In this blog I will give you a step by step guide on how to prepare Air Fryer Mini Peppers. If you’ve ever seen mini peppers at the grocery store, check out how awesome they are when you air fry them! Make this flavorful and unique side dish from crispy peppers coated in a savory garlic butter with Parmesan cheese.
How To Roast Mini Peppers In The Air Fryer
Roasting mini peppers in an air fryer is simple and fast. If you want to know how to roast mini peppers in the air fryer this is the quick recipe for you.
This is a 3 ingredient recipe. We keep it simple and toss the mini bell peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Of course, you can make this into your own special recipe by adding additional seasonings.
Consider this recipe a jumping off point.
The right side dish can really make a meal go from boring to spectacular, and this can be a wholesome, whole food side dish, snack, or the ingredients to some new amazing meal.
We buy those bags of sweet mini peppers at the store and I eat on them daily as a snack.
The natural sweetness of these little gems just makes them perfect as a snack or as a roasted side dish.
About prepping the mini peppers
There is no wrong way to prep these mini peppers for roasting. It is purely a matter of preference and presentation.
You can roast them whole.
You can cut the end off of them and roast them that way.
You can cut the end off and then cut them in half lengthwise.
One of the advantages of cutting them in half lengthwise before roasting is that you can rinse the seeds out of them.
I often choose not to do this because I don’t want to take the time. However, if I am cooking these sweet bell peppers for guests, I tend to do it that way.
But with that said, they really look beautifully roasted whole.
Like I said, there is no wrong way to roast a mini pepper.
How to roast mini peppers
The quickest way to roast mini peppers is in the air fryer. For this recipe you only need olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step 1: Wash and dry the mini peppers.
Step 2: Cut the stem ends off of the mini peppers.
Step 3: Add the peppers to a mixing bowl along with olive oil, a dash of salt and a dash of pepper.
Step 4: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
Step 5: Using tongs, place the mini peppers in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Step 6: Cook for six minutes.
Step 7: Open the air fryer basket and flip the peppers. Be sure to use oven-safe tongs.
At this step, take a look. Do they have the perfect char on them? Want them really dark or just barely roasted?
Step 8: Cook the peppers for an additional four. For a more charred pepper, cook for the full additional six minutes.
If you want to add a bit of extra flavor and flair to this recipe, drizzle balsamic vinegar over the roasted peppers before serving them.
That drizzle will be beautiful and tasty. Also, sprinkle a little sea salt on top of them.
AIR FRYER STUFFED MINI PEPPERS
Air Fryer Stuffed Mini Peppers are one of my favorite tasty treats to make – it can be an appetizer or a meal! Those bags of mini peppers are the perfect size for popping in your mouth! Filled with sausage, cream cheese and more – you’ll love them!
The other thing I love about Stuffed Mini Peppers is that they’re done in 8 minutes in your air fryer! They’re fun to make too – because you just slice the peppers in half and get your hands in and stuff them!
Can stuffed mini peppers be frozen?
I probably wouldn’t freeze them – they take about 5-10 minutes to put together and 8 minutes to cook – so not sure you’re saving much time. But if you wanted to make them the night before a gathering – they’d be fine in the refrigerator overnight before you cook them.
How to make Stuffed Mini Peppers
- In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, raw sausage, garlic powder, cheddar, and Worcestershire sauce with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Slice top off mini peppers and then slice in half lengthwise.
- Fill the sliced peppers with the filling using a spoon. The amount will vary based on the pepper size.
Here’s my ultimate list of best air fryer accessories – whether you have a basket- or oven-style! I’ve also included a price guide as well as my favorite recipes for those accessories.
- Place in air fryer basket
- Air fry at 360 for 8 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and peppers have softened.
- Allow to cool slightly before eating. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with Jalapeno Lime Ranch Dressing!
STUFFED MINI BELL PEPPERS WITH CHEESE ( AIR FRYER )
Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers with cheese are the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer. This delightful recipe is loaded with flavor and so easy to make.
STUFFED SWEET BELL PEPPER RECIPE
All you need is 5 basic ingredients to make these super delicious air roasted peppers. Bright and colorful peppers are filled with cheese, taco seasoning, and potatoes then baked / air fried till melty and delicious!
Potatoes make this recipe more filling and taco seasoning adds extra zesty flavor. This is the BEST air fryer stuffed pepper recipe you will make on repeat.
This easy, 20-minute recipe is gluten free. You can use air fryer, grill or oven to make it. These vegetarian stuffed peppers are healthy since only couple mists of oil spray is used in making them.
EASY SNACK / APPETIZER RECIPE
This gourmet recipe is perfect for game day snacking and tailgating. Great for an easy dinner, side dish, or party platter. And it is a crowd pleaser for summer gatherings like BBQ, picnic and potlucks.
You will also notice, kids love this recipe. So, it is a great way to get the whole family to eat more veggies!
These stuffed peppers have hearty filling which is loaded with flavors and texture. The spicy, creamy stuffing is perfect contrast to the sweet crunchy peppers! It’s love at first bite ..
SWEET MINI BELL PEPPERS
I simply love these little sweet peppers. I always buy them in a bag from Trader Joe’s. So bright and beautiful, they are instant mood boosters.
They are great for snacking especially with hummus. I add them in salads and other dinner recipes, and of course love them for stuffing recipes.
