Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers have bacon, green onion, and cheddar cheese mixed in with the cream cheese to make a rich and creamy filling for mini peppers.
» For more air fryer appetizers try these Air Fryer Crispy Artichokes, Air Fryer Shishito Peppers, or Air Fryer Cranberry Brie Bites.
Make these for a party or for appetizers anytime. They make great snacks for a game night or when you’re having friends over, because they can easily be picked up to eat.
Using the air fryer to make these appetizers is definitely the way to go, because it takes less time than in the oven and you can keep making fresh batches so they’re always hot when eaten.
What You’ll Need
These mini pepper cream cheese appetizers are easy to make, with just a few simple ingredients.
Mini peppers – The peppers we use for this are mini sweet peppers, with no heat to them. You will want to remove the seeds and ribs, but that’s not due to heat, like with jalapenos. If you prefer more heat, you’ll want to use jalapenos instead – then you can vary the heat based on how many seeds and ribs you leave in.
Cream cheese – It’s best to use a full fat cream cheese. Philadelphia cream cheese is great. You can even use a variation, like garlic and herb or garden vegetable.
Cheddar cheese – Shredded cheese helps bind together the cream cheese filling so it doesn’t just pour right out of the peppers. You can use yellow or white cheddar, or Monterey Jack or Mozzarella.
Bacon – Just 2 slices is all that’s needed. Cook it to well done so it’s easy to crumble.
Green onion – You could also use chives. I don’t like to use raw white onion because the flavor is overwhelming to the filling.
Seasonings – Dried oregano, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper
OUR FAVORITE AIR FRYER
There are a lot of features to love about this air fryer, but top of our list are the tempered glass display, super easy to clean basket, and ability to add shake reminders.
Why Use an Air Fryer
An air fryer is an incredibly easy way to cook just about anything. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and hot air rapidly circulates all around the food, making the food crisp – much like deep-frying, but without the oil. You can cook anything you’d make in the oven.
- I use a Ninja MaxXL air fryer (pictured left). If you don’t have an air fryer yet, check out these options to find one that fits your needs.
- See reviews and prices for air fryers on Amazon.
- Here’s a printable Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet to get you started.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Air Fryer.
- Learn how to make fun things in the air fryer, like potato wedges, pork belly bites, and chicken wings.
How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs. I like to leave the green stem on the peppers, but it’s just for show. You can remove the stem if you want.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, crumbled bacon and green onions. Stir it all together until it’s well combined.
You can store the cream cheese mixture for up to a day before using it, in case you’re prepping ahead for something. Otherwise, go ahead and fill each pepper half with the cream cheese filling. I like to put in enough just to the top of the pepper, but don’t overfill. The excess will end up bubbling over in the oven.
Place the peppers spaced out in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 6-8 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
At this point, the pepper is still a little bit crunchy and it holds up well when you pick up a pepper. If you want the peppers to be completely cooked through, you can continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes. But they will be hard to pick up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the peppers be pre-cooked before stuffing?
No, these peppers are so small that they cook along with the filling. If you pre-cook them, they will be soggy and overcooked.
Can I use bell peppers instead of mini peppers?
Yes, if you can’t find mini peppers, you can cut up a bell pepper into slices and use those as “boats” for your cream cheese filling. However, the filling won’t stay on the pepper as well, so larger slices are recommended.
More Air Fryer Appetizers To Try:
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Air Fryer Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 mini peppers
- 6 ounce cream cheese
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 green onions chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and ribs.
- In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, crumbled bacon and green onions. Stir until well combined.
- Fill each pepper half with cream cheese filling.
- Place the peppers spaced out on a baking sheet. Cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
All air fryers have different wattage and may cook at different rates. You may need to adjust the time or temp for the best results.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate foodie and owner of Air Fry Anytime She is dedicated to sharing delicious recipes and helpful tips for using air fryers at home. With years of experience in the kitchen and a love for healthy, flavorful cooking, Laura has become an expert at using air fryers to create amazing meals that are both nutritious and delicious.
Burned in 10 min in air fryer- try less time
I’m sorry to hear that. We will test the recipe again and adjust the time if necessary.
These are excellent. My air fryer had French fries going, so I did these in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes. This is a keeper recipe for sure!