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Is there a more perfect finger food than stuffed mini peppers? I think not, my friends.
First of all, you can hold them by their little stems and drop them in your mouth without making a mess everywhere. Second of all, they’re just so darn cute. I mean, look at them.
The inspiration for these came from an appetizer that was served at our wedding reception several years ago. I was so excited and distracted that night that I didn’t get a chance to eat a single one but everyone raved about how delicious they were.
They were stuffed with an herbed goat cheese and topped with balsamic reduction. Just 3 simple ingredients, assuming you can find cheese with herbs already blended in. If not, it takes all of 5 minutes to chop up your favorite fresh herbs and stir them in.
The first couple of times I made these (years ago, after we got married) I used goat cheese but now that I’m avoiding dairy, I’ve found that cashew cheese makes a great substitute. Or you can also use store bought vegan cream cheese to keep things easy.
Once the peppers are cleaned out, they get baked in the oven for a quick 5 minutes, just long enough to make them slightly tender but still crisp. Then they’re stuffed with the herbed cheese and topped off with a tangy sweet balsamic reduction.
I have to confess that I’m terrible at making my own balsamic reduction. I get impatient and walk away then the next thing I know it’s hard as a rock and I have to spend the next 15 minutes scrubbing the skillet clean. With nothing to show for it!
Needless to say, I’m thankful for Alessi’s Balsamic Reduction because it saves me a lot of time and effort. I also love that it doesn’t contain any funky ingredients or preservatives. Just balsamic vinegar and cane sugar. That’s it.
They have a wide variety of flavors that you can use for all kinds of delicious recipes.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy appetizer idea then I highly recommend trying these Herbed Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers. They’re sure to be a hit. Enjoy!
