If you’re looking for a summer main dish or a light second course that combines taste and wellness, stuffed bell peppers with rice are the easy recipe and versatile dish for you!
Today we bring to the table Gratinated Peppers filled with a really tasty risotto!
A recipe that, to great surprise, was appreciated by the family so much that they asked for seconds! I had never made them this way before, and it really is worth trying!
This single dish Mediterranean-style is perfect for family dinners or for a picnic on the beach, thanks to its exquisite taste, whether hot or at room temperature.
A nice risotto with speck and stracchino becomes the filling for bell peppers cut in half and then baked au gratin. To make them even more delicious once cooked, add diced mozzarella for that stringy note!
Baked bell peppers are excellent both hot and cold. They can also be prepared the day before and enjoyed cold the next day.
We can customize the oven-stuffed peppers by choosing different fillings, and below you’ll find some delicious ideas.
Try, for example, the version with mushrooms, ham, and mozzarella or with tuna and potatoes. They can also be cooked in the oven, air fryer, or on the stove, and you’ll find everything written below.
They’re so tasty that you’ll surely make a great impression! So let’s stop talking and see together the ingredients for the oven-gratinated rice-stuffed bell peppers.
Other delicious recipes I recommend you try!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3-6 people
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Air Frying, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients
- 3 Yellow bell peppers (or red)
- 2 1/3 cups Arborio rice (if the peppers are small, the amount of rice may be less than indicated. I used large peppers)
- to taste Onion (or leek)
- 3.5 oz Speck
- 1.8 oz Stracchino cheese
- 1 Mozzarella
- Parmesan cheese (as much as you like!)
- 2 tbsp Butter
- Half glass White wine
- A few tbsps Olive oil
- to taste Salt
- Vegetable broth (or water, to cook the rice)
Tools
- Saucepan
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Baking dish
- Ladle
- Aluminum foil
Preparation
In the photo above you only see one bell pepper cut in half (the others ended up on my family’s plates who hate waiting while I take pictures!).
The beauty of this recipe is that we can decide whether to eat half a pepper each or a whole one each.
That’s why I specified that these quantities are good for 3 people or six. I chose yellow peppers but red or green are also fine.
Wash them well under water, remove the top, cut them exactly in half and with a knife remove the seeds inside without breaking them.
Take a large baking pan, grease the bottom with a little oil. Arrange the bell peppers cut in half, season with a little oil and salt, cover with a sheet of foil and bake in a preheated static oven at 350-390°F for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the risotto. Take a large non-stick pan, pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the onion (or leek if you prefer) cut thinly.
Throw in the rice and toast for a few minutes. Add a bit of white wine and let it completely evaporate. Pour in the vegetable broth (or water if you prefer).
Add the speck cut into strips and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often. As the broth (or water) is absorbed, add more.
Turn off the heat at least 5 minutes before the end of cooking. Add stracchino, a bit of grated Parmesan, and mix well.
Remove the bell peppers from the oven, stuff them with the rice, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and drizzle with a little oil.
Add a couple of ladles of broth or water to the bottom of the baking dish to facilitate cooking. Bake again for about 30 minutes, covering with a sheet of foil.
After about 30 minutes, remove the baking dish, discard the foil, and check the cooking. If the peppers are not yet browned, put them back in the oven without foil, in ventilated mode until golden.
Pay attention to cooking, the peppers should be soft but not falling apart so they can hold the filling well inside.
Only at the end of cooking, place the mozzarella cubes (previously cut) on the peppers, and if you like, a few knobs of butter. Put back in the oven to melt the mozzarella.
Once ready, serve and enjoy your delicious Gratinated Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice and Mozzarella. Bon appétit and see you next time!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
You can also cook the stuffed peppers in an air fryer or on the stove, although the final result will have small differences compared to oven cooking.
The air fryer is a great option for getting soft peppers with a slightly crispy exterior, and it can be faster than the oven.
Prepare the stuffed peppers as described above. Preheat the air fryer to about 350°F.
