Stuffed Banana Peppers

So a year ago I would have told you I hated stuffed peppers. I really would have. In my mind stuffed peppers involved bell peppers (which, in my opinion, are disgusting when they’re cooked) and boringness. Nope.

Jonathan was the one who convinced me to make them. He said he really wanted them and at the time we had goat cheese and banana peppers that needed to be used, so I gave it a shot using those things. I’ve adjusted my recipe a little since then and I’m excited to share it with you! Our garden is bursting with tasty banana pepper goodness right now, so if you live near by, stop by the stand to pick some up!

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. You need enough to cover the bottom of a pan when sliced in half, so like 5-6 depending on the size of the pepper and the pan you’re using. You also need a brick of cream cheese, either ground beef or ground pork, shredded cheese (mozzarella or Mexican style are best), and spices (See Step 2). If you plan on baking it in the oven and not using a cast iron skillet on the stove, preheat your oven 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Cook your meat. in a skillet (if you’re going to use a cast iron skillet you can do everything all in one pan. If you are using a glass baking dish in the oven, just use a regular skillet. Add your meat to the skillet. Then add the following: Garlic, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, dried cilantro, paprika, salt, and pepper (based on the picture below I also added some diced onions in this version). I don’t have measurements on these, but start by adding like 2TBSP of garlic and decrease down to around 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Really its mostly what suits your taste the most. Cook the meat and spices until it is browned. Drain the meat and set it aside. If you are using a cast iron skillet leave a tiny bit of grease in the bottom. If not, put a little in your baking dish.

Step 3: Prepare your peppers. Wash the peppers, cut off tops and tips and then cut them in half length wise (hot dog style for those of us still reliving our grade school glory days). Microwave half a brick of cream cheese for 30 seconds and then spread a little bit in the bottom of each pepper.

Step 4: Fill your pan/skillet. Line your cream cheese-filled peppers up in the pan so there is as little space as possible between peppers. Then cover the peppers with the meat. Now, sprinkle as much cheese as you want all over the top.

Step 5: Bake it! Stick your baking dish or skillet in the oven until your cheese is super melty and the peppers are soft-dish. Probably somewhere around 7-10 minutes. Just keep an eye on it.

Step 6: ENJOY! By this point you’re probably drooling. So load your stuffed peppers onto a plate, pair with nachos, salsa, and a margarita, and dive in. You will not be mad you did.

By now you’re probably face deep in delicious stuffed peppers, but if you’ve made it this far and are still reading, make sure to leave me a comment if you try these! I LOVE to see pictures when people try my dishes, so send me one of those too! If you made your own variation I want to know about it so I can try it too!