I used to think stuffed peppers had to be those big, heavy bell peppers filled with rice and meat that my mom made every winter. They were good, but sometimes felt like a whole meal in themselves. Then at a friend’s party, I tried these cute little stuffed mini peppers that changed my mind completely.
These mini peppers stuffed with spinach dip are basically the perfect snack or appetizer. They’re small enough to eat in two bites, and the cream cheese mixture is so much lighter than the traditional rice-and-meat filling. Plus, they’re really hard to mess up – even if you’re not exactly a whiz in the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love These Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Perfect party appetizer – These bite-sized peppers are ideal for gatherings – they’re easy to pick up, fun to eat, and always disappear quickly from the appetizer table.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can prep these peppers hours before your event and just pop them in the oven when guests arrive.
- Quick preparation – With just 30-40 minutes from start to finish, these stuffed peppers come together faster than traditional stuffed peppers recipes.
- Crowd-pleasing combination – The creamy spinach filling paired with sweet mini peppers and crunchy topping creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures that everyone loves.
What Kind of Mini Peppers Should I Use?
Mini sweet bell peppers are the perfect vessel for this dip, and you’ll find them sold in bags in most grocery stores’ produce section. These little peppers usually come in a mix of red, orange, and yellow varieties – any color works great for this recipe since they’re all similarly sweet and crisp. Look for peppers that are about 2-3 inches long, firm to the touch, and free from soft spots or wrinkles. Before stuffing, just slice them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes – they don’t need any pre-cooking since they’ll stay nicely crisp-tender after baking, which is exactly what you want for a stuffed appetizer.
Options for Substitutions
This recipe is pretty flexible and you can make several easy swaps if needed:
- Cream cheese: You can use Neufchâtel cheese for a lighter option, or Greek yogurt cream cheese. Just make sure whatever you use is at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt works great as a healthier swap. You’ll get the same creamy texture with extra protein.
- Frozen spinach: Fresh spinach is fine too – just cook and drain about 16 ounces of fresh spinach to get the equivalent amount. Make sure to squeeze out all excess water.
- Pepper jack cheese: Any melting cheese works here – try monterey jack for less heat, or cheddar for a different flavor. Mozzarella is good too!
- Mini sweet bell peppers: These are pretty key to the recipe, but you could use regular bell peppers cut into larger pieces for a main dish version.
- Crushed crackers: Panko breadcrumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed pork rinds (for low-carb) all make good alternatives for the topping.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest challenge when making stuffed mini peppers is dealing with excess moisture – make sure to squeeze your thawed spinach really well using a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth, or you’ll end up with a watery filling that won’t hold its shape.
Temperature control is crucial here – using cold cream cheese will result in lumpy filling, so let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before mixing, and don’t skip cutting your peppers lengthwise and removing all seeds and membranes for the best filling-to-pepper ratio.
For perfectly cooked peppers that still maintain their shape, avoid overcrowding them in the baking dish, and keep an eye on the topping – the cracker and Parmesan mixture can go from golden to burnt quickly in the last few minutes of baking.
A helpful tip is to pre-bake the empty pepper halves for 5 minutes before stuffing them – this ensures they’ll be perfectly tender when the filling is hot and bubbly.
What to Serve With Stuffed Mini Peppers?
These cheesy stuffed peppers make a perfect appetizer, but you can easily turn them into a complete meal with a few simple additions. For a casual dinner spread, serve them alongside some warm pita bread or toasted baguette slices to scoop up any filling that might escape. A light green salad with a lemon vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the cream cheese and provides a fresh contrast to the warm peppers. If you’re serving these at a party, they pair really well with other finger foods like chicken wings, meatballs, or a charcuterie board – just make sure to have plenty of napkins handy!
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These stuffed peppers are great for making ahead! Once assembled but before baking, place them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. If you’ve already baked them, they’ll stay good in the fridge for about 3-4 days – just make sure they’re in a sealed container.
Freeze: While you can freeze these peppers, I find the texture of the cream cheese filling can get a bit grainy after thawing. If you want to freeze them anyway, store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, but skip adding the cracker topping until you’re ready to bake.
Warm Up: To reheat leftover stuffed peppers, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until they’re heated through. You can also use the microwave for 30-second intervals, though the cracker topping won’t stay as crispy this way.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-40 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1200-1400
- Protein: 40-50 g
- Fat: 80-90 g
- Carbohydrates: 80-90 g
Ingredients
- 8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 10 ounces thawed and drained frozen spinach
- 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 12 mini sweet bell peppers
- 1/2 cup crushed crackers
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Step 1: Prepare the Grill and Mix the Creamy Filling
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
While the grill is heating, in a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to blend the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
This will be the base of your spinach dip filling.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients for Spinach Dip
Add the drained spinach, pepper jack cheese, dried onion, and garlic powder to the blended cream cheese mixture.
Mix these ingredients together thoroughly until fully combined, creating a flavorful spinach dip for stuffing.
Step 3: Prepare the Mini Sweet Peppers
Cut the mini sweet peppers in half lengthwise, and carefully remove the membranes and seeds inside each pepper half.
This prepares them for stuffing and provides a neat pocket for the spinach dip.
Step 4: Stuff the Peppers and Grill
Stuff each sweet pepper half generously with the prepared spinach dip.
After stuffing, place the peppers on a grill pan, ensuring they are evenly spaced.
Transfer the grill pan onto the preheated grill and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers are heated through and the filling is warmed.
Step 5: Add the Toppings and Final Grill
Using hot pads, carefully remove the pan of stuffed peppers from the grill.
Sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top of the peppers, then add a pinch of shredded Parmesan to each pepper.
Return the pan to the grill for an additional 5 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Once the stuffed peppers have reached a beautiful golden brown, remove them from the grill.
Allow them to cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy these delightful, cheesy stuffed peppers as a delicious appetizer or snack!