The mini bell peppers are excellent for stuffing. They hold their shape well and the flavor is subtle enough to go well with just about anything.
These peppers have a bit of sweet crunch when eaten raw. They cook quickly and soften up nicely. I love them slightly charred.
We use shredded Pepper Jack cheese for stuffing. It adds tad bit spicy taste. But feel free to swap in any other melty cheese that you have on hand.
The beauty of this recipe is that it is adaptable to your taste and preferences. This is our classic recipe—once you master it, feel free to start experimenting
- Swap for jalapeno or sweet banana peppers
- Skip potatoes and use only cheese and bread crumbs
- Change up taco seasoning to other flavors like Italian or Masala.
Nothing fancy or complicated here, just fresh, flavorful food tossed and layered together and baked / grilled until perfectly tender and tasty.
INGREDIENTS
Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s what I used
- Multi Color Mini Sweet Bell Peppers
- Boiled Mashed Potatoes
- Taco Seasoning
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Fresh Garlic
- Oil Spray
HOW TO MAKE
Boil the potatoes. Peel and mash them smooth
Wash the peppers and pat dry them using paper towel. Using a knife, slit top side of each pepper lengthwise. I leave the stem.
If there are some seeds and membranes – remove those with your fingers or with a paring knife.
In a mixing bowl, add mashed potatoes, minced garlic, cheese, taco seasoning, and salt. Mix the stuffing nicely.
Using a spoon, fill each pepper cavity with the stuffing.
Lightly spray some oil over the stuffed peppers. Arrange them in single layer on air fryer basket or baking sheet. Don’t over crowd.
Bake/Grill/air fry as per choice. The peppers are done in 8-10 minutes. They are done when they nicely sizzle and get some char.
Serve Hot. Enjoy !
BAKING / AIR FRYING TIME AND TEMPERATURE
- If making in the Oven : Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 15 minutes
- Cooking on Grill : Heat the grill and cook for 10 minutes.
- If using Air Fryer : Air Fry the Sweet Spicy Mini Peppers for 10 minutes at 375°F
AIR FRYER MINI PEPPER NACHOS
These vegetarian, low carb, and keto Air Fryer Pepper Nachos are SOOO delicious, and loaded with fresh veggie flavor. Topped with shredded cheese and your favorite nacho toppings, you’re going to love this easy and healthy air fryer snack!
We have been making good use of our Air Fryer on the weekends! Just a few weekends ago, I cooked up a batch of Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers, and shortly after that we enjoyed these delicious Air Fryer Pepper Nachos! They are made with adorable mini peppers, and topped with all the classic nacho toppings. This made for a delicious game day snack, without all the carbs and heaviness of the traditional plate of nachos!
I happen to think they are even better than classic nachos, as they are basically 100% nacho toppings, which everyone knows is the best part! We topped ours with sliced jalapeno peppers, black olives, chopped tomatoes, green onions, and chopped cilantro, but you can use your favorite nacho toppings and get creative! I think shredded chicken or seasoned taco meat would be a great addition here!
INGREDIENTS
- Mini peppers: These come in little bags at the supermarket. For this recipe you will need approximately 1 pound, which is roughly the size of one typical package.
- Shredded cheese: You can use cheese shredded from the block, but I opted for a shredded Mexican cheese blend. I find nachos are one of the few instances where pre-shredded cheese actually tastes better, but you can make these according to your preferences!
- Sliced jalapeno peppers: We used one gigantic jalapeno pepper, but you can use however many is your preference. I recommend seeding your peppers unless you like things VERY hot!
- PLUS popular nacho toppings like: chopped green onion, black olives, and chopped tomatoes.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your Air Fryer to 390F according to your manufacturers instructions, or for approximately 3 minutes.
Add the halved and seeded peppers to the crisping tray inside of your air fryer.
Sprinkle on the shredded cheese.
Top with black olives and jalapeno slices.
Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubby and beginning to brown.
Remove from the air fryer and top with green onions, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro!
Serve as is, or offer up optional bowls of sour cream and salsa for dunking. With conventional nachos, I am strictly a sour cream dipper, but these stood on their own deliciously and I didn’t need any dip whatsoever!
Note: For smaller air fryers, you may need to work in batches. I did for my smaller Ninja basket style, but oven style air fryers should have plenty of room. Just remove the first portion to a plate and finish up the second portion while eating the first little bit.
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Keto and low carb: Either serve as is, or add some browned and seasoned taco meat for extra protein!
Vegetarian: These nachos are a vegetarian recipe as written! Feel free to add your favorite nacho toppings to amp up the veggie portion.
Weight watchers: To be sure, submit this recipe into your app to see the points calculation. Based off of my estimations and a free online calculator, one serving is approximately 8 plus points or 9 smart points. This is based purely off the nutritional counts, and not accounting for the fact most of the vegetables will be 0 points, so it’s best to recalculate to be certain!
Dairy free: Substitute the shredded cheese for a dairy free shredded cheese substitute.
With meat: Before cooking in the air fryer, sprinkle on half of a pound of cooked and seasoned taco meat (beef or turkey). Layer on the cheese, jalapeno, and olives before air frying. Sprinkle on the remaining toppings after they come out of the air fryer.
OVEN INSTRUCTIONS
If you don’t have an air fryer (yet ), you can still make these yummy Mini Pepper Nachos in the oven! Bake them for 18-22 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 425F.