Mini Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

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5 from 2 votes

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Don’t let the “mini” part fool you– these bite-size peppers are packed with tons of flavor! Recipe includes instructions for four large Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers.

hand grabbing mini philly cheesesteak stuffed pepper off of a platter

Before I say anything at all, you need a Philly cheesesteak lesson. Did you know you needed to know anything special?

If you’re a local, a frequent visitor, or have even visited Philly a handful of times, you’re probably familiar with what I’m about to teach you. If you’re wondering what the HECKKKK is going on here, listen (read?) up.

First of all, if you ask a regular Philly cheesesteak connoisseur where you can get the best cheesesteak, you will likely hear one of two or three places.

There are plenty of places to get one in Philly, but locals and regular have their favorites, and the competition and following get pretty serious.

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To save myself, I won’t pick a side. I will say… We’ve tried a few, and we have our favorite.

Pats Cheesesteak

(photo via Wikipedia)

There is actually a right and wrong way to order a cheesesteak in Philly. Of course, you’ve got your standard roll with steak, but then there are several add-ins you can choose from.

First of all, a cheesesteak is not a cheesesteak without cheese (umm, duh), but some people (the crazy ones??) choose not to get cheese.

Fine. Let those people be crazy.

For the rest of us, the “classic” cheese is Cheez Whiz (not kidding), but you can also choose to have your cheesesteak with American or provolone cheese. Pick the cheese you like, we will come back to this part.

Next up: fried onions. Do you want ’em or not? Easy to distinguish without even saying the word “onion.”

If you want onions, you’ll order your cheesesteak “with,” and if you don’t want them, it’s “without.” It’s as simple as that.

So, we come to the final product. The standard verbiage for ordering is this formula: [number of cheesesteaks] + [type of cheese] + [with/without].

For the April family, the order would be “one Whiz without” and “one provolone with.” Then we split, and everyone is happy!

Are you still with me?

Ok, now let’s get to the whole point of today’s recipe!

My friend Leah posted these amazinggggg and adorable little Chorizo and Quinoa Stuffed Mini Peppers many years ago, and after she posted it, I was dying to create something like them and also try cooking something I’d never cooked before!

pile of mini bell peppers

I decided to do a little twist on Leah’s recipe as a nod to the City of Brotherly Love, a city we enjoy visiting for sporting events and special dinners and whose skyline graces our road trips often.

Aaaaand whose airport we fly out of, like, every time we fly. As residents of a “suburb of Philadelphia,” we have had our fair share of authentic cheesesteaks.

Now… If you peek at my recipe, you’ll see I don’t use Cheez Whiz.

There are a couple reasons:

1) it’s super gooey and I wasn’t sure how it would fare on these peppers and
2) I didn’t want a jar of Cheez Whiz leftover in the fridge.

Sorrynotsorry, Philadelphia.

Cheez Whiz is not something I can just throw into a recipe to use it up. I settled on provolone.

You’ll also see I added some green bell pepper and mushrooms. I didn’t mention it in my mini-lesson, but you can also get these add-ins on your cheesesteak depending on where you go. Also, they both