Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers (Printable version)

Colorful sweet peppers stuffed with a creamy three-cheese blend and air-fried to tender perfection.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 16 mini sweet peppers (about 1 lb), halved and seeded

→ Cheese Filling

02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
04 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Pinch of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, Parmesan, chives, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.
03 - Fill each mini pepper half generously with the cream cheese mixture, smoothing the tops with a spoon.
04 - Arrange the stuffed peppers in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the tops are lightly golden.
05 - Carefully remove from the air fryer. Let cool for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter.
06 - Garnish with fresh parsley and a pinch of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The air fryer creates this perfect tender crisp situation that oven roasting takes twice as long to achieve
  • You can prep the filling ahead and stuff them right before guests arrive
  • These disappear faster than any other appetizer I have ever served
02 -
  • I once tried to stuff these ahead and the moisture from the peppers made the filling weirdly watery
  • Do not crowd the air fryer basket or they will steam instead of roast and you lose that beautiful blistered skin
03 -
  • Mix everything in a zip top bag and snip off the corner to pipe the filling into the peppers like a pro
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well at 175°C for about 3 minutes if you somehow have any

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