Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers (Print Version)
Tender mini peppers stuffed with seasoned cream cheese and air fried until golden.
# 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
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Combine cream cheese, cheddar, Parmesan, chives, garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. 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 stuffed peppers in a single layer in air fryer basket. Cook for 8–10 minutes until peppers are tender and tops are lightly golden.
05 - Carefully remove from air fryer. Let cool for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh parsley and a pinch of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These disappear faster than any other appetizer Ive ever made
- The air fryer creates restaurant quality results in under ten minutes
02 -
- Overfilling seems like a great idea until cheese melts onto your air fryer basket and you spend twenty minutes scraping it off
- Crowding the basket means steamy, sad peppers instead of roasty ones, so work in batches if needed
03 -
- If your peppers are particularly large, cut them into thirds instead of halves for better bite sizing
- A small cookie scoop makes filling faster and more uniform than spoons