Grilled vegetables are one of my favorite things about summer and these cheese-stuffed peppers are perfect for satisfying my grilled veggie cravings. Like most grill recipes, these are simple and easy. You might want to bookmark this recipe for future backyard barbecues that you may be hosting. It’s great for entertaining!
Here’s what you’ll need:
Mini bell peppers (usually sold in 2 pound bags)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan or other grated cheese
3-4 tablespoons prepared pesto or a bunch of fresh basil leaves
Rinse off the peppers and cut off the stems with a small sharp knife. Keep the stem caps – you’ll put the stems back on the peppers once they are stuffed.
Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers. I think it’s easiest to scrape them out with a small spoon or melon baller.
Set aside the peppers and prepare the filling. Mix together the cream cheese, ricotta, Parmesan and pesto (if you’re using fresh basil, omit the pesto).
Then fill each pepper with some of the cheese mixture using a small spoon, spatula, or piping bag. If you didn’t include pesto, put one basil leaf in each pepper before filling with the cheese mixture.
Remember to put the stem cap back on each pepper after filling!
Now they’re ready for grilling! You might want to put the peppers on a piece of foil while grilling, so all the cheese doesn’t ooze out. Also, if you don’t have a grill, you can alternatively use your oven. Just bake the peppers at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Your peppers are ready when they’ve softened. Delicious! I think I could eat about 10 of these cheese-stuffed baby peppers at one time. What’s your favorite grilled appetizer?
