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.
More GREAT appetizers
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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Susan says
looks delicious! I’ll definately try this for our family. We grew up with stuffed peppers….my mom would make them so delicous! 🙂
Lynn says
Can these be brought to pot luck at room temperature?
Barbara Curry says
Yes, they are still great at room temperature.