I am so fascinated with the peppers; today, it turned into Stuffed Shishito peppers. It's ultra delicious, not too hot, and not too sweet, succulent finger food for game day or a party crowd.
I LOVE these stuffed shishito peppers(with the irresistible flavors of mild peppers and cool cream cheese), which I enjoy with my family or friends on chilly evenings.
Stuff the peppers with pantry staple ingredients and pop them in the oven. That's it-a super quick party appetizer (like these peanut butter-stuffed jalapenos) is ready to serve in a flash.
As you take a bite, you'll first feel the rich, peppery flavors hit your palate, and then the fabulous cream cheese soothes it.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️The classic blend of cream cheese and peppers is always fabulous.
⭐️You can resist taking off your hands after the first bite!
⭐️Quick & easy to make!
Ingredients
- Shishito pepper: These peppers are easy to find in specialty grocery stores or farmers' markets during the summer. My local Wegmans store carries them year-round.
- Cream cheese: If you prefer, you can opt for low-fat cream cheese. Vegan cream cheese is the closest substitute for a vegan diet.
- Garlic powder: Provides a robust flavor and extra punch.
- Red pepper flakes: I added them to add a spice kick.
How To Make Stuffed Shishito Pepper?
Shishito peppers have more hollow space inside, which makes them great for stuffing.
- Prepping: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and clean the peppers. Make a slit lengthwise by leaving a quarter inch at the top and bottom of each pepper.
- Mixing: Add cream cheese, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to a small mixing bowl, then whisk until fluffy.
- Stuffing: Using a teaspoon, mix the cream cheese into the peppers, then arrange them on a baking tray.
- Baking: Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the peppers start to blister. Take it out of the oven.
- Serving: Serve stuffed Shishito peppers as soon as they're made (since their skin is tender and tends to flatten after 10 minutes).
♨️How To Adjust The Heat
- These stuffed Shishito peppers are generally mild and perfect for the entire family. But occasionally, you may experience a spicier one(every shishito pepper is unique, even from the same plant).
- If you worry about its heat, remove the seeds and the white membrane while prepping the peppers.
Serving Suggestions
- As an appetizer: Think of game day or a party gathering. This stuffed Shishito pepper would be a perfect bite-sized snack. Serve them on a platter or with a dip (like this Cajun aioli or Sriracha aioli).
- As a side, it's fantastic to pair up with steak or pork chops.
Storage & Reheating
- You can also repurpose leftover stuffed peppers into a salad, toss them with pasta, or enjoy them as they are.
- You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two months.
- To reheat, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat using the oven or the air fryer at 350°F until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shishito peppers are a popular pepper variety in Japanese cuisine. They are long, finger-sized peppers that are typically mild to non-habanero hot.
Yes, you can make them ahead of time. Stuff the peppers with cream cheese, refrigerate them for a day, and pop them into the oven just before serving.
You can substitute cream cheese with vegan cream cheese, ricotta, or goat cheese.
Air frying is a fantastic alternative. Arrange them without crowding and air fry for 4 minutes or until the skin starts blistering.
📖 Recipe
Stuffed Shishito Peppers
Ingredients
- 20 Shishito Peppers
- 1 cup Cream cheese
- 2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and clean the Shishito peppers. Make a slit lengthwise on each pepper, leaving a quarter inch at the top and bottom uncut.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Whip the ingredients until you achieve a fluffy consistency.
- Using a teaspoon, stuff each Shishito pepper with the cream cheese mixture.
- Arrange the stuffed peppers on a baking tray.
- Bake the peppers in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes or until the peppers start to blister.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the peppers cool a bit before serving.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shishito peppers are mild, but in rare cases, they may have a little heat. If you're concerned about spiciness, taste-test the seeds before prepping.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, thaw frozen peppers in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until warm.
These are amazing! I was worried they'd be spicy but they were perfect and the flavors combined so nicely!
Jennifer, thank you so much for your kind words