Bake

Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers

by:
August 26, 2021
5
2 Ratings
Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers
Photo by Marissa Mullen
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 12 minutes
  • Serves 2 to 4
Author Notes

These gooey, spicy, super-cheesy mini peppers are the perfect snack. With colorful peppers and spicy jalapeños, this dish is both savory and rich, with a subtle hint of sweetness. It’s best in late summer through early fall, when peppers are in season, but it's a crowd-pleaser year round: served at a Labor Day barbecue, as a snack during football season, or as a holiday appetizer to warm you up as the weather cools down. —Marissa Mullen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 jalapeños, halved lengthwise, seeded
  • 3 mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño brine (or white distilled vinegar)
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon crumbled cotija
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Store-bought tomatillo salsa, for serving (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, ¼ cup of the pepper jack cheese, jalapeño brine, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  3. Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the pepper halves.
  4. Sprinkle the peppers with the remaining ¼ cup of pepper jack and half of the scallions.
  5. Bake on an unlined sheet pan for 10 to 12 minutes, until melted. Broil on high for an additional 2 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling. (Alternatively, remove from the oven and use a small butane torch to brown the cheese.)
  6. Garnish with the fresh cilantro, remaining scallions and cotija. Serve with tomatillo salsa if desired.
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Marissa Mullen
Marissa Mullen is a Brooklyn-based food stylist, recipe developer, photographer and cheese lover. She is the founder of That Cheese Plate and creator of the Cheese By Numbers method. She is also the author of the best-selling cookbook, That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life, a step-by-step styling guide for crafting beautiful and delicious cheese plates as a form of creative expression. Featured on The Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Business Insider, Vox among others, Marissa is dedicated to bringing people together through creativity, food and entertainment.

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1 Review

judy
judy August 29, 2021
What a great idea! I have mini peppers as a staple in my produce bin all the time. We roast the, put them in salads, casseroles, and on sandwiches. I never thought of stuffing them. I love the filing of jalapeño poppers, but find them generally a bit too spicy for me. All the other ingredients are also in my cupboard all the time....So I guess I will now give this a try with the next new batch of peppers that I purchase. So good....