Roasted Goat Cheese Peppers (Printable Version)
Sweet mini peppers filled with herbed goat cheese, roasted until tender and golden for a warm savory bite.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 16 mini sweet peppers
→ Cheese Filling
02 - 5 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre)
03 - 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
04 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
05 - 2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, or basil)
06 - 1 tsp lemon zest
07 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
08 - Pinch of salt
→ Topping & Finishing
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
11 - Fresh parsley or basil, to garnish
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Rinse mini peppers, slice each one in half lengthwise, and carefully remove seeds and membranes.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, garlic, chopped herbs, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt. Mix until smooth and creamy.
04 - Fill each pepper half with the cheese mixture using a spoon or piping bag.
05 - Arrange stuffed peppers on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
06 - Roast in the oven for 18–20 minutes, or until peppers are tender and cheese begins to turn golden.
07 - Remove from oven. Top with toasted pine nuts (if using) and fresh herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between the sweet, slightly charred pepper and the tangy, herb flecked cheese filling is the kind of flavor combination that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
- They look effortlessly impressive on a platter but require zero technical skill, which means you can make them while chatting with a glass of wine in your other hand.
02 -
- Do not overfill the peppers because the cheese expands slightly as it heats and will spill over the edges and burn on the parchment if you are too generous.
- Toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan on the stove for two to three minutes before sprinkling them on makes an enormous difference in flavor compared to adding them raw.
03 -
- Taste the filling before you stuff the peppers and adjust the salt and lemon zest because goat cheese varies in tanginess from brand to brand and the seasoning should feel bright, not flat.
- A piping bag with a wide tip makes the stuffing process dramatically faster and neater than using a spoon, but a zip top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well in a pinch.