These tasty stuffed mini peppers are filled with a juicy mix of ground turkey, tomatoes, and cheese, wrapped in smoky bacon, and grilled until they’re melted and gooey. Sure, they’ll feed a crowd as an appetizer. But don’t be surprised if you want to devour the whole batch by yourself!
I have a life-long obsession with meaty, cheesy stuffed mini peppers. To this day, I’ll never pass up the chance to make them whether it’s on the stovetop, in the oven, or on the grill! Today’s bacon-wrapped and grilled stuffed mini peppers take all of 30 minutes to make and the flavor is outrageously good. They have a meaty, cheesy, tomato-ey filling, tucked inside a tender-crisp sweet pepper, wrapped in BACON. It doesn’t get much better.
Why I Love This Stuffed Mini Peppers Recipe
- Flavor-packed. Literally, the flavor is packed inside these bite-sized sweet peppers. There’s savory ground turkey and garlic, juicy sweetness from the peppers, and saltiness from the cheese and bacon. Together, it’s magic.
- Quick. I’ll often make these in the summer when my fridge’s crisper drawer is bursting with fresh mini sweet peppers. They take 30 minutes or less to stuff and grill, perfect when I need a last-minute appetizer.
- Customizable. Swap the ground turkey for beef, chicken, or pork, or make a vegetarian version with a meatless alternative and extra cheese. Make these spicy, add more veggies, and more! If you ask me, there’s no wrong way to stuff a mini pepper.
What You’ll Need
One more great thing about this stuffed mini pepper appetizer is that they’re gluten-free and low in carbs thanks to a few easy ingredients. I’ve included some notes on the filling ingredients here. Scroll down to the recipe card below the post for a printable list with the amounts you’ll need.
- Onion and Garlic – Any diced mild onion, like yellow onion, and freshly minced garlic cloves.
- Ground Turkey – I keep this recipe extra-lean with 98% fat-free ground turkey meat, but any ground meat works. You can also use a meatless mince to make these mini stuffed peppers vegetarian-friendly.
- Cheese – I use low-fat shredded cheddar, but you can use regular cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or another melty cheese. It’s also possible to leave off the cheese for a dairy-free version.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – I buy the Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, but you can substitute regular canned diced tomatoes if you’d like.
- Bacon – Low-sodium bacon, or any kind that comes in strips. Cut the strips in half so that they’re thin enough to wrap around the peppers.
Where Can I Find Sweet Mini Peppers?
Sweet mini peppers are easy to find in most produce aisles, or at farmer’s markets when they’re in season. They’re like a smaller version of bell peppers, and they come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow, and orange. Just make sure you’re not confusing them with hot chili peppers (i.e. jalapeño, serrano, etc. Unless, of course, you’re craving spicy, cheesy stuffed poblano peppers!).
How to Make Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
To make these smoky stuffed mini peppers wrapped in bacon, first, you’ll halve your sweet mini peppers lengthwise. Once those are ready to go, follow these steps:
- Make the filling. Take out a skillet and sauté the diced onion, garlic, and ground turkey, then add the canned tomatoes and green chilies.
- Stuff the peppers. Gather your mini pepper halves and fill each one with a spoonful of turkey mixture. Next, sprinkle cheese on top, and wrap each mini pepper with a strip of bacon before securing it with a toothpick.
- Get them to the grill. Grill the stuffed mini peppers over medium-high heat until the peppers are charred and the bacon is cooked to your desired crispiness. On my grill, that’s about 7-ish minutes.
Can I Use the Oven Instead?
Absolutely. Weather not cooperating? Grill out of order? Hungry for stuffed mini peppers in the wintertime? These stuffed mini sweet peppers turn out great in the oven, too. Set the oven to 375ºF and bake the stuffed peppers for 10 to 15 minutes, until they’re hot throughout and the bacon is crisped to your liking. You could even use the air fryer if you have one, just be sure to cook in batches so you don’t overcrowd the basket.
Can I Prep This Appetizer Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can get a headstart on the filling for this mini stuffed peppers recipe the day before. Brown the turkey and combine it with the tomatoes and chilies as written, and keep it in a container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble your peppers and grill. Making the filling ahead also gives the delicious flavors a chance to come together overnight.
Serving Suggestions
When my kids were younger, I used to make these bacon-wrapped stuffed mini peppers whenever I organized a mommies-only playdate. They were the perfect snack to compliment the non-stop flow of happy hour lemonade in the backyard. Now, I still make them when I have my girlfriends over, or whenever we have a barbecue or game day party. They’re delicious next to more appetizers like grilled BBQ chicken pizza, these crispy lemon pepper chicken wings, or fritto misto.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. These wrapped and stuffed mini peppers can be sealed in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing.
- Reheat. I like to reheat my peppers in the oven at 350ºF until they’re hot again. The oven helps crisp up the bacon (on that note, the air fryer also works well for this). You can use the microwave in a pinch, but the texture isn’t quite the same.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
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Sauté. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
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Make the filling. Stir in the ground turkey meat and continue to cook until the meat is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and green chilies; stir and remove from heat.
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Stuff the peppers. Fill the prepared pepper halves with the turkey meat filling and sprinkle over shredded cheese. Wrap a slice of bacon around each pepper and secure it with wooden picks.
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Grill. Preheat your outside grill to medium-high heat. Spray the grill rack with non-stick cooking spray, then place the peppers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes, or until the sides of the peppers are slightly charred and the bacon is cooked to a desired crispness.
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Serve. Take your stuffed mini peppers off the grill and serve warm.
- Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 375ºF and bake the stuffed peppers for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they’re heated through and the bacon is crispy to your liking.
- Prep Ahead: Brown the turkey and mix it with the tomatoes and chilies, then store it in a container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and grill the mini peppers.
Serving: 4g | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1.264IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
