppers, choose the smaller and meatier ones, to get a tender and tasty result in every bite. A recipe that smells of tradition, family, and summer.
Also try the version of vegetarian peppers stuffed with bread and caciocavallo, baked or cooked in the air fryer.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 3/4 servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Stuffed Peppers Without Meat:
- 3 peppers
- 8 oz stale bread
- 1 Scamorza (provola) (approximately 8 oz)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 garlic clove
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- 2 tbsps chopped parsley
- 1 cup milk at room temperature ((approximately))
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools for Preparing the Stuffed Peppers Without Meat:
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Baking Dish non-stick
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Knife
Preparation for Stuffing and Cooking the Peppers:
Wash the peppers well, dry them, and cut them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds carefully not to damage the pulp, and leave the stem to prevent the filling from leaking out.
Take a wooden cutting board and cut the stale bread into small pieces with a serrated knife and place it in a large bowl, add the milk at room temperature and let it rest for 5 minutes so that the bread softens well.
Also cut the scamorza into small pieces (for a more flavorful preparation use the more aged one).
In a large bowl, put the diced scamorza, the bread squeezed out of the milk.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the salt, pepper, finely chopped garlic clove, and chopped parsley. Beat the ingredients well and put them in the bowl with the prepared bread and cheese.
Stir the mixture well until well combined, adjust the salt.
Fill the peppers with the prepared mixture, place them in a baking dish lined with parchment paper, drizzle a little oil on top and cover with foil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F with fan for 30/35 minutes, remove the foil halfway through cooking.
When the peppers are almost cooked (time may vary based on the pepper size and oven type), grill them for 5 minutes to brown the stuffed peppers well.
This recipe is from my father-in-law Aldo, here is a photo of the ones he made…
NOT TO MISS:
Notes
Choose peppers of the same size, this way you have even cooking.
Can I use other cheeses?
Of course! You can enrich the filling with cheeses like well-drained mozzarella or pecorino, depending on the flavor you want to achieve. The important thing is that they are semi-hard or dry cheeses, to avoid releasing too much water during cooking.
Does the bread need to be fresh or stale?
Stale bread works perfectly: soak it with milk or water and then squeeze it well before mixing it with the other ingredients. Stale bread gives the filling a perfect texture, compact yet soft.
Can I prepare them in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the stuffed peppers the day before and store them in the fridge, raw or already cooked. They reheat perfectly in the oven or air fryer.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze them raw or cooked, ideally in airtight containers. When ready to use, you can cook them directly or let them thaw in the fridge for a few hours before reheating.
