Cheese stuffed banana peppers

Creamy and cheesy stuffed banana peppers are a delicious appetizer or side dish. They are stuffed with a three cheese blend and can be made with either sweet or hot banana peppers depending on your preference. 

Stuffed banana peppers are something that I've eaten my entire life. These are a popular garden pepper grown in our area, so we always had them in the summers. Also, in the western New York region, stuffed banana peppers are often on the menu at pizzerias, Italian restaurants, pubs/bars, etc. Those are generally stuffed with meat and have more of an Italian flavor profile. 

Two of my other favorite ways to enjoy banana peppers are in the (Un)Stuffed Banana Pepper Soup and in this (Un)Stuffed Banana Pepper Macaroni and Cheese. They also make terrific pickles and are great on pizzas.

This stuffed banana pepper recipe uses a three-cheese blend of cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, and mozzarella. The cream cheese provides the soft and creamy base. Then the sharp cheddar adds flavor and the mozzarella add that nice cheesy pull. I season these simply with a little salt, parsley, and garlic. 

Then the peppers are halved, stuffed, and baked - followed by a quick broil - and they are all cheesy and delicious! We like to have them as an appetizer or side dish with things like pizza or a large summer salad.

This year we are growing sweet banana peppers in our garden. This recipe uses sweet peppers, but you can use hot as well (or make a batch of each - just don't mix up which pan has the hot and which one has the sweet peppers). My husband and I do enjoy the hot ones, but with little kids we use the sweet more often.

This week is #FarmersMarketWeek and we are joining a bunch of bloggers to highlight a lot of fresh seasonal summer produce and other farmers' market ingredients. Check out all the recipes for today at the bottom of this post. 

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Farmer’s Market Week is always the first week in August. Whether you have a great local farm stand or market, are a member of a CSA or purchase your fruits and vegetables at the supermarket, follow our Pinterest board, for great recipes including those for appetizers, drinks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and more.

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Cheese Stuffed Banana Peppers

Creamy and cheesy stuffed banana peppers are a delicious appetizer or side dish. They are stuffed with a three cheese blend and can be made with either sweet or hot banana peppers depending on your preference.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-large banana peppers (sweet or hot)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• good pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley, plus more for topping
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Carefully halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds. (Tip: wear disposable gloves if using hot peppers and be careful to not touch your eyes).
3. Place the pepper halves cut-side up on a baking sheet.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, salt, 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, and garlic powder until combined.
5. Fill each pepper half with the cheese mixture, spreading an even layer into each pepper.
6. Top each with a sprinkle of extra parsley. Bake for 10 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the cheese is bubbling and golden. Watch carefully so they don't burn.
7. Let cool a couple of minutes and then serve.

Notes:

You can change the cheese in these peppers. I like the combination of sharp cheddar and mozzarella for both the flavor and the gooey-ness. Jack cheese or Parmesan would also be good.

Pepper sizes will vary due to how large they are. I find this amount of filling works well for 4 medium to large banana peppers.

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Check out these other banana pepper recipes:

(Un)Stuffed Banana Pepper Soup 

(Un)Stuffed Banana Pepper Macaroni & Cheese 

Here’s more Farmer’s Market Week Recipes

Starters and Drinks Recipes

• Baked Feta Pasta with Spinach by SueBee Homemaker
• Cheese Stuffed Banana Peppers by Savory Moments
• Dill Vinegar by Palatable Pastime
• Herb Cream Cheese Dip by Take Two Tapas
• Zucchini Walnut Bread by West Via Midwest
• Watermelon Slush by The Fresh Cooky
• Whipped Feta with Honey by Books n' Cooks
• Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Side Dishes Recipes

• Air-Fried Zucchini by Our Good Life
• Air Fryer Parmesan Squash Fries by Cookaholic Wife
• Brussels and Bowties by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Classic 3-Bean Salad by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Green Beans with Shallots by Family Around the Table
• Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata by House of Nash Eats
• Mexican Street Corn by Blogghetti
• Watermelon and Feta Salad by Life Love and Good Food

Main Dish Recipes

• Asparagus and Coconut Stir-Fry by Magical Ingredients
• Fresh Chicken and Veggie Pizza by The Freshman Cook
• Gluten Free Eggplant Parmesan by Frugal & Fit
• Grilled Chicken Tacos with Strawberry Salsa by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Dessert Recipes

• Blueberry Pie by Lemon Blossoms
• Chai Snickerdoodle Peach Cobbler by The Spiffy Cookie
• Fresh Peach Shortcakes by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Peach Bruschetta by The Redhead Baker
• Peach Ice Cream by Devour Dinner
• Peach Kuchen by Hostess At Heart
• Peaches and Cream Cake Roll by Kate's Recipe Box
• Yogurt Panna Cotta with Fresh Raspberry Sauce by Karen's Kitchen Stories