These irresistible low carb Cream Cheese Chorizo Stuffed Mini Peppers are a bright and cheerful addition to your appetizer menu. They are a delicious low calorie choice for any occasion!
I had been spying the bags of colorful, sweet mini peppers in the produce department on my shopping trips and I finally decided it was time to grab one and do something delicious with it. I am SO glad I did! These Cream Cheese Chorizo Stuffed Mini Peppers are one of my favorite new small bite appetizers and I know they will be making a regular appearance on my appetizer menus from now on.
Using the right ingredients makes these seemingly indulgent stuffed mini peppers low in fat and calories and an awesome low carb choice.
And, they are so, so good! The sweet mini peppers are cooked until tender and the creamy, flavorful filling is completely irresistible!
Ingredients
- Peppers – Most major grocery store chains carry bagged mini sweet peppers in assorted colors. You’ll need 1 pound or about 15 peppers.
- Sausage – I used Jennie-O Chorizo Seasonings Turkey Sausage and it was absolutely perfect for this recipe. It adds tons of flavor and a bit of a kick but is FAR lower in fat and calories than traditional chorizo sausage. You can use any type of ground sausage you love but to keep things light, go with turkey if you can. Soyrizo (soy based chorizo) is widely available now and a great substitute to keep it vegetarian.
- Cream cheese – Look for ⅓ less fat cream cheese which, if you look at the small print on the box, is actually Neufchatel cheese. It is sold side by side with regular cream cheese and in my opinion is pretty indistinguishable from the full fat version. It’s a fabulous way to reduce the fat in your recipes that call for cream cheese.
Instructions
The key to ensuring your peppers will be perfectly tender is to pre-bake them before stuffing them and returning them to the oven for a second bake.
- Slice off the stem end of the peppers and slice them in half vertically. Remove the seeds and trim the ribs. Arrange pepper halves in a single layer, cut side up, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to a preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for 8 minutes, just to soften them slightly. They will soften a bit more on the second bake.
- While the peppers are cooking, cook the turkey chorizo sausage in a non-stick skillet, using a spoon to break it up as it cooks. Allow it to cool slightly.
- Make the filling by combining softened cream cheese with shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, salt, pepper and the cooked, crumbled chorizo turkey sausage in a small bowl.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- When the peppers are cool enough to handle, fill them with the cream cheese mixture, pressing edges of the peppers in slightly to cup the filling. Be careful not to over-stuff them or the filling will spill out when cooking.
- Bake the stuffed peppers another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the peppers are just tender to the touch. If you’d like to slightly brown the tops, switch the oven to broil and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, watching closely. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes to set up a bit.
- Garnish with additional sliced green onions or cilantro, if desired, and serve warm.
More Healthy Appetizer Ideas
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
- Easy No Cook Salsa
- Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots
- Mango Avocado Corn Salsa
- Lightened Up Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Cream Cheese Chorizo Stuffed Mini Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 pound mini sweet peppers, about 15, assorted colors
- 4 ounces turkey chorizo sausage, like Jennie-O Chorizo Seasonings Turkey Sausage (or Soyrizo for vegetarian)
- 8 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese, or full fat, softened
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped cilantro or additional thinly sliced green onions, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice off and discard the stem end of the peppers and slice them in half vertically. Remove the seeds and trim the ribs. Arrange the pepper halves in a single layer, cut side up, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 8 minutes, just to slightly soften them.
- While the peppers are cooking, coat a nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the chorizo turkey sausage and cook, using a spoon to break it up, until crumbled and cooked through. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, green onions, salt and pepper to a small bowl and mix well to combine. Add the cooked chorizo turkey sausage and mix again.
- Remove the peppers from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- When the peppers are cool enough to handle, fill them with the cream cheese mixture, pressing edges of the peppers in slightly to cup the filling. Be careful not to over-stuff them or the filling will spill out when cooking.
- Bake the stuffed peppers another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the peppers are tender to the touch. If you'd like to slightly brown the tops, switch the oven to broil and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, watching closely. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes to set up a bit.
- Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Most major grocery store chains carry bagged mini sweet peppers in assorted colors. You’ll need 1 pound or about 15 peppers.
- I used Jennie-O Chorizo Seasonings Turkey Sausage and it was absolutely perfect for this recipe. It adds tons of flavor and a bit of a kick but is FAR lower in fat and calories than traditional chorizo sausage. You can use any type of ground sausage you love but to keep things light, go with turkey if you can. Soyrizo (soy based chorizo) is widely available now and a great substitute to keep it vegetarian.
- Look for 1/3 less fat cream cheese which, if you look at the small print on the box, is actually Neufchatel cheese. It is sold side by side with regular cream cheese and in my opinion is pretty indistinguishable from the full fat version. It’s a fabulous way to reduce the fat in your recipes that call for cream cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home. All information provided regarding nutrition on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Content related to nutrition is not medical advice nor is it intended to replace medical advice. The website is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Before beginning any diet program, modifying your diet, or making changes to the diet of a child in your care, including following the nutrition information available on the website, you should seek advice from a licensed professional.
Hi, how could I make these in an air fryer? Thank you.