Stuffed hot peppers (baked not fried) are far from the greasy bar food of your memories, but with all the flavor! Great to spice up an everyday meal or add to your next party spread. Use up those summer peppers at their peak.
So why are these stuffed hot peppers such a great appetizer? Delicious, of course, but also healthier and less messy than fried gooey poppers. You will love the creamy filling topped with crunchy panko crumbs and a zesty finish. They are small in size but really big on taste!
WHAT TYPE OF HOT PEPPERS SHOULD I USE?
Any type of pepper will work with my recipe. It all depends on how hot you like your food. Traditional jalapenos or hungarian wax are common but I often use peppers with less heat.
My family likes mild to medium heat so I generally use mariachi, poblano or anaheim peppers. I have even made these appetizers with peppers that are not hot at all, such as cubanelle and added a little more spice to my filling. A helpful hint is to use a variety of peppers so you can please everyone’s taste buds.
If researching a new pepper to try, check out the Scoville scale which measures the heat of the pepper. Each variety has a different concentration of capsaicin. The higher the number, the hotter the pepper. Peppers with the most heat can go up to 16,000,000 on the scale! Here is a great chart to see the Scoville heat level of peppers from Chili Pepper Madness.
HOW TO MAKE STUFFED HOT PEPPERS (BAKED NOT FRIED)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slit hot peppers with triangular cuts to allow for easy filling. Remove seeds and membrane.
Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, chipotle powder, cumin and lime juice to food processor and mix well.
Fill hot peppers with mixture even to top of pepper.
In a medium bowl, mix the egg with the bread crumbs until well blended. Spoon on top of peppers. Press crumbs lightly to stick to cheese filling.
Place peppers cut side up on cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone non-stick baking mat. Pour a small amount of olive oil on each pepper before baking.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
TIPS/RECIPE NOTES
- I use mild and medium heat peppers but you can use hot depending on your taste.
- If using hot peppers, be careful to remove all the seeds. Much of the heat of the pepper is in the seed so you will increase the spiciness if all seeds are not removed.
- I cut a triangular shape on my peppers for easy filling.
- I strongly recommend using gloves when working with hot peppers. The capsaicin in the peppers gives them their spicy hot flavor, but can cause a burning sensation if the peppers come in contact with your skin, especially the face and eyes.
- Stuffed hot peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER DELICIOUS APPETIZERS
Shared at Weekend Potluck
Stuffed Hot Peppers (Baked not Fried)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slit hot peppers with triangular cuts to allow for easy filling. Remove seeds and membrane.
- Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, chipotle powder, cumin and lime juice to food processor and mix well.
- Fill hot peppers with mixture even to top of pepper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the egg with the bread crumbs until well blended. Spoon on top of peppers. Press crumbs lightly to stick to cheese filling.
- Place peppers cut side up on cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone non-stick baking mat. Pour a small amount of olive oil on each pepper before baking.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.