Spanish Stuffed Mini Peppers
These Spanish-inspired stuffed mini peppers feature a creamy goat cheese and Spanish chorizo stuffing with a date and sherry vinaigrette. These little stuffed sweet or piquillo peppers make a simple but elegant tapas or appetizer...
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Spanish chorizo - 1/4" dice
- 2 shallots - minced
- 8 ounces goat cheese (chêvre) - softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - stripped from stems
- 2 teaspoons flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
- ¼ cup Spanish olives - sliced (optional)
- fresh ground pepper
- 12 peppers - cut a lengthwise slit if piquillo peppers, or slice in half lengthwise if fresh mini peppers
Vinaigrette
- 6 dates - pitted
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley - minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- several grinds pepper
Garnishes
- ¼ cup slivered almonds - toasted
- fresh thyme and/or parsley - chopped
Instructions
Prep
- Par cook the peppers if using fresh. Bring them to a boil over high heat. Gently boil about 1 minute. Rinse with cool water.
- If using piquillo peppers, rinse and drain. Pat dry.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
The Goat Cheese Filling
- Sauté the diced chorizo over medium-high heat until fat begins to render. Add shallots, and cook until shallot is soft (about 2 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to lift the chorizo/shallot mixture out of the fat, and add to a medium prep bowl.
- Add the softened goat cheese, chorizo, shallot, chopped olives (if using), fresh herbs, sea salt, and several grinds of pepper to a mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine.
Assemble the Mini Stuffed Peppers
- Your peppers - whether using fresh or piquillo - should be prepared at this point!
- Spoon the mixture into the peppers. Arrange in the roasting pan.
- Place in preheated oven, and cook until warmed through for piquillo peppers (about 15 minutes), or about 20 minutes for fresh peppers.
The Date Vinaigrette
- Meanwhile, add the vinaigrette ingredients to the bowl of your blender or food processor. Pulse until mixture is very smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water to thin it.
To Serve
- Drizzle each pepper with some of the vinaigrette. Garnish with toasted almonds and chopped fresh herbs as desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Delallo Grilled Piquillo Peppers are widely available and work great! I've found piquillos at Trader Joe's and Marshall's too.
Small, sweet mini peppers are the perfect size for an appetizer, and the added step of par cooking them is simple.
Macronutrients include about a tablespoon of vinaigrette, and 2 mini pepper halves. Your results will vary according to how much filling and vinaigrette are used.
Nutrition
Serving: 2halves | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com