These Rice Stuffed Mini Peppers are warm, cheesy, and perfect for an easy vegetarian appetizer. Mini sweet peppers are filled with seasoned rice, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, and herbs, then baked until soft and lightly browned.
They are a lovely small bites option for using up leftover rice, and they can be prepped ahead before baking. Fresh, satisfying, and simple to pull together, they are perfect for parties, appetizers, or an easy snacky dinner.
Rice Stuffed Mini Peppers serves: about 20 peppers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
You will need
• 1 lb/450g mini sweet peppers (about 20)
• 1/2 medium/80g onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves /10g garlic, minced
• 2 cups/260g cooked white rice
• 1 tsp/1g dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp/3g salt
• 1/2 tsp/1g ground black pepper
• 1 tsp/2g lemon zest
• 3/4 cup/80g shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup/25g grated Parmesan
• To garnish: fresh basil, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Wash and dry the peppers, then slice the stems off and remove any seeds. Finely dice the onion and mince or grate the garlic. This helps everything mix evenly into the rice filling.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rice, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, black pepper, and lemon zest.
Stir until everything is well distributed.
Add the mozzarella and Parmesan, then mix until combined. The filling can also be mixed in a food processor if you prefer a finer texture.
3. Fill each pepper with the rice and cheese mixture, pressing it deep inside so there are no air pockets. The end of a wooden spoon can help push the filling into thinner peppers. Then place the filled peppers on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between them.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the peppers are soft and browned and any escaping filling is bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes, then move to a serving dish.
Garnish with chopped basil and more Parmesan as desired. Serve warm.
Tips and tricks! • Peppers can be filled up to a day in advance. Prepare and store them covered in the fridge, then bake directly before serving.
• Press the filling firmly into each pepper so it stays in place while baking. A small hole at the closed end of the pepper can help release air and stop the filling from pushing back out.
• Serve these warm for the best texture, while the peppers are soft and the cheese is still melty. Add extra Parmesan and fresh basil just before serving.
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