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These Grilled Cheesy Stuffed Peppers are the ultimate indulgent appetizer! Tender yellow peppers are filled with melty queso fresco and seasoned to perfection, then grilled to golden, bubbly bliss.
The result? A smoky, cheesy bite that’s slightly charred on the outside and oozing with flavor on the inside. Perfect for a cozy side dish or a fun, flavorful appetizer!
Table of Contents
- Making This Recipe
- Ingredients for Cheese Stuffed Grilled Peppers
- What Type of Peppers to Use
- What is Queso Fresco Cheese?
- How to Make Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Cheese
- Substitutions and Variations
- Are Yellow Chile Peppers Spicy?
- What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers on the Grill
- Storing and Reheating
- More Delicious Appetizers:
- Watch How These Stuffed Peppers are Made…
- Cheesy Stuffed Grilled Peppers Recipe
That’s right cream cheese jalapeno peppers, you’ve got competition. Bring it! Or don’t because I totally don’t think there’s an actual winner since they are different, but this is my personal favorite for all summer long. I hope that by the end of the post I will have you convinced that this really is the best grilled stuffed pepper recipe.
Making This Recipe
First thing first, this recipe is one that my sweet brother in law, Jake taught Cade years ago and Cade actually had to beg me to try. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you may have noticed that there aren’t really any spicy recipes on here. Yup, I’m a wimp. I don’t enjoy spicy. If it has great flavor I can kind of understand but I still don’t enjoy it. Well, Cade and I had just had our first baby and within a week we were on our way to California to do summer sales.
It was horrible and such a long drive. And don’t worry, we had to take both our cars so I drove one and my sweet husband drove the other. For anyone that has just had a baby, just think about driving from Utah to San Diego with a newborn you were trying to nurse for the first time ever, not to mention one you had just given birth to. Yup!
Anyway, that’s where Cade had to beg me to try these cheesy stuffed peppers which he promised would not be spicy. In fact, they are really yummy and we all know that queso fresco cheese is my favorite. The biggest thing to remember is that the seeds hold the spice which means you want to pull them out but also it can burn your fingers so use plastic gloves or be careful and use a paring knife to get them out. But truly, if I love them, you for sure will. And they are so easy for summer grilling which is awesome.
Ingredients for Cheese Stuffed Grilled Peppers
This recipe is easily scalable depending on the size of your crowd so the amount of each ingredient you will need depends on how many peppers you want to grill. Here is you list of ingredients:
- Yellow Peppers: can also be called sweet banana peppers or Hungarian peppers
- Queso Fresco: found with all the other cheeses in the refrigerated section
- Olive Oil: helps char the peppers
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor
Can you believe that something so irresistible can be made with so few ingredients?! Keep scrolling to the end of the post for all the ingredient details.
What Type of Peppers to Use
The best peppers for this type of recipe are yellow chile peppers (also called Hungarian peppers or banana peppers). If you can’t find those at the grocery store, mini sweet bell peppers or poblano peppers can be used. You could also use full sized bell peppers, but I’ve found that you have to stuff those with so much cheese that the ratio between pepper and cheese just isn’t right. The cheese becomes too overwhelming.
What is Queso Fresco Cheese?
Queso Fresco is a Mexican cheese, meaning “fresh cheese”. It is traditionally made from raw cow milk or a combination of raw cow milk and raw goat milk. It is a creamy, soft, mild white cheese.
How to Make Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Cheese
Here comes the beauty of this grilled recipe…it’s so quick and easy! Cheese stuffed grilled peppers take less than 15 minutes to make everyone loves them. Here is how you do it…
- Prep: Cut a “T” in each pepper but slicing across the top of each pepper horizontally (be sure to not cut all the way through) and then slicing vertically down the pepper from the center of the horizonal line down to the end of the pepper. Carefully pull open the two flaps and remove the seeds.
- Stuff: Fill each pepper with the queso fresco then coat each pepper with olive oil and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat then add the peppers. Close the lid of the grill for 2-4 minutes or until grill marks appear and the cheese is melted. Serve them while they’re hot!
- NOTE: If you don’t have a grill, this recipe can easily be done on the stove top using a grill pan. You could also make them in the oven by slightly charring the unstuffed peppers on all sides using the broil setting, then stuffing the peppers and putting them back in the oven to bake and melt the cheese. Just keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
The complete recipe can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card. You can print or save the recipe there as well.
note: If you are looking for a more traditional stuffed peppers recipe where you use rice, ground beef, tomatoes, onions, etc. to fill the peppers, check out our Italian Stuffed Peppers recipe!