Place the halved and hollowed peppers in the basket, ensuring they are not too crowded. Cook for 10 minutes until tender.
Then remove the basket, stuff with the rice, and cook covered with foil for another 20 minutes or so. At the end of cooking, add the mozzarella and let it melt for just a few minutes.
The capacity of the air fryer may limit the number of peppers you can cook at once. It may be necessary to cook them in batches.
Cooking the stuffed peppers on the stove is possible, especially if you don’t have an oven or air fryer, or if you prefer a more direct method.
Cut the peppers in half (or use them whole if the pan is large enough) and stuff with the risotto cooked al dente.
Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large lidded pan. Place the stuffed peppers (with the cut side facing up if they are halves).
Add a little liquid to the bottom (vegetable broth or water) to help create steam and soften the peppers without burning them.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until the peppers are soft.
Check occasionally and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the bottom from drying out.
The pepper won’t gratinate like in the oven or air fryer but will still be excellent.
VARIATIONS:
Meat-based Filling:
1)Minced Meat and Tomato: an evergreen classic, with the addition of eggs and Parmesan.
2)Sausage: a more rustic and flavorful filling.
Vegetarian/Vegan Filling:
1)Vegetable-based stuffing like zucchini, eggplant, peas, carrots cut into small cubes and sautéed in a pan.
2)Legumes: add lentils or chickpeas for a more protein-rich filling.
3)Cheeses: ricotta, provolone, scamorza, or crumbled feta for a Mediterranean touch.
4)Alternative Grains: quinoa, farro, or couscous instead of rice.
5)Pesto: a filling of rice and bell pepper nut pesto for a more intense taste.
Fish-based Filling:
1)Tuna and Capers;
2)Shrimps sautéed in a pan and added to the rice for a sea flavor.
Notes
How to store stuffed peppers?
Stuffed bell peppers with rice can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days.
They are also excellent the next day, as resting in the fridge intensifies their flavor.Can I freeze stuffed peppers?
Yes, stuffed bell peppers with rice can be frozen, especially if cooked.
Once cooked and completely cooled, you can arrange them on a tray and freeze them. Then transfer them to food bags or vacuum-sealed airtight containers.
They can be defrosted directly in the oven (although they will require more cooking time) or in the microwave.Are they better hot or cold?
This type of preparation is very versatile and can be enjoyed both hot and cold, as well as on various occasions. Stuffed bell peppers are in fact excellent for both lunch and dinner as they represent a complete meal. Perfect to serve as an appetizer or during a buffet.
How to make stuffed peppers more flavorful?
We can add aromatic herbs, aged cheeses, or cook the risotto in a richer mirepoix, made with carrots and celery.
Which wine to pair with this dish?
Fresh and aromatic whites:
Vermentino, Unoaked Chardonnay (ideal for creamy dishes or with cheese), Sauvignon.
Dry Rosés: perfect for summer dishes and bell pepper salads.
Light or medium-bodied reds:
Young Barbera, Negroamaro: especially if the filling is meat-based, Cabernet Sauvignon.Which rice to use for stuffed peppers?
For this type of preparation, it is preferable to use a rice that holds well during baking.
More specifically:
Carnaroli: often referred to as the “king of rices“, it is ideal for baked preparations because it has large, elongated grains and excellent cooking stability. It absorbs liquids and seasonings well without overcooking and remains well-grained.
Arborio: very common for risottos, Arborio has larger grains and a good absorption capacity, releasing more starch than Carnaroli. It also works well for fillings, contributing to a creamy result.
Roma: with long grains absorbs seasonings very well and works well for timbales, risottos, and, consequently, for baked fillings.
Parboiled: although not a traditional rice for fillings, parboiled is pre-cooked and treated to keep the grains separate and a firmer texture, making it suitable if you want to ensure the rice remains well-grained and doesn’t overcook in the oven.
In summary, choose a rice that has a good cooking stability and can absorb the flavors of the filling without becoming mushy or sticky. Rices for risottos like Carnaroli and Arborio are the most popular and reliable choices.
