Molly Baz’ blistered cheesy peppers are now my official favorite late summer side dish/snack. The smokey charred peppers with the melty cheese are out of this world, great for keto and low carb diets, and take just minutes to make!
blistered cheesy peppers
There are few foods I prize as much as peppers. They’re such beautiful, versatile veggies and I love them all, from sweet and crunchy to fiery roasted. When I spotted Molly Baz’ cheese stuffed peppers from Bon Appétit the other day I stopped in my tracks. Her photo spoke to me, I could just taste the silkiness of the melted cheese and the meaty texture of the roasted peppers. I had no idea how much I’d appreciate those marinated shallots!
what you’ll need
The only thing I added was a small hot pepper, a Serrano, to slice paper thin for the top of my not so spicy poblano peppers.
- peppers ~ I found poblano, but you could use any number of varieties. Look for something fairly flat-ish so when you slice them in half lengthwise they’ll have just enough (but not too much) room for the cheese.
- cheese ~ something that melts well, I grated up a block of pepper jack.
- shallot ~ the shallot is the genius part of this recipe…it gets marinated in olive oil and vinegar and the tiny shreds really wake up the peppers!
- olive oil
- vinegar ~ Molly calls for red wine vinegar, I didn’t have any so I used a raspberry vinegar.
- small hot pepper ~ I used a Serrano
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
how to roast and stuff peppers with cheese
- Halve peppers lengthwise and brush the outside lightly with olive oil.
- Broil for about 5 minutes until charred.
- Flip and fill with grated cheese.
- Broil again until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
best cheese for melting
Luckily you have a lot of choices for cheese in this dish. I grated a block of pepper jack, but pre-shredded cheese will work as well. I like to look for cheese that ha an assertive flavor, so I stay away from mozzarella or regular Monterey jack. A Mexican blend is a good choice, or even a sharp cheddar.
how to serve blistered cheesy peppers
The main thing is to be sure to serve these asap. You want the peppers to be hot and the cheese to be freshly melted. Melted cheese does not keep well…it gets rubbery, and nobody wants that 🙂
Serve them as a side dish to soups or chilis. Serve with Mexican foods like tamales or tacos, fajitas, or enchiladas.
Cheesy peppers go well with steak, or chicken.
They can be a light lunch when paired with a salad.
roasted pepper faqs
Yes, but only mildly spicy, so they’re a good in between choice. Green poblanos mature into brownish red Ancho chiles, which are dried and ground into powder.
You can use an Anaheim, banana, or cubanelle pepper, larger jalapeños, or New Mexican Hatch chiles.
Yes, peppers cook very quickly, and the quick time under the broiler not only blackens them, but softens them completely.
Not exactly. Blistering refers to charring or blackening peppers with very high, direct heat. Roasting is a more gentle process.
Yes, that’s where the smokey flavor is.
Yes, and yes, absolutely ~ just be careful!! To make my Roasted Jalapeño Ketchup I blister jalapeños over my stove top flame with tongs.
The issue with bell peppers is that they are so large and deep, you’d have to stuff them with a lot of cheese! (Bell peppers are a meal in themselves when stuffed with ground meat and rice or grains.) You can use the mini bell peppers they sell in bags, if you like. That would make a nice mild version of a jalapeño popper.
For sure ~ I love to blister corn, for salads. I blacken tomatoes, and tomatillos for chilis and salsas.
Blistered Cheesy Peppers
Ingredients
marinated shallots
stuffed peppers
- 5 poblano peppers
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 lb pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 1 Serrano pepper, very thinly sliced
Instructions
- Toss the shallot shreds with the olive oil and vinegar, and sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.
- Slice the peppers in half lengthwise and remove any veins or seeds. Place them all on a baking sheet and brush the outsides lightly with olive oil.
- Place the peppers cut side down and broil for about 5 minutes, until they are blistered all over. Don't worry if they get black, that's what you want!
- Remove the peppers from the oven and carefully flip them over. Stuff them with the shredded cheese. Note: I like to mound the cheese because it definitely shrinks down as it melts.
- Put the pan back in the broiler for another 3 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Transfer the peppers to a plate, and top with the shallots and Serrano pepper. Season with a little salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Serve asap, while they are hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Instead of just using cheese on a burger, put one of these cheesy peppers on it. Delicious!
Genius 🙂
So quick and easy to make. My husband and I each had one and a half poblanos. We thought they were so tasty. Served with a salad. Another yummy dinner thanks to TVFGI. I always look to you for new ideas! Thanks, Sue.
Love this recipe! I made with hatch chilies and added sautéed Vidialia onions and shallots to the mix!
Good timing! It`s Hatch Chile season! We have a vendor at our farmers market that roast Hatch Chile’s so all we need to do is pop em under the broiler. Will make these this weekend, thanks.