Stuffed sweet mini peppers with bread crumbs are the perfect vegetarian, bite sized appetizer or side dish. A savory bread crumb cheesy filling contrasting with the sweetness of the peppers makes these hard to resist. And the best part is that they're baked not fried!
Have you ever wondered what to do with mini sweet peppers? These colorful tiny peppers are available in most grocery stores in a 1 lb (454 grams) package which contain about 24 peppers.
These flavorful, vibrant peppers are sweeter than your average pepper. Of course you can simply oven roast or grill them and simply enjoy them as is.
But they are delicious stuffed with a savory bread crumb and cheesy filling and are the perfect one bite (or two) side dish or appetizer!
Which other variety of peppers can be stuffed in place of mini peppers?
I recall my mom making this recipe using long, pale green cubanelle peppers. Of course you may have to double the filling to stuff these larger peppers.
However, in recent years she began making them with these mini sweet peppers and I must admit I prefer them. Just look at the variety of beautiful colors they come in!
Do breadcrumb stuffed peppers require frying?
As a matter of fact, these stuffed mini peppers were traditionally fried! However in recent years, even my mom has switched to baking several foods that she used to fry.
This includes meatballs and the eggplant for her eggplant parmigiana. Trust me, you'll never guess these were baked and not fried!
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions:
Prepare the peppers. Rinse the peppers and cut off the tops (stem end). Use a small coffee spoon, as shown, to scoop out the seeds and membrane. It's ok if you don't get all the seeds out. Set aside and prepare the filling.
For the tomatoes. I blanched two plum tomatoes by scoring them with a knife and blanching in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove with a spoon and set aside until they have cooled enough for you to be able to peel them. 
Cut in half, remove the seeds, then chop into small pieces. 
For the filling combine fresh breadcrumbs from day old bread, grated pecorino cheese, garlic, parsley, chopped plum tomatoes and olive oil.
For the breadcrumbs, simply remove the crusts from a loaf of Italian day old bread. Either tear the crumb into bite sized pieces with your hands or pulse in your food processor until small crumbs are formed.
Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stuff each pepper with your fingers. Do not over fill the peppers or the stuffing will ooze out during baking.
Drizzle olive oil over the peppers and bake for 30 minutes until the peppers are slightly shriveled and the stuffing is golden and crisp. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions and Variations:
- If you can't find these mini peppers in your grocery store, try substituting cubanelle peppers which also have a sweet flavor.
- Peeled, canned whole tomatoes may be substituted for fresh plum tomatoes.
- I enjoy my vegetarian stufffed mini peppers. However, if you prefer a non vegetarian version, reduce the amount of breadcrumbs by about ½ cup and add some crumbled cooked sausage in your filling.
Tips for stuffing mini peppers:
- The easiest way to stuff these mini peppers is with your hands.
- Do not over stuff them or the filling will ooze out during baking.
- If your stuffing oozes out, you may consider placing them tightly packed, standing up in a baking dish.
Can these Italian stuffed mini peppers be made ahead?
- You can make them ahead and simply reheat in the oven before serving or stuff them a day ahead and keep refrigerated before baking them.
These stuffed mini peppers are the perfect appetizer, side dish and great for your next pot luck. Let me know how much you enjoy your Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers with Bread Crumbs by tagging me with your photos using @mangiabedda or #mangiabedda on Facebook or Instagram. And, feel free to Pin the recipe for later. Buon appetito!
Here are more stuffed vegetable recipes you might enjoy!
- Italian Stuffed Peppers with Meat and Rice
- Stuffed Cucuzza Recipe
- Stuffed Eggplant and Peppers in Tomato Sauce
- Italian Stewed Stuffed Artichokes
- Stuffed Baby Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet mini peppers (454 grams)
For the stuffing:
- 3 cups breadcrumbs from day old bread
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated or Parmigiano cheese
- 1 small garlic clove finely minced
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling on top
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the peppers by rinsing and removing the stem. Use a coffee spoon to scrape out the seeds and membrane. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the stuffing:
- Combine all stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix well. I use my hands for this step.
- Use your fingers to fill each pepper with the stuffing. Do not overfill the peppers or the mixture will ooze out while baking.
- Place the stuffed peppers on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes until the peppers are shriveled and the stuffing is crisp and golden.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
Substitutions and Variations:
- If you can't find these mini peppers in your grocery store, try substituting cubanelle peppers which also have a sweet flavor.
