Roasted Goat Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers (Printable version)
Sweet mini peppers roasted and filled with creamy herbed goat cheese for a colorful Mediterranean appetizer.
# What you'll need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 18 mini sweet peppers
→ Cheese Filling
02 - 7 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
03 - 2 tbsp cream cheese
04 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 clove garlic, minced
07 - 1 tsp lemon zest
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ For Roasting & Garnish
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 tsp balsamic glaze (optional)
12 - Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Wash the mini peppers thoroughly. Slice each pepper in half lengthwise and carefully remove the seeds and white membranes.
03 - Drizzle the pepper halves with 1 tbsp olive oil, coating evenly. Arrange them cut side up on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes, until peppers begin to soften but still maintain their shape.
05 - While peppers roast, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, chives, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until completely smooth and well incorporated.
06 - Remove the partially roasted peppers from the oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Generously fill each pepper half with the cheese mixture, mounding slightly.
07 - Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over the stuffed peppers. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 10 minutes, until peppers are tender and the cheese is heated through with light golden edges.
08 - Remove from the oven. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh herbs if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These little bites disappear faster than you can say appetizer, and people actually moan when they take their first bite
- They come together in under 40 minutes but look like you spent hours perfecting them
- The combination of sweet, savory, and creamy is somehow greater than the sum of its parts
02 -
- Overstuffing seems like a great idea until hot cheese oozes all over your baking sheet and burns, so slightly mounded is perfect
- These reheat surprisingly well at 175°C for about 8 minutes if you need to make them ahead
- The peppers continue softening after they come out of the oven, so pull them when they still have a tiny bit of resistance
03 -
- Room temperature cheese mixes smoother and fills peppers more evenly than cold cheese
- The parchment paper is non negotiable unless you enjoy scrubbing baked on cheese for 20 minutes