Normally when people think of pepper poppers they think jalapeno. However for those of you where even a jalapeno is too spicy, you can use sweet peppers. These peppers have the same size and shape as jalapeno, but taste more like a bell pepper. Of course, just like regular jalapeno poppers, you should wrap these sweet pepper poppers in bacon for extra deliciousness. If you are the type to prefer extra hot, you can go there too with my cayenne chili poppers!
There are so many variations and ways to make these sweet pepper poppers, so feel free to change up the recipe if needed. The four main ingredients are simply the sweet peppers, Philadelphia cream cheese, a shredded cheese blend, and bacon. For example on my gourmet jalapeno poppers I use goat cheese instead of the regular cream cheese. Have fun with it!
To start, mix together the cream cheese and shredded cheese blend. You can also add seasonings like oregano, freshly cracked black pepper, or garlic powder, but I’ll leave that up to you. I personally just add about a tbsp of cracked black pepper. You may notice I didn’t say salt, and that’s because, depending on the bacon you use, you might not need it. Bacon can be salty enough so I suggest being careful with how much extra salt you add!
Slice the sweet peppers in half and scoop out the veins and seeds. They are not spicy, but it does make some extra room for more filling. Then, use a little teaspoon to add the filling to the peppers. Compact it tightly.
Next take a strip of bacon and wrap the peppers. If the bacon is too long feel free to cut a bit off. It is best to wrap them on the diagonal so they overlap slightly. This will help seal in the cream cheese when they cook and prevent leakage. Finally stick them with a toothpick so the bacon doesn’t get unraveled.
This next step has a few different options. How do you cook sweet pepper poppers? Well, I like to do it on the bbq. Just put the bbq on medium high and plop the bacon wrapped peppers right on the grate. Cook for about five minutes, flip, and cook for another five minutes. Then remove and put on a serving tray.
If you prefer to cook these in the oven then you can do that as well. Preheat your oven to 180C on convection, place the peppers on a parchment lined tray (can use silicone baking mat as well) and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove and serve!
You can serve these with a variety of dips, but I prefer to just eat them as is! These sweet pepper poppers make great party food, and are an excellent addition to family potlucks, super bowl parties, or just family game night. Enjoy!
Sweet Pepper Poppers
Equipment
- Knife
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Oven or BBQ
Ingredients
- 250 grams Sweet Peppers you might need more or less depending on the actual size of the peppers
- 200 grams Cream Cheese Philadelphia of course
- 100 grams Shredded Cheese I used a Mexican cheese blend, but feel free to use whatever you prefer
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper freshly cracked, optional
- 1 pack Bacon
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, pepper (and any other seasonings you want to add)
- Slice the peppers lengthways and spoon in the cream cheese filling.
- Wrap the stuffed peppers with the bacon, cutting off any excess. Stick with a toothpick.
- Place the peppers on a grill on medium high for 5 minutes per side. Remove and serve. If you are using an oven then bake at 180C (360F) for 15 minutes.