- Peeled, canned whole tomatoes may be substituted for fresh plum tomatoes.
- For a non vegetarian version, reduce the amount of breadcrumbs by about ½ cup and add some crumbled cooked sausage in your filling.
Tips for stuffing mini peppers:
- The easiest way to stuff these mini peppers is with your hands.
- Do not over stuff them or the filling will ooze out during baking.
- If your stuffing oozes out, you may consider placing them tightly packed, standing up in a baking dish.
Can these Italian stuffed mini peppers be made ahead?
- You can make them ahead and simply reheat in the oven before serving or stuff them a day ahead and keep refrigerated before baking them.
Victoria Gonzalez
Hello Nadia!
Thank you for sharing such a fun and delicious recipe. From your pictures everything looked beautiful and yummy!! I had purchased these cute mini red bell peppers that I've been meaning to include with some leftover pasta (large shells stuffed with garlic sauteed spinach and seasoned ricotta), and plan to stuff the peppers with a seasoned boxed stuffing which I believe will be just as yummy!
Happy Holidays!!
Victoria
Lakewood, OH
Nadia
Hello Victoria, thank you for your lovely comment! Glad you enjoyed them and happy holidays to you as well!
Ann Bucciarelli
Nadia - a bit of feedback ... my grandson's wife devoured these! She is NOT a cook but asked for the recipe so we'll see if she does go ahead and make them. As I mentioned in my previous comment, mama made these exactly as your recipe indicates so i am in heaven with mama as i enjoy these (as I do so many of your recipes - so much like home for me as a girl, long ago and far away).
Nadia
Hi Anna, I believe you that she devoured them! They always disappear quickly at our house. I hope she gives the recipe a try, it is quite easy! Thanks Anna!
CYNTHIA
Scrumptious! The only think I did different was grate a little lemon rind in. The stuffing can easily be used in many other recipes...stuffed flounder, stuffed baby squid.....Outstanding. My whole family enjoyed this tremendously.
Can definitely be used as a party appetizer as well! Very versatile!
Nadia
Hi Cynthia, so glad you enjoyed them! They are a favorite around here too and I like your idea of adding some lemon zest, sounds delicious! Thank you for your comment.
Cynthia L Lompert
Exactly how my Naples Mother in law made hers except for one more addition. Add a few anchovies. Brings flavor to a new level. And she always pan fried them but I'm going to try them baked as suggested!
Nadia
Hi Cynthia, I'm sure they are quite delicious with anchovies added but I have to omit them 'cause my kids are not fans of them. I may have to make two separate batches next time!
Albina
While making your peppers once again on this lovely Sunday watching the Roma/Lazio soccer game on Paramount, I said I must leave you a comment on how wonderful they are. I have family in Messina and my husband's family is in Rome. These are just like my mom used to make and I've been making your recipe for at least 6 months. I think make them every other week. Thanks for great recipe.
Nadia
Hello Albina, thank you very much for taking the time to comment. I truly appreciate it! It's definitely a favorite around here as well, we can't get enough of them. Thanks again!
carole
I am scicilian and your stuffing is exactly like my mom's and mine. my mother made them with just the breadcrumb stuffing and some with the breadcrumb and hamburger stuffing. we used cubanelle and I still do. I have used the mini peppers in the past with a different stuffing recipe but prefer my stuffing. will try our stuffing next time
Nadia
Hi Carole, my mom also uses cubanelle peppers at times and then she introduced me to these tiny bite sized peppers and we fell in love with them. Hope you enjoy this stuffing!
Frank
These look wonderful! By coincidence I was casting around last night for ways to use a pile of mini-peppers in the fridge and rather boringly opted to roast them plain. They were fine, but I wish I had seen your post first...
Nadia
Next time I guess! They are certainly very easy to put together and don't take much time to prepare at all. Thanks Frank!
Anna Bucciarelli
This is exactly the recipe mama would have used - perhaps, maybe, not as exact measurements as she cooked by instinct more than measurements. She too used the long green peppers as these beautiful smaller ones were not available back in the day. I will absolutely be making these very soon as I expect a visit from my grandson's new wife who is vegetarian. Thanks for sharing Nadia.
Nadia
These are a wonderful vegetarian option but I love them because you can stuff them with practically anything! I hope your grandson's wife enjoys them. Thanks again for your support and your comments Anna, much appreciated!