To make stuffed mini peppers look like carrot-shaped appetizers, you don’t need much. A few basic ingredients and kitchen utensils, and a little bit of your time.
It is one of the Easter appetizers that comes together quickly and is customizable. You can serve it alongside an Easter charcuterie board or a carrot-shaped cheese ball, to keep the spring theme.
How to make stuffed mini peppers
Shopping list:
- Mini peppers – Preferably of orange color, but yellow will work too.
- Cream cheese – A possible substitution could be ricotta. Cottage cheese might also work, but I would probably whip it in a food processor and add an extra Parmesan. Or, try using Boursin cheese!
- Fresh herbs – Chives, parsley and dill. In case you wanted to use two types of herbs only, I suggest omitting parsley. If you do so, add more dill to the filling. If you are worried you will have a ton of leftover parsley on hand, you can use it to make pesto from scratch!
- Parmesan – It adds an extra saltiness and richness to the bell pepper filling.
- Seasoning – Salt and black pepper are the basic seasoning here, so add as much or as little as you like.
Tools and kitchen gadgets:
- Measuring cups and spoons – Or a scale. This can be done without either of them, though. You can eyeball the quantities, if necessary.
- Medium mixing bowl & spatula or fork – For mixing.
- Cutting board and knife – To finely chop the herbs.
- Small baking sheet/tray (a quarter size – 9x13-inch (23x33-centimeters) is a good size) – When making these a day in advance, use an airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible.
The preparation for stuffed mini peppers consists of four steps:
First, is cleaning the mini peppers, then preparing the filling and stuffing the peppers. Finally, adding a few sprigs of dill to make them look like mini carrots. It’s one of the easiest spring appetizers you can make!
Note: The measurements and full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Frequently asked questions
I don’t recommend doing so. This recipe for stuffed mini sweet peppers tastes best when using fresh herbs. They are the best option! If you don’t want to use all three of them, pick two.
Stir in garlic powder or sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
Yes! You can stuff the mini peppers up to a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, and add the green herb tops (like parsley or dill) just before serving for the freshest look.
Absolutely! Using a piping bag (or even a resealable bag with the tip snipped off) helps fill the peppers quickly and cleanly.
Definitely—just use a plant-based cream cheese for the filling, and swap the Parmesan with a vegan alternative. Be sure all ingredients are dairy-free.
Julia’s tips
- Make sure to rinse and pat dry each mini pepper before you fill them!
- The filling for mini stuffed peppers should be thick but still easily spreadable. It will thicken more in the fridge.
Other appetizers perfect for Easter
- Jalapeno Deviled Eggs – These are so good, especially topped with bacon!
- Mini Egg Salad Sandwiches – For Easter brunch – Great way to use up all the eggs!
- BLT Egg Sliders – Why not try something different? Put these on your Easter menu to see how your guests like them.
Carrot-Shaped Stuffed Mini Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 yellow mini bell peppers
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened (240 grams))
- ¼ cup Parmesan (finely grated, see note 1 (20 grams))
- ¼ cup chives (fresh, finely chopped)
- ¼ cup parsley (fresh, finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- fresh dill (a bunch)
Instructions
- Cut each mini bell pepper in half lengthwise and remove all the seeds and membranes. Place onto a small tray/baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, grated Parmesan, chopped chives, salt, black pepper and a tablespoon of finely chopped dill until well combined.
- Use a fork or spoon to fill the halved peppers. Don’t overfill, you can add more later if you have any leftover mixture. Place back onto the baking sheet.
- Finally, add a little sprig of fresh dill.
- Chill before serving.
Notes
- Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) can be substituted with Grana Padano or Pecorino.
- Make ahead: You can easily make these several hours ahead and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container. When making them a day in advance, note that the peppers will lose some of their crunchiness.
- Add more seasoning if you feel it is needed. Every salt has a different level of saltiness, plus what tastes salty to me might not taste salty to you.
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