Our keto friendly stuffed peppers filled with chopped jalapeños and two types of cheeses are a popular easy and delicious appetizer!
If you are looking for an easy appetizer that will please your guests these stuffed peppers are just the thing.
They are small and easy to eat which means they are perfect for all sorts of social gatherings where small bites and finger foods are served. For parties and celebrations to game nights, cookouts and potlucks, these tasty peppers always go down a treat!
The recipe is quick and easy as these peppers come together in under 30 minutes.
Simply slice the mini peppers in half and fill with a tangy cheese filling, then pop them in the oven. The peppers soften and become sweeter while the flavours in the filling come together as the cheese bubbles and melts.
Serve these delicious peppers warm or cold, as part of a big colourful appetizer platter with fried zucchini, baked camembert and figs with gorgonzola.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you will need to prepare these stuffed sweet peppers.
See the section on substitutions and variations below for more options.
See the recipe card for quantities and measurements.
- sweet baby peppers – although red peppers are the sweetest, yellow and orange are delicious too, adding wonderful colours to the dish.
- cream cheese – any kind
- garlic – chopped and minced
- salt
- jalapeños – de-seeded and chopped (adjust the quantity according to taste), you can use pickled jalapeños too.
- cheese for grating
- black pepper – crush or grind before using for best flavour
- olive oil – for drizzling
- meat (optional) – cooked sausage meat, bacon or smoked turkey
Instructions
Follow these step by step instructions on how to make stuffed peppers.
Wash and dry the peppers before slicing them down the middle lengthways. Remove the seeds and membrane then set aside and prepare the filling.
Add the filling ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well till all the ingredients are combined.
Stuff the peppers with the cheese mixture and top with some extra grated cheese.
Arrange the peppers cheese side up in the roasting dish and roast till the peppers soften and the cheese turns golden.
Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly crushed black pepper. They are best served warm or at room temperature.
Top tip
You may find it easier to spoon the filling into a piping bag to fill the peppers.
Substitutions and variations
Here are a few ideas for substitutions in case you run short on ingredients or are catering for certain dietary requirements.
- peppers – if sweet mini peppers are unavailable, use a couple of red or yellow bell peppers. Remove the seeds and membrane then cut into slices thick enough to hold the filling.
- cheese – run out of of cream cheese? Use ricotta, boursin (in which case you won’t need to add garlic) or goats cheese instead.
- fish/poultry/meat – chop up any cooked leftover fish, poultry or meat (sausage or bacon work well), as long as the flavour complements the rest of the ingredients used in this recipe.
- vegetarian – add chopped grilled mushrooms
Make ahead and storage
For best results fill the peppers and roast just before serving. They taste best when they are freshly made.
These stuffed peppers can be prepared several hours in advance or earlier in the day and enjoyed at room temperature or cold. By the next day, after storing in the fridge, they may have become too soft and will not hold their shape well.
This recipe can be prepared a day or two in advance in two parts.
- Follow the recipe instructions to the point where the peppers are ready to be filled, then keep the pepper halves in a sealed container in the fridge till you are ready to use them.
- Similarly, the cheese filling can also be prepared separately and stored in a sealed container in the fridge till ready to use. Stored this way, the filling will keep for a couple of days.
Freezing is not suitable as the peppers soften on thawing and they will not hold their shape to contain the cheese filling.
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⭐️ Are you making this recipe for stuffed sweet peppers? I’d love to hear how it went, please do let me know in the comments below and don’t forget to give it a star rating! Thank you!
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Stuffed Mini Peppers Appetizer
Ingredients
- 6 mini peppers
Filling
- 112 grams cream cheese 4 oz
- 1 teaspoon garlic chopped small (minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- tablespoon jalapeños chopped, adjust quantity according to taste
- 85 grams cooked sausage, bacon or smoked chicken/turkey (optional) 3 oz, roughly chopped
Garnish
- 3 tablespoons shredded cheese parmesan, gruyere or cheddar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F.
- Wash and dry the peppers then slice them down the middle lengthways. Remove the seeds and membrane then set aside and prepare the filling.6 mini peppers
- In a medium mixing bowl add all the filling ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust for seasoning adding more salt if required.112 grams cream cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, 85 grams cooked sausage, bacon or smoked chicken/turkey, tablespoon jalapeños
- Spoon the cheese mixture into the peppers then arrange them cheese side up a few inches apart from one another on a on stick roasting dish. Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes till the cheese turns golden and the peppers have softened. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly crushed black pepper.
Notes
Substitutions:
- peppers – if sweet mini peppers are unavailable, use a couple of red or yellow bell peppers. Remove the seeds and membrane then cut into slices thick enough to hold the filling.
- cheese – run out of of cream cheese? Use ricotta, boursin (in which case you won’t need to add garlic) or goats cheese instead.
- fish/poultry/meat – chop up any cooked leftover fish, poultry or meat (sausage or bacon work well), as long as the flavour complements the rest of the ingredients used in this recipe.
- vegetarian – add chopped grilled mushrooms
Make ahead and storing
This recipe can be prepared a day or two in advance in two parts.- Follow the recipe instructions to the point where the peppers are ready to be filled, then keep the pepper halves in a sealed container in the fridge till you are ready to use them.
- Similarly, the cheese filling can also be prepared separately and stored in a sealed container in the fridge till ready to use. Stored this way, the filling will keep for a couple of days.
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