Total Time: 25 minutes
Jump to Recipe These cream cheese and bacon stuffed mini peppers have a great smokiness from smoked hot paprika. Cheddar cheese keeps the filling from being too rich and creamy and thyme and garlic round out the flavors.
Recipe ingredients and notes:
- Please be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. Products labeled as low-fat or reduced-fat have higher moisture content than full-fat cream cheese and that can affect their melting.
- There is no need for additional salt in this recipe because the bacon provides enough.
How to make the peppers:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Pre-cook the pepper halves in boiling water to soften them.
- Add all filling ingredients into a bowl.
- Whip the filling.
- Stuff and bake the peppers.
How to serve the peppers:
Serve the baked pepper halves hot or warm as finger food.
Full Recipe
Cream Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Mini Peppers
These cream cheese and bacon stuffed mini peppers are delicious and easy to make. The perfect party food!
Ingredients:
Equipment:
Method:
For the peppers:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the ribs and seeds but leave the stem intact.
- Fill a pot large enough to fit all pepper halves with water and bring to a boil.
- Add the pepper halves to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the pepper halves and set them face down on a paper towel to cool and dry.
For the filling:
- Lightly oil a small baking sheet with olive oil. Set aside.
- Whip 6 tablespoons of cheddar along with all remaining filling ingredients together until combined.
- Fill the filling into the pepper halves (a little less than 1 tablespoon of filling per pepper). (I like to use a small metal spatula to do this.)
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar onto the filling and bake until the cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).**
- Serve the peppers hot or warm.
Recipe notes:
*Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese. Products labeled as low-fat or reduced-fat have a higher moisture content than full-fat cream cheese and that can affect their melting. **Do not bake the peppers for much longer than 10 minutes or you run the risk of the filling separating. Storage: Transfer any leftover baked peppers into an airtight container and store in the fridge. Reheat in the oven until warmed through. Make ahead instructions:
- Let the pepper halves cool to room temperature after boiling. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Whip the filling, then transfer it into a separate airtight container and store in the fridge as well. To bake the peppers, let the filling come up to room temperature (about an hour on the kitchen counter), then stuff and bake the peppers as instructed.
Did you make this recipe?Please consider leaving a review- THANK YOU!
Nutrition (estimate only):
Frequently asked questions:
Do I have to pre-cook the peppers?
Yes, you have to pre-cook the pepper halves. Stuffing the peppers raw and then baking them will leave them too hard and raw by the time the filling is melted. Pre-cooking the peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes will get their softness just right.
Can I skip the pre-cooking and instead bake the peppers longer?
Unfortunately not. That's because the filling will separate if you bake the stuffed peppers much longer than instructed.
More cream cheese-stuffed appetizers:
- For more smoked hot paprika flavors, check out these stuffed portobello mushrooms with sausage.
- These bacon-wrapped stuffed shrimp have a delicious filling that's flavored with hot sauce.
Comments
No Comments