Substitutions and Variations
Peppers: I already mentioned this above but the best substitutes for yellow chile peppers are mini sweet bell peppers or poblano peppers. Poblano peppers will have a bit of heat.
Queso Fresco: If you aren’t a queso fresco fan, Oaxaca cheese, monterey jack cheese or even feta would all be good substitutes. You could also combine queso fresco or feta with some cream cheese to make a creamy stuffing. Mozzarella cheese is also a good option.
Add Protein: If you want to make the grilled peppers a little more hearty, adding some cooked ground sausage to the cheesy filling would be so tasty! You could also add chopped up bacon bits to the filling.
Add Different Seasonings: You could also add different seasonings or flavors to the filling like roasted garlic, lemon, herb blends, etc.
Are Yellow Chile Peppers Spicy?
No, they aren’t spicy at all. For most peppers, the heat is found in the seeds and in the ribbing inside the peppers. If you remove the seeds and ribbing, then they shouldn’t be spicy at all. Remember, I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy food!
What to Serve with Stuffed Peppers on the Grill
Whether you are serving these as a side dish or an appetizer, let me give you a few ideas of what to serve them with. We almost always make these in the summertime, so they usually go with other summer grilled recipes:
- Grilled Flank Steak
- Honey Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken
- Grilled Salmon
- Mexican Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa
- Huli Huli Grilled Chicken
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for up to 5 days.
To reheat, place the peppers on a baking sheet in the oven at 325 degrees F until heated through.
Get ready for grilling season with delicious cheese stuffed grilled peppers. They are perfect for any BBQ or summer meal!
More Delicious Appetizers:
- The Best Cheese Ball
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Creamy Artichoke Dip
- Cheesy Caprese Pesto Tarts
- Chorizo Dip Queso Fundido
- Cheesy Fondue
Watch How These Stuffed Peppers are Made…
Cheesy Stuffed Grilled Peppers
Ingredients
Instructions
- Carefully cut a "T" in each pepper by making a slice across the top horizontally, not going all the way around.6 Yellow Peppers
- Next, slicing down the pepper from the center of the horizontal cut, go down to the end of the pepper. You should be able to carefully open two flaps to reveal the inside of the pepper and pull out the seeds.
- Stuff the cheese inside and coat in olive oil, salt and pepper.Queso Fresco, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Heat a grill to medium high heat and add the peppers.
- Shut the lid and grill for about 2-4 minutes or until grill marks appear and the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Whatis Questo Rrsco?
WHAT IS QUESTO FRESCO?
Hi Vickie,
Queso fresco is a mild Mexican cheese, however if you cannot find it in your store (ours is sold by the fresh salsa and tortillas over by our meat section. Kind of a random place, haha) you can use Mozzarella with great results.
These look and sound super delicious.I’ll give them a try over the upcoming holiday weekend. By the way I am so glad you made it out of those awful living conditions.
Made these to go with grilled fish tacos. They were a huge hit with my husband & youngest son (the other 2 boys weren’t home). I kept the veins in for a little heat. So simple, yet so delicious. Looking forward to making them again. Thank you!
That sounds fantastic with fish tacos! I’ll have to do that for Cade. 🙂
I LOVE banana peppers but have never had them grilled… these look delicious!
Oh, I can’t wait for you to try them like this!
This looks like a perfect addition to dinner!
I second the pepper variety type question. I thought I knew peppers, but these don’t look familiar at all.
These look so delicious! I have a question. Exactly what kind of peppers did you use? They don’t look like bright colored yellow sweet peppers or green like a poblano or Anaheim pepper. I don’t believe I have ever seen a pepper so lightly yellowed colored. Do the kind of peppers you used have a name?
Our store calls them yellow peppers (not yellow bell which is different), or we’ve seen them called sweet banana or Hungarian peppers.
I have to say I’m a big fan of spice, but I don’t NEED for things to be spicy, so I love these!! Love queso fresco too!
Dude, I wish I was! You can totally get really spicy ones sometimes or just leave the veins in for more bite, but phew! I cannot do it! 🙂
I love how short the cook & prep time is for this little darlings!
Will definitely try! Look so easy to make and with 2 little kids running around, I need easy today =) Thanks.
They are totally easy which makes them underestimated but boy are they yummy!