Make cream cheese stuffed peppers in your subsequent straightforward appetizer! All it takes is 6 elements and these colourful tacky stuffed mini peppers bake up heat and gooey in minutes. Make them within the oven or use your air fryer!
Trying to supersize your stuffed pepper obsession? Strive my quinoa stuffed peppers and these tacky jambalaya stuffed peppers made with giant bell peppers, too.
With regards to stuffing peppers, don’t threaten me with a superb time. From skillet cheese-stuffed peppers to spicy stuffed poblano peppers, I’ll by no means move up a mini pepper full of melted cheese!
These cream cheese stuffed peppers are the simplest appetizer and so they’re all the time gone from the plate in minutes. Candy and tender roasted mini peppers are full of seasoned cream cheese and shredded cheddar and baked till mentioned cheese is melted and gooey. This mini pepper recipe is loopy easy to make and oh-so-good.
Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
- Simple finger meals. Cream cheese stuffed peppers are straightforward to organize, fast to bake, and don’t want a number of elements. You would even get away with out seasoning the cream cheese in case you’re actually pressed for time.
- Social gathering-ready. These colourful stuffed peppers look superb on a plate. I usually make these for events and meals in the summertime when mini bell peppers are in season. My native farm stall should suppose I’m loopy as I depart there with what looks like a trunkload of recent peppers each week. In my protection, some are used for ajvar!
- Make-ahead. Combine the cream cheese filling the day earlier than, and pop it into the fridge till the following day once you’re able to fill the peppers and bake. It’s a good way to avoid wasting time, plus it provides the flavors within the filling an opportunity to mingle.
What You’ll Want
Listed below are the straightforward elements you’ll have to make these tacky stuffed peppers. Scroll to the recipe card after the put up for a printable checklist of the elements together with the quantities.
- Mini Bell Peppers – Wash and dry the peppers properly, slice them in half lengthwise and take away the seeds. You should utilize any coloured mini pepper you’d like.
- Olive Oil – Select a mild-flavored olive oil for roasting. Avocado oil additionally works properly.
- Cream Cheese – Take your block of cream cheese out of the fridge about 20-Half-hour forward of time, in order that it softens to room temperature.
- Bitter Cream – Should you don’t have bitter cream, you may substitute it with Greek or plain yogurt as a substitute.
- Chives – Freshly chopped chives, or you should use dried. Different herbs, like basil, oregano, or thyme, additionally work.
- Garlic Powder – Should you’d choose recent garlic, use 1 clove for each ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Onion powder can be a superb substitute.
- Shredded Cheese – I exploit cheddar, however you should use any melty cheese. For greatest outcomes, shred it recent from the block (versus utilizing packaged pre-shredded cheese). Different good choices are provolone, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheese.
The right way to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Each time I whip out a platter of those cream cheese stuffed mini peppers, not less than one particular person begs for the recipe. Properly, the key’s out: it’s SO easy. Right here’s the right way to make them in 3 fast steps:
- Prep the bell peppers. First, you’ll wish to toss the peppers with olive oil, salt, and pepper, after which unfold them out on a lined baking sheet. There’s the choice to depart them as-is, or you may pre-bake the peppers for five minutes in case you choose much less crunch.
- Assemble. Stir the filling elements collectively in a bowl. Add about 2 teaspoons of filling to every pepper half, and sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese.
- Bake. Bake your cheese-stuffed peppers for 10 minutes at 375ºF. I like to modify on the broiler afterward and brown the tops for a minute or two. Then, this app is able to serve!
Can I Use the Air Fryer?
Positively! I really like to make use of my air fryer to make a smaller batch of stuffed mini peppers for simply the household. It’s fast and foolproof. Put together the cream cheese stuffed peppers as instructed, and organize them in your air fryer basket, leaving house between every pepper. Air fry at 380ºF for 8 minutes.
Suggestions and Variations
- Don’t overbake the peppers. Make certain to not overcook the peppers, particularly in case you pre-bake them, as they’ll turn into limp and soggy. They might want much less time within the oven relying on the scale.
- Wrap them in bacon. As a result of all the things’s higher with bacon, proper? When time permits, I like to wrap these stuffed peppers with a bit of streaky bacon earlier than I bake them, as I do with my bacon-wrapped stuffed mini peppers. Too good!
- Flavored cream cheese. You should utilize common cream cheese, or mess around with completely different flavors like chive, jalapeño, garlic and herb, vegetable, roasted pink pepper taste, and so forth. Relying on the type you select, you don’t even have to season it.
- Completely different cheese. As a substitute of cream cheese, fill these peppers with Boursin cheese, goat cheese, or whipped feta.
- Garnishes and mix-ins. Strive mixing in cooked crumbled bacon, floor beef, Cajun spice, All the things Bagel Seasoning, or minced chilies, or give these cream cheese stuffed peppers a drizzle with scorching sauce after baking
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
It’s not necessary, however pre-baking the pepper halves earlier than you fill them does assist to launch among the moisture and makes the peppers much less crisp. It’s as much as you!
Nope, for these mini stuffed peppers, baking underneath foil isn’t obligatory. They’re within the oven for such a brief period of time, that the cheese wants on a regular basis it may well get to soften down and turn into gooey.
Serving Strategies
These cream cheese stuffed peppers make wonderful last-minute finger meals. I’ll throw a batch within the oven when associates are over, and so they’re able to serve in minutes subsequent to easier appetizers like avocado hummus with crudites, baked battered shrimp, and grilled BBQ rooster pizza. Holidays, sport day, you identify it– they by no means disappoint.
On weeknights, the entire household loves these stuffed peppers as a facet dish with rooster tenders or burgers. They make a enjoyable veggie various to French fries!
The right way to Retailer and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate. Retailer any leftover cream cheese stuffed peppers hermetic within the fridge for as much as 4-5 days.
Reheat. Heat the stuffed peppers in a 350ºF oven till they’re scorching all through. It’s also possible to use your air fryer or the microwave.
Extra Appetizer Recipes
Pin this now to seek out it later
-
Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Season the bell peppers. In a big bowl, toss the bell peppers with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
-
Prep-bake the peppers. Should you like softer peppers, organize the seasoned bell peppers on the baking sheet and bake for five minutes. You may skip this step in order for you extra of a crunch.
-
Make the filling. Stir collectively the cream cheese, bitter cream, chives, garlic powder, and half of the cheddar cheese till properly mixed. Style and season with salt and pepper if desired.
-
Assemble. Stuff every pepper with 2 teaspoons of the filling and re-arrange them on the baking sheet, filling-side up. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheddar cheese.
-
Bake. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip the oven off after which activate the broiler. Broil the peppers for 1-2 minutes or till golden brown.
Serving: 1piece | Energy: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fats: 3g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 384IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in keeping with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.