My friend showed me how to make these cream cheese stuffed mini peppers last year, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. They’re healthy, delicious, and equally perfect for lunch boxes, appetizers, or healthy snacks. These remind me of jalapeño poppers, but without the heat. Sprinkle the stuffed mini sweet peppers with some everything bagel seasoning or your favorite seasoning blends (taco seasoning is so good!) for a burst of flavor.
Ingredients For Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for stuffed mini sweet peppers, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Mini Bell Peppers – I choose a variety pack that contains different colors (red, orange, and yellow), but any color works. If you like heat, you can even swap these with jalapeño peppers instead.Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for best flavor. You can also experiment with other savory cream cheese flavors, such as smoked salmon or garlic herb, OR make those flavors yourself by stirring in lox, minced garlic or garlic powder, fresh herbs, etc.Everything Bagel Seasoning – These stuffed mini bell peppers are best with some everything bagel seasoning to give it extra flavor. (Other flavor ideas below.)
How To Make Stuffed Mini Peppers
This section shows how to make cream cheese stuffed mini sweet peppers with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Italian Sausage – Mix together cooked and crumbled Italian sausage with cream cheese (and maybe a dash of Italian seasoning), add to the peppers, and top with mozzarella. Bake until tender. Grilled – Stuff mini peppers with cream cheese, ranch crack dip, or buffalo chicken dip, and grill until the peppers are tender and the stuffing mixture is hot. Warm Goat Cheese – Stuff peppers with goat cheese and bake at 425 degrees F oven until cheese is soft and hot.Caramelized Onion – Spoon caramelized onion dip inside the peppers and top with a sprinkle of thyme or chives.Crab – Scoop cold crab dip inside the peppers and serve cold.Spinach Artichoke – Make stuffed peppers with spinach artichoke dip, transfer to a baking dish, and bake until hot and melty.Jalapeño Popper – You can make any of these flavors with jalapeños instead of sweet peppers, but for the classic flavor combo, you’ll need jalapeño peppers, cream cheese, cooked bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese. Follow my recipes for regular jalapeño poppers or air fryer jalapeño poppers.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for 2-3 days.Meal Prep: You can easily meal prep these a few days ahead, which is perfect for bento box lunches. However, if you like your peppers extra crisp, you can cut the peppers in advance but add the filling right before serving.Freeze: It’s not recommended for the cold stuffed mini peppers, but you can freeze cooked varieties for 2-3 months. Raw ones won’t work because the freezing process ruins the texture.
More Healthy Cold Appetizer Recipes
If you like these cold cream cheese stuffed mini peppers, you might also like some of these other cold appetizers:
See variations below for other fillings ideas. If your filling has multiple components, mix them in a bowl first. If you want warm stuffed mini peppers, add the filling and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees F, until the peppers are soft and filling is hot.
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