Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers with Sausage is an easy, impressive appetizer! Perfect for game day noshing or entertaining at home.
I used to go all out when entertaining at home. But I’ve grown wiser over the years. A stress-free hostess is a happy hostess! This stuffed pepper recipe is both simple to make and delicious!
Why You Must Make
The focus on entertaining should be on getting dear friends and family together, not setting the perfect table and serving a 12-course meal. Though I still aim to serve excellent food, I’d rather be a relaxed hostess than a crazy woman trapped in the kitchen!
- These super easy, cream cheese stuffed mini peppers with sausage are a cinch to prepare and will be the hit of any gathering!
- These are perfect for game day! Men (and women) love these!!
- You can prep ahead of time by cutting the peppers, making the filling, and stuffing. Keep them covered and chilled in the refrigerator. Extend the baking time to compensate for the cold filling.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Tribelli Peppers – Sweet Mini Peppers that are found in bags in the produce department. Slice lengthwise and remove ribs and seeds.
- Mild Italian Sausage – Cook, crumble, and drain to remove excess fat.
- Cream Cheese – Have it at room temperature so it’s soft and easy to mix with the other ingredients.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shredded
- Parmesan Cheese – Grated. Look for real Parmesano Reggiano, not the green can on the grocer’s shelves.
Tips for Easy Entertaining
Every year, I host my book club, dinner club and have a 4th of July neighborhood party. Plus there are those family holiday gatherings as well as having friends over for coffee, food demos, and of course, dinner. I’ve learned a few tricks for easy entertaining.
- Be interactive in the kitchen. That’s where everyone gathers, so why not have your guests lend a hand.
- Set your table the day before. No need for fine china and crystal. My everyday white plates show off colorful foods like these gorgeous stuffed peppers beautifully!
- Supplement your menu with dinner rolls from the bakery, chunks of cheese and crackers from the grocery store, and never refuse when one of your guests asks to bring a dish!
- If you have some homemade refrigerator pickles in the fridge, they’re nice for a briny contrast to richer appetizers.
How to Make
- Slice the peppers and remove the seeds
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
- Cook and drain the sausage. Mix with the other filling ingredients
- Stuff the peppers.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes and serve hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
Slice them in quarters lengthwise and add to a crudite platter with a tasty dip, like Classic Guacamole. Make healthy nachos by using them instead of tortilla chips. Stuff with taco meat for mini taco bites. Make mini poppers by stuffing them with cheese and wrapping them with bacon.
They are also delicious roasted; remove the stem and seeds, season, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast at 400-425 until soft. Or add them to a tray of other vegetables of similar sizes and roasting time for a delicious medley of roasted vegetables.
When you stuff them, it takes about 12-14 minutes to heat up the filling and soften the peppers at 350 degrees. If you’re baking one of the many meatless mini pepper recipes, the baking time may be less.
Yes, they are crisp and delicious when eaten raw. Mini peppers are even sweeter than bell peppers.
Yes! Besides fiber, these peppers are a delicious source of Vitamin C, A, E, B6, and Folate. Plus they’re low in saturated fat.
You May Also Like
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Tomato Boursin Tartlets
- Smoked Salmon Platter
- Candied Bacon
- Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
- Cranberry Baked Meatballs
- More of my Best Appetizer Recipes
Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers with Sausage
Mini peppers stuffed with spicy Italian sausage, cheddar and cream cheese makes for a delicious starter for any meal!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Tribelli peppers (sweet mini peppers)
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled, drained well of fat
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove ribs and seeds. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.½
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the filling by mixing the sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, and Parmesan together until well combined. Taste filling and add salt and/or pepper if needed.
- Fill the peppers with the sausage mixture. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
If any of the pepper halves won't sit upright on the baking sheet, remove thin slices of pepper from their bottoms to make them stable.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
15Serving Size:
2 stuffed peppersAmount Per Serving: Calories: 195Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 377mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 9g
61 Comments on “Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers”
These are really wonderful! And everybody loves those peppers. It’s nice to see a savory recipe amongst all of your sweet ones!
Liz, I agree 100% about entertaining. I’ve grown wiser over the years too.
These mini peppers are the rage. They are so versatile, and the colors really pop. Your cream cheese stuffing is delicious.
Velva
Can these be made on a grill or camp fire.
Hi, Tammy, Yes, it can be done if you have your sausage cooked and can use indirect instead of direct heat so they don’t burn. I think they’d need to be covered with foil for a good part of the cooking time so the peppers get tender. Good luck and have fun!!
I have made this several times and have varied the meat and used different types of cheese.. love it.. when it comes to stabilizing the peppers.. I take one pepper and slice it thin. Put one slice on each side of the pepper.. after baking you can take the little helpers and put them right on top for a little extra flavor. How fun is that!
Love that tip, Ali!!! Thanks for sharing.
Can you make the stuffing ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to use?
Yes, that should work fine. Hope you enjoy, Tina!
These look so creamy and delicious! Perfect for the big game this weekend!
These look absolutely delicious and perfect for this weekend. Definitely going to have to make these.
These easy and cheesy poppers make the best little snacks! So creamy and delicious!
So glad I had everything to make these! They were a delicious appetizer for us!
These are hubby’s favorite snack! He’ll be so excited to have these again! Can’t wait to make them!
Can these be made ahead and frozen? If so, do you freeze before or after you cook them?
Hi, Heather! Great question. I did not know the answer so I did a little research. Yes, you can freeze stuffed peppers, both uncooked and cooked, but cooked works better. Just make sure to cool them to room temperature before putting them in an airtight container to freeze. They should be good for at least 3 months in the freezer. To cook, you can place them in a 350 oven right from the freezer and cook until they’re heated through. Or defrost overnight in the freezer for a shorter cooking time before serving. Enjoy!
These are the very best. Thank you for such a tasty appetizer that all of my family and friends love. Another good one is large colored peppers stuffed with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and cheese. Baked for about 20 minutes. Nice low calorie dinner.
I’m so glad, Jodee! And your stuffed pepper recipe sounds yummy, too! Thanks for reporting back 🙂