Easy grilled stuffed jalapenos and mini sweet peppers appetizers, the ultimate game-changer recipe ready in 30 minutes! These poppers are a perfect blend of cream cheese, spicy peppers, sweet peppers, spices and flavors waiting to set your taste buds ablaze!
These cream cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers on the grill and sweet peppers are a staple every summer at our home, usually with a refreshing frozen peach margarita. They are so simple, easy, and tasty little poppers and I share my best tip for making them low fat. Be sure to also try our sausage stuffed portobello mushrooms (on the grill), healthy stuffed peppers, and spinach stuffed chicken breast recipe too!
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 7 to 9 minutes on a medium grill
- ⏳ Total Time: about 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4
- ⚡ Calories: 230kcal per serving, per the recipe card
- 🥣 Ingredients: jalapenos, mini sweet peppers, cream cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, zucchini, cilantro, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and spicy, creamy and smoky
- ✋ Difficulty: Halve, fill, grill
Quick Answer
Preheat the grill to medium. Halve 6 jalapenos and 12 mini sweet peppers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and membranes, leaving the stems. Mix 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1 cup shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, 1 cup diced zucchini, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ½ teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cumin and ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brush the peppers with olive oil, stuff them and press the filling down. Grill cream cheese side up with the lid closed for 7 to 9 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Cool a few minutes and top with paprika, chili peppers or sesame seeds.
Jump to:
- Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why These Stuffed Peppers Grill So Well
- Why These Are the Best Stuffed Grilled Jalapenos
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
- Expert Tips
- More Appetizers for Your Next Party
- Stuffed Jalapeno FAQs
- More Grilled Recipes
- Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos and Mini Sweet Peppers Recipe
Prepared with a unique blend of spices, fresh and quality ingredients, these delicious morsels offer a harmonious balance of heat, sweetness, and creamy savory delight. Pairs delightfully with a skinny margarita on the rocks or fresh watermelon juice. You can even stuff these grilled jalapenos in juicy grilled burgers.
Why These Stuffed Peppers Grill So Well
Click to see why it works
- Seeds and membranes come out. That keeps the jalapenos from being too hot and makes room for the filling.
- Oil on the bottoms. Brushing the peppers with olive oil keeps them from sticking to the grill.
- Cream cheese side up. The filling melts and browns on top while the pepper softens underneath.
- Lid closed, medium heat. The peppers turn tender in 7 to 9 minutes without burning.
- Zucchini stretches the filling. My husband loves it because you can't even taste it.
Why These Are the Best Stuffed Grilled Jalapenos
- Perfect for any gathering. Whether it's a party appetizer, a festive snack, or an indulgent treat for yourself, these grilled stuffed mini sweet peppers and jalapenos are perfect for any gatherings and barbeques and promise to leave you craving more.
- Grain-free, keto, and gluten-free.
- A sweet-and-spicy party in the mouth! The combination of stuffing jalapenos and sweet peppers and eating them together means everyone will be asking for more!
- Easy party pairings. Serve alongside tuna crostini tuna melts and cucumber feta bites.
Key Ingredients
- Peppers - jalapeno peppers and mini sweet peppers.
- Cream cheese filling - zucchini, cream cheese, shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, and chopped fresh cilantro. You can skip the zucchini or replace it with cooked sausage, chopped spinach, or chopped mushrooms for extra nutrients.
- Spices in filling - onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper (this is such a flavorful combination similar to what I use in my southwest sauce on these Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes).
- Olive oil - for brushing, and red chili peppers, paprika or sesame seeds are optional for topping.
As always, see recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- Bacon-Wrapped: For an extra indulgent hearty twist, wrap each stuffed pepper with a slice of bacon before grilling. Use a toothpick to secure it. Keep the grill on medium heat and grill a little longer until the bacon is cooked and crispy. You can also use turkey bacon.
- Make It Vegan: These mini cheesy Mexican stuffed peppers are vegetarian, and to make it vegan use vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese.
- Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos: Chop up chicken sausage or use cooked ground sausage, about 1 cup or two sausage links in place of the zucchini. Cook the same way.
- Give It A Spicy Kick: Add a touch of heat to the cream cheese mixture by mixing in some diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Mediterranean Style: Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese to the cream cheese mixture for a Mediterranean-inspired filling.
- Turn It Into Smoky Chipotle: Add some chipotle chili powder or minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the cream cheese mixture for a smoky and spicy flavor.
How to Make Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
1Prepare the peppers. Preheat your grill to medium heat. Cut the jalapenos and mini sweet peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. You can leave the stems.
2Make the filling. In a bowl mix together the cream cheese, cheese, zucchini, cilantro and spices until well combined.
