Air Fryer Recipe
Ratatouille Stuffed Bell Peppers
An easy, cheerful recipe for ratatouille-stuffed bell peppers, just right for cooking in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers, assorted colours
- 1 medium aubergine (eggplant), diced
- 1 medium courgette (zucchini), diced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Grated parmesan or vegan cheese for topping
Method
- Wash the bell peppers, slice off the tops, and remove the seeds and membranes. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, then sauté for about 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add the diced aubergine, courgette, and tomatoes. Scatter over the thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Spoon the ratatouille mixture into the prepared bell peppers. If using, sprinkle over the cheese.
- Set the stuffed peppers in the air fryer basket. Cook for 15-20 minutes at 180°C, until the peppers are tender and the tops are golden.
- Leave the peppers to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pre-cooking the ratatouille drives off water before stuffing, so the peppers roast rather than steam in the air fryer. The circulating heat softens the pepper walls while browning exposed vegetables and cheese; a little oil helps conduct heat and carry the thyme and basil flavour through the filling.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding 4 upright peppers with space between them; in a smaller single-drawer model cook in two batches, while dual-zone fryers may need 2–4 extra minutes because each drawer has weaker airflow when loaded.
Common pitfalls
- Watery filling pooling in the pepper bases? The aubergine, courgette and tomato were not cooked down enough; keep the pan on the heat until the mixture looks glossy and spoonable, not soupy.
- Pepper sides collapsing before the tops brown? The peppers are overcooked or too thin-walled; reduce to 170°C and start checking at 12 minutes, using larger squat peppers if possible.
- Cheese browning too fast while the pepper is still firm? Add the cheese only for the final 5 minutes, or cover loosely with a small square of foil until the pepper begins to soften.
- Pale patches on one side of the peppers? Airflow is blocked; leave gaps between peppers and rotate them halfway, especially in deep baskets where the back runs hotter than the front.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap parmesan for crumbled feta; it browns less but adds salt, so reduce the seasoning in the ratatouille slightly.
- Add cooked rice, couscous or quinoa to the filling; it absorbs vegetable juices and makes the peppers sturdier, but do not overpack or the centres heat slowly.
- Use cherry tomatoes instead of diced ripe tomatoes; they release less liquid, giving a sweeter, less saucy filling that may need a splash of water in the pan.
- Add drained chickpeas or lentils; they make the filling more substantial and drier, so mix in a little extra olive oil before stuffing.
Storage & reheating
Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 8–10 minutes until hot through, adding cheese only near the end if using.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
