Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers are a creamy cheesy bite of joy for anyone who loves a good appetizer. Whip them up for any occasion to share with friends, family or go to town on your own…no oneโs judging. ๐
Have you ever seen the bags of sweet mini peppers in grocery stores and been intrigued but not know what to do with them?
Well.
I have the answer for you and itโs quite lovely and simple. Stuff them with cream cheese, bake them up, give them to your friends, and be the talk of the town.
One of the first recipes I posted on this site was my Cream Cheese Stuffed Baby Bell Peppers. Oddly enough, this recipe continues to be one of the most popular recipes on my site.
After buying my Ninja Air Fryer a few weeks ago I knew one of the first things I wanted to try was an air fryer cream cheese stuffed peppers recipe.
They turn out great! The peppers soften up, the cream cheese becomes nice and melty and youโre left with the perfect bite to pop in your mouth.
I probably donโt need to tell you that cream cheese stuffed sweet peppers are epic crowd pleasers…whatโs not to love about perfectly seasoned creamy cheese overtaking your senses with the perfect tang of pepper and a touch of heat to bring it all full circle?
Hereโs what you need to make these beauties happen.
Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers Ingredients:
Mini Sweet Peppers: The star of the show! Mini sweet peppers can be found in the produce section of the grocery store in a bag. There are typically 12 to 14 inside with an assortment of colors (red, orange, and yellow).
Donโt mistake mini sweet peppers for chilis! Although stuffed jalapenos and stuffed poblanos are also amazing, they are much spicier and donโt have the sweetness of mini peppers.
Avocado Oil: I drizzle a small amount of avocado oil over the peppers after cutting them to ensure that they stay well-lubricated during the air frying process. This is optional, but I think the oil helps bring out the flavor of the whole appetizer. Skip it if youโd like. ๐
Cream Cheese: The supporting role of the show…or arguably the star of the show, depending on your views of cream cheese. Cream cheese, when baked with mini sweet peppers, creates an inviting, gooey, creamy, tangy bite. Itโs one of those appetizers everyone loves because the flavors are just so spot on.
I always go with the full-fat version of cream cheese, but feel free to choose a lower fat option if thatโs your jam.
Mozzarella Cheese: Adding mozzarella cheese to the stuffing mixture adds a more complex cheesy flavor and also bonus goo. You can replace it with your cheese of choice if youโd like.
Jack, cheddar, and gouda cheese would be amazing too if you want to change up the flavor profile. You can actually omit this ingredient altogether if youโd like – itโs not mandatory, just encouraged.
Green Onion: Mandatory! Finely chopped green onions bring a fresh zing to the cream cheese. The concept is similar to a sour cream and onion dip…itโs just that amazing nearly indescribable flavor that seems to jive so well.
Garlic Powder: Another flavor maker, garlic powder levels up the
Sea Salt: To enhance flavor! Sea salt brings out all of the flavors involved in this appetizer so feel free to choose the salt level according to your personal preference.
Sriracha: A little heat to counterbalance the decadent cream from the cream cheese and mozzarella. Sriracha is optional but I love adding even a small amount to create more flavor complexity even if Iโm keeping it fairly mild.
For those of you who love spicy food, feel free to ramp up the amount of sriracha you use. You can also go with your favorite hot sauce – Frankโs red hot, Tapatio, tabasco, and Cholula are all great options.
How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers in the Air Fryer:
Pro Tip: Bring the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before you want to prepare the peppers to ensure itโs nice and softened. This will make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
Add the ingredients for the cream cheese filling to a mixing bowl and stir well until combined. If you have an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, either one will come in handy here.
Slice the tops off of the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove any seeds that are present.
Drizzle avocado oil over the peppers and use your hands to toss them together until everything is coated with a bit of oil.
Stuff the peppers with the cream cheese filling. Transfer 6 or so of them to the air fryer (in a single layer).ย
Press the Bake setting (not the Air Fry setting) and adjust the temperature for 360 and set the time for 8 minutes.
Allow the peppers to bake then carefully remove them from the air fryer and transfer to a plate. Repeat for the remaining peppers.
Serve and enjoy!
And that’s it! Quick, simple yet HUGE on flavor and all the cheesy creamy goodness in one bite!
Make these easy air fryer cream cheese stuffed mini peppers for any occasion!
Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 bag mini sweet peppers 14 peppers cut lengthwise and seeded
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 8-oz package cream cheese
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- 2 stalks green onion finely chopped
- ยฝ tsp garlic powder*
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sriracha optional
Instructions
- Add the ingredients for the cream cheese filling to a mixing bowl and stir well until combined. If you have an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, either one will come in handy here.
- Slice the tops off of the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove any seeds that are present.
- Drizzle avocado oil over the peppers and use your hands to toss them together until everything is coated with a bit of oil.
- Stuff the peppers with the cream cheese filling. Transfer 6 or so of them to the air fryer (in a single layer). Press the Bake setting (not the Air Fry setting) and adjust the temperature for 360 and set the time for 8 minutes.
- Allow the peppers to bake then carefully remove them from the air fryer and transfer to a plate. Repeat for the remaining peppers.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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More Appetizer Recipes:
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Chili Lime Glazed Shrimp Skewers – Sweet, tangy Chili Lime Glazed Grilled Shrimp can act as an appetizer or main entrรฉe! This quick and easy recipe requires only a few basic ingredients and hardly any time to prepare!
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Enjoy!
I LOVE these stuffed peppers! They are my go to snack now and I alternate with different cheeses! Took to a family cookout and they were a hit! I agree, they are best served warm and when at a bbq, they reheat well by popping them on the grill on foil for a few minutes. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
I’m so happy you enjoy them, Missy! I love the idea of using different cheeses – sounds wonderful!
I don’t think my air fryer has a “bake” setting (Cosori brand). Can I just air fry at the stated temp or do I have to make in an oven instead?
Hi Kathy! Apologies for the confusion! You can use the regular air fryer setting. No Bake button necessary ๐ xo
I have made this recipe many times and itโs my favorite way to eat these type of peppers. Itโs so easy to make and my whole family loves them. Iโm getting ready to make them again right now!
Yaay! So thrilled to hear it, Amy! I just love how quick, simple and delicious the recipe is too ๐ Definitely a great go-to!
This was the first thing I made in my air fryer. They were tasty! I didnโt have any green onion but minced onion and a little onion powder worked well. I need to go buy more peppers!
I’m so happy you enjoyed them, Dawn! Welcome to the wonderful world of air frying! xo
I would like to transport them to a function. Can they be served cold? How would you reheat?
I think they’re best when served warm. My preference would be reheating them in the air fryer or in the oven, but a microwave will work too!
How would I bake these in an oven instead of air fryer?
Hi Connie! I have a recipe for an oven-baked version. You can check it out here: https://yipinpo.com/cream-cheese-stuffed-baby-bell-peppers/
For the air fryer stuffed mini peppers could a dairy free cream cheese work? Thanks
Hi Lori!
I haven’t tested the recipe myself using a dairy-free cream cheese, but after doing some googling, it looks like it will work just fine! Let me know what you think! ๐ xoxox