3Oil the peppers. Brush the bottom of the peppers with olive oil to prevent sticking to the grill.
4Stuff them. Stuff the jalapeno halves and mini sweet peppers and, using your hands, press down to secure the filling.
5Grill. Place the stuffed peppers on the preheated grill, cream cheese side up, and cook for about 7-9 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Keep the grill closed and check on them during cooking.
6Cool and top. Remove from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with paprika, chili peppers or sesame seeds (for crunch).
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Make them low fat. Whole stuffed jalapenos and mini peppers with cream cheese can get a bad rap for being high in fat, which is great for a keto diet. But to make healthy stuffed jalapenos you can use whipped cream cheese or light cream cheese with light shredded cheese to make this a low fat recipe.
- Watch the grill. Grilling time may vary depending on the heat of your grill and how stuffed the peppers are, so keep an eye on the peppers to avoid burning. If they start to burn turn the heat down and continue cooking until they are slightly tender and cheese melts.
- Leave the stems on. They make the peppers easy to pick up.
- Make them ahead. Assemble, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, then grill.
- Want them milder? Scrape out every seed and membrane.
More Appetizers for Your Next Party
Round out the party table with Crostini Tuna Melts, Cucumber Bites With Feta and Mint and my Best Salsa Recipe.
Something to sip: a Skinny Margarita, a Frozen Peach Margarita or Watermelon Juice.
Stuffed Jalapeno FAQs
Grill the mini jalapenos and sweet peppers stuffed on the grill for 7-9 minutes until the peppers become tender, the tops are lightly brown and cheese is melted.
Yes! This is the perfect appetizer to make ahead of time. Just assemble everything together and cover it with plastic wrap. Set it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until you are ready to grill.
If you choose to smoke these stuffed jalapenos and mini red peppers on wood rather than directly on the grill, cook them in a smoker at 225 degrees F for 1.5 to 2 hours until tender and cheese melts.
You do not need to boil the jalapenos before stuffing them, unless you want them very tender. I prefer them with a slight crunch and stuff them without parboiling. If you choose to parboil them first, cut them halfway then remove the seeds first.
Capsaicin is what makes jalapenos hot and is in the seeds. Removing the seeds helps the jalapenos be "less hot" or "spicy" as does grilling it. As the jalapenos are heated, the spicy heat diminishes slightly and the peppers become less hot.
Keep the grill on medium heat and grill a little longer until the bacon is cooked and crispy. Secure each slice of bacon with a toothpick. Turkey bacon works too.
More Grilled Recipes
Keep the grill going with Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, Juicy Grilled Hamburgers, Grilled Swordfish Kabobs and Grilled Stuffed Peaches. If you make this easy grilled stuffed jalapenos and sweet peppers recipe I would love to see your creations and share it! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos and Mini Sweet Peppers Recipe
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Equipment
- Grill
Ingredients
- 12 mini sweet peppers
- 6 jalapenos
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese or light or regular cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar cheese
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium heat and prepare the peppers. Cut the jalapenos and mini sweet peppers by cutting them half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. You can leave the stems.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded cheese, diced zucchini, cilantro, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Stuff the jalapeno halves and mini sweet peppers and using your hands, press down to secure the filling.
- Brush the stuffed peppers with olive oil to prevent sticking to the grill.
- Place the stuffed peppers on the preheated grill, cream cheese side up, and cook for about 7-9 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Keep the grill closed and check on them during cooking.
- Remove from the grill and let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with paprika, chili peppers or sesame seeds (for crunch).
Notes
- Bacon-Wrapped: For an extra indulgent hearty twist, wrap each stuffed pepper with a slice of bacon before grilling. Use a toothpick to secure it. What temp to grill bacon wrapped jalapenos? Keep the grill on medium heat and grill a little longer until the bacon is cooked and crispy. You can also use turkey bacon.
- Make It Vegan: Use vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese for a vegan version.
- Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos: Chop up chicken sausage or use cooked ground sausage, about 1 cup or two sausage links in place of the zucchini. Cook the same way.
- Give It A Spicy Kick: Add a touch of heat to the cream cheese mixture by mixing in some diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Mediterranean Style: Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese to the cream cheese mixture for a Mediterranean-inspired filling.
- Turn It Into Smoky Chipotle: Add some chipotle chili powder or minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the cream cheese mixture for a smoky and spicy flavor.
Karly says
I don't want these peppers in my life, I need these peppers in my life. They look perfectly creamy and cheesy and straight up dreamy. MUST try them soon!
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Karly,
These peppers are incredible! I've also stuffed portabella mushrooms with the filling too:-)