Stuffed roasted peppers with a filling of Muenster cheese and sausage definitely holds its own; not just spicy but bursting with flavor. These stuffed mini peppers are a great appetizer for your next gathering or a great side to any meal.
Even though it doesn’t feel like it, it’s Fall and time to start thinking about game day appetizers like these stuffed roasted peppers. I love munching on sweet baby bell peppers, a healthy snack you can get all year round. They’re so sweet and great by themselves, but roasted and then filled creates a colorful and scrumptious appetizer.
You can make these as spicy as you want since the pepper itself is sweet. I went with medium spicy and removed all the seeds from the poblano pepper. The seasoning plus the sausage was a great match for the peppers. These are absolutely delicious!z
When making stuffed peppers, I don’t like the pepper to be the only thing you taste. This filling with sausage, cheese and spices is a perfect compliment to the mini sweet peppers.
Don’t forget to sprinkle with lime juice at the end for a perfect Tex-Mex appetizer. Since these are mini, you can easily eat these with your fingers, no fork required. Great for a cook-out or any social get together. Also, could be paired perfectly with a Tex-Mex Casserole using fresh squash as its main ingredient.
If you’re going to serve this at a party, get some helpful tips along with 25 delicious game day appetizer recipes to choose from.
Why you’ll love stuffed sweet peppers
- This is a memorable appetizer with all the best ingredients coming together in the perfect finger food!
- Whether you love spice a lot or just a little, you can enjoy these cheese stuffed peppers.
- Healthyish is the best way to describe these perfect appetizers – you’ll be ok to eat more than one!
- This recipe makes a lot to feed a large gathering so everyone can enjoy the flavors.
- With just 63 calories and 2 carbs, they’re a great way to start out the new year.
What are mini bell peppers
Mini bell peppers are a small sweet pepper that can be found in red, orange and yellow colors. They have a hollow cavity with little to no seeds which make them great for stuffing. They are not spicy.
What you’ll need
- Baby bell peppers – pick up a bag of tri-color peppers, all perfect for this recipe.
- Ground pork – plain pork, Italian sausage or hot sausage will work as well.
- Onion – white or yellow.
- Poblano pepper – if you want less heat, remove the seeds and vein from the pepper.
- Garlic – fresh garlic is best.
- Spices – cumin, oregano, ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, salt.
- Cilantro – this fresh ingredient is yummy, but you can leave it out, if it’s not your thing.
- Muenster cheese – this cheese has a mild flavor and melts easily.
- Lime wedges – to squeeze over the final peppers.
How do you make stuffed roasted peppers
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 425º.
Step 2:
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add peppers in a single layer and cook, turning until the skins blister and start to brown. Transfer to a a plate to cool.
Step 3:
Add onion, poblano, garlic and seasonings and then pork.
Step 4:
Cut each pepper in half. Crumble meat mixture into small bits and stir in cilantro and cheese. Spoon the mixture into each pepper half and transfer to a baking sheet, top with more cheese. Bake until cheese melts and sprinkle with lime juice.
This a versatile appetizer, it’s great for an outdoor cook-out in the summer and equally good in the middle of winter while watching your favorite game or having friends for dinner.
Pro tip: You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to eat. They’re great warm but still delicious at room temperature.
FAQs and tips
You might think that mini bell peppers are the same as a bell pepper just smaller, but they are not. You’ll find that mini bell peppers are much sweeter and are a delicious alone or filled with your favorite stuffing.
This is a mild American semi-soft cheese. It’s similar to Monterey Jack and melts well.
Yes, Monterrey Jack cheese is a soft cheese and also good for melting.
Ancho chili powder is made from the sweetest dried chilies, and has a moderately spicy but rich flavor. These are not considered a spicy chili. Chipotle chili powder is a mild chili pepper made with chipotle chilies which are smoked and dried jalapenos, it adds a smokey flavor.
More GREAT appetizers
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Stuffed Roasted Peppers
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb about 24 baby bell peppers
- 1 small onion diced, ½ cup
- 1 poblano pepper seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ lb ground pork
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 cup muenster cheese
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add peppers in a single layer and cook, turning until the skins blister and start to brown. They should still have some firmness to them. Transfer to a a plate.
- Add onion, poblano, cumin, oregano, ancho and chipotle chili powders and 1 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the onion and poblano are tender, about 8 minutes, add garlic and cook an additional minute. Increase heat to medium high and add pork. Cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to place on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
- Cut each pepper in half, from stem to tip. Crumble meat mixture into small bits and stir in cilantro and ¾ cup of the cheese. Spoon the mixture into each pepper half and transfer to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese melts and peppers are heated through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and sprinkle with lime juice.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- They can be made ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.
- You can mix in more cheese if you want to add a more complex cheese flavor. In addition to Muenster, you can stir in mozzarella, Monterrey Jack or a sharp cheddar.
- Don’t over cook the peppers or they will be too soft to hold the filling.
Nutrition
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