Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers Hot Off the Grill
Bellafinas, Tinkerbells, Yum Yums … whatever you call them, those adorable mini-sweet bell peppers are popping up at grocery stores everywhere and their monikers are just as cute as they are! They only recently showed up at my grocery store and I could not be more pleased. I’ve been looking for them ever since my friend Kalyn mentioned them a while back.
You see I love sweet bell peppers stuffed full of goodness, but usually the standard size pepper yields a portion that is just way too much for my appetite and I really like getting a bite of the sweet pepper with every bite of the filling. Happily, Stuffed Mini-Sweet Bell Peppers give you that!
Assembling Ingredients to Make Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers
This recipe is more of a concept than anything. I made these for one of our recent camping trips. I threw them in the cooler along with a few other items from my fridge and pantry: cooked quinoa (left over from making the Flourless Chocolate Quinoa Cake), a white onion, garlic, an avocado, and roasted red pepper hummus. I also employed some of the contents of my camping food box: aluminum foil, seasonings, and extra virgin olive oil.
These stuffed peppers come together quickly and make a great side dish or an entrée. Son and I enjoyed our stuffed mini peppers for lunch while Mr. GFE enjoyed his left over carry-out steamed shrimp with cucumber slices. (The shrimp was not an option for Son and me as it had been steamed in beer—always inquire if your seafood has been steamed in beer.)
Mini Sweet Bell Peppers Stuffed and Ready to Gr
You can stuff these with rice instead of quinoa or use some other veggies in addition to onion and garlic. Adding some black beans would also be nice. Or if you’re grain free/bean free/paleo, you can skip the quinoa and hummus and use a filling of veggies only or toasted almond flour mixed with other suitable ingredients. This concept is really perfect for using up any bits of leftovers. I cooked our stuffed peppers on the grill, but you could also bake them in the oven (or toaster oven or even slow cooker to keep the heat to a minimum).
I love that you can easily pick these stuffed peppers up with your hands. The fork simply ensures that you don’t miss any of the filling that “overflows.” Think of eating a taco … you always “lose” a little bit, right? Along those lines, be forewarned that if you are wearing sunglasses around your neck at the time, they might get filled up! Yes, I speak from experience.
Last, aren’t these Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers simply beautiful? Real food always rocks, right? I took a ton of photos because these little stuffed peppers made me so happy with their colors and shapes and, of course, their healthy, tasty goodness.
My Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Pepper Lunch
You can find the recipe/basic instructions at the bottom of this post. And here are six other ways to use mini peppers:
Marinated Pepper Salad with Garbanzos, Olives, and Feta
Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers (important: sub gluten-free bread crumbs or similar)
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Fajitas
Grilled Stuffed Mini (Baby) Sweet Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- 6 mini/baby sweet bell peppers
- 2 tbsp or so of extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- About 2 cups of cooked quinoa
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- Avocado, cut into small chunks
- About ½ cup roasted red pepper hummus (I love this paleo version)
- Seasonings of choice, to taste
Instructions
- Wash peppers, cut in half lengthwise, and remove stems, seeds, and white pithy parts.
- Heat grill to medium to medium-high heat.
- Place aluminum foil on grill and turn up on all edges to create a pan effect. Drizzle olive oil on cooking area.
- Add diced onion to grill and cook until translucent, about a minute or two.
- Add quinoa, garlic, and any seasonings to grill with onion and cook and stir until both are toasted and heated through, another minute or two.
- Using potholders, remove foil with contents off to the side.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of quinoa mixture into each pepper half.
- Spoon avocado on top of quinoa mixture in each.
- Top each pepper half with a dollop of roasted red pepper hummus.
- Place new aluminum foil on grill. Drizzle olive oil on cooking area.
- Heat about a minute. Add stuffed pepper halves. Close grill (if you have that option).
- Cook about 10 to 15 minutes, or until desired doneness for the peppers themselves.
- Serve. Makes about 6 servings.
This post is linked to 5-Ingredient Mondays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Wellness Weekend, Foodie Friday, and Whole Foods Friday.
Kalyn says
Great idea, and I love these little peppers. Always have them in the fridge.
Shirley says
Kalyn–Thanks! From now on, I’ll keep these little peppers on hand, too. 😉 Thanks for highlighting them a while back!
Shirley
Vicky says
These look so yummy!
They’ve just become available over here too. Aren’t they versatile!!! I’ve already gone through 2 packs!
Oh and I love the idea to add black beans 🙂 I think we both agree they’re awesome!!
We ate ours with savoury quinoa and hummus! But the possibilities are endless aren’t they!
I love your tasty version and adding avocado in makes them extra special!
Shirley says
Hi Vicky–Yes, I love them! So glad you have them available and have been enjoying them. Yes, we share our love of black beans. Plus, I think they’d look really cool with black beans in them. Polka-dot Stuffed Peppers! Might have to do those soon. 😉 The possibilities really are endless. You could almost set up a Stuffed Pepper Bar and have everyone choose their own fillings. 🙂 There was only a little bit of any one ingredient in these, even that yummy avocado, but it all went together well.
Shirley
Vicky says
I LOVE the idea of a stuffed pepper bar 🙂
Shirley says
Wouldn’t that be fun, Vicky? 😉
Genie says
I’ve passed on bags of the mini peppers at a really good price because I didn’t know what to do with them. I guess now I do.
Shirley says
Yay, Genie! I’m sure you’ll create some very tasty stuffed minis! 🙂
Shirley
InTolerant Chef says
These are so very cute indeed! I’ll have to see if I can spy them over here 🙂
Shirley says
InTolerant Chef–Hope you find them! They have cuteness and much more going for them. 😉
Shirley
Megan N says
I made a version of your peppers tonight and YUM! I couldn’t find the baby peppers and I wasn’t camping, so I used the oven… I LOVE all of your recipes and you’ve definitely helped me expand my cooking base, as a relatively new (7months) celiac. Thank you!!!!!
Shirley says
Welcome, Megan! I so appreciate you being a gfe reader (here and on FB) and leaving such a fabulous comment! It really thrills me to know that I have helped you in your transition. Thanks for sharing that with me, as well as your success with this stuffed pepper concept with all of us!
Shirley
Ina gawne says
Shirley – your stuffed pepper sound delicious…and so pretty too!
Shirley says
Ina–I admit that I love the prettiness factor as much as the deliciousness factor. 😉 The prettiness contributes to the deliciousness, right? 🙂
Thanks, dear!
Shirley
Alisa says
Those are so adorable and look delish Shirley! All of your recipes always seem to have perfect entertaining in mind.
Shirley says
Hey Alisa–I never thought of it that way, but I guess you’re right! I do love making food that I can share with others! 🙂
Thanks so much,
Shirley
Kim-Cook It Allergy Free says
What a GREAT idea for a camping trip!! I am actually growing these little guys in our garden right now and they are just about the only thing that is hanging on in this heat! SO…now I know what I can do with the pile that is just about to be ripe. Such a simple and fun idea!
And HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my friend. Sending you SO much love on this special day..
Xo
k
Shirley says
Oh, homegrown baby peppers–too cool!! So glad they are surviving the heat! You guys can just clean out the fridge/clean off the counter of veggies to stuff your peppers. Each of you can choose your fillings. Fun and tasty for sure! 🙂
Many, many thanks for the birthday wishes, my dear! I feel loved!! 🙂
xoxo,
Shirley
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat says
I love that we had similar ideas this week! I stuffed some gigantic peppers though…but same colors! I love the little ones. You’re right, they are like little tacos! Cute!!
Shirley says
Yay for being on the same wavelength with such good food! Yes, I love the colors of sweet peppers. And these grain-free “tacos” are terrific! 😉
Thanks, dear!
Shirley
Megan @ Allergy Free Alaska says
Shirley, I love the idea of these! How simple, yet I bet they are absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Megan
Shirley says
Megan, I can’t believe I never replied to your comment! Gosh, I am slacking. 🙁 Thanks for the great feedback. I do love these healthy mini bites that are FULL of flavor! 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Sarah W. Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
I love, love, love mini sweet peppers too. They are also great for packing in school lunches — either as a dipper for hummus or other dips (cut in half and seeded) or stuffed like these. Mmm. Thanks for including a link to my recipe too.
Jen says
This looks great!!