Stuffed Mini Peppers
Stuffed Mini Peppers are a delicious and colorful appetizer that’s sort of like a healthier and less spicy version of a jalapeño popper, and they can be roasted in the oven or cooked on the grill! Every time I make these, the entire tray gets completely demolished.
It’s crazy how delicious these mini stuffed peppers are because they’re quite simple. But there are certain recipes where the flavor affinities are so strong that the combination is wildly tasty without any fuss at all.
I’m a big fan of stuffed peppers in general, and have done both Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños and Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers on the blog. As much as I love those two recipes, what’s nice about this recipe is that you can control the spiciness.
When you’re about to bite into a whole stuffed jalapeño, there’s no way to tell how spicy it’s going to be, and there were just too many times when my mouth was on fire!! It got to be too much. But here you get a sweet, mild pepper experience with a touch of jalapeno in the filling, so you get that heat and flavor in a tempered way.
So if you’re looking for an easy but delicious appetizer that’s also colorful and pretty, these peppers are fantastic. You can even add them to an Antipasto Platter and have an epic board to serve at your next gathering.
Tips for Best Results
Use a soft, not crumbly goat cheese – The kind of goat cheese you’ll want to use here is a chevre, which is the soft and spreadable goat cheese that usually comes in the shape of a log. My favorite brand is actually Costco’s (it has a lovely natural sweetness), but Whole Foods brand and Chavrie are also great.
Get the amount of filling right – Take your time to add the right amount of filling to each pepper. They should neither be understuffed nor overstuffed.
Leave the stem on – I like to keep the step on both for aesthetics and also because I’ve noticed people using them as a “handle” for eating. However, if you prefer, you may cut off the stem during prep.
Step by Step Overview:
Start by preparing the filling, which includes soft goat cheese, grated parmesan, fresh minced jalapeño, garlic, and black pepper:
By the way, a quick tip for seeding the jalapeños is to use a melon baller to remove them:
Removing the seeds and the ribs cuts down on the heat significantly.
Stir to combine the ingredients into a fluffy, creamy filling:
Wash a pound of mini sweet peppers, and slice them all in half through the middle:
When I make these for a party, I keep the tops on because I think it looks pretty, but you can cut those off if you prefer. I don’t bother removing the ribs from these, and most of them don’t really have seeds either, so not much prep is needed beyond halving.
Place the cut peppers in a bowl and toss to coat with olive oil and salt:
Then fill all of the mini peppers with the prepared filling:
There should be just enough to fill each pepper half generously.
Cooking Options
Oven: If roasting in the oven, cook the mini peppers for about 20-25 minutes in a 425F oven.
Traeger: This adds a wonderful smoky flavor. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the peppers are soft.
Charcoal or gas grill: Try to make sure the heat isn’t above 450F, and cook for about 20 minutes.
No matter which of these cooking methods you pick, you’re best going off doneness than time. The cheese should be slightly golden on top, and the peppers should be softened, like this:
How to Serve
These Stuffed Mini Peppers are definitely at their prime when they’re hot and bubbling, so try to serve promptly. I will usually serve them right on the tray I cooked them on, to retain heat as long as possible (though if you have young kids, you may want to transfer to a platter).
Smoked Salmon Spread, Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, and Buffalo Chicken Dip are some of my other favorite party appetizers to serve alongside these. You can see the full collection in the Appetizers section of my recipe index.
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheat in a 300F oven for 10 minutes, until warmed through. Microwaving will also work, about one minute for 10 peppers. If reheating from frozen, add a few minutes to oven time, and 30 seconds to microwaving time.
Absolutely! You can really multiply this as much as you’d like.
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Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini sweet peppers
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- 10 ounce log goat cheese softened (soft chèvre)
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan (40g by weight)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 jalapeños seeded and finely chopped (1/3 cup, measured)
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F*.
- De-stem the peppers if desired (I leave them on for aesthetics), then cut each in half. Place in a bowl with the olive oil and 1/4 tsp of salt, and toss well to coat.
- In a large bowl, stir to combine the goat cheese, parmesan, garlic, jalapeno, and black pepper.
- Fill the cut peppers with small spoonfuls of filling. You should have just enough filling to fill the peppers with a generous amount, coming slightly over the tops of the peppers.
- Roast the peppers for about 20-25 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the cheese is golden on the edges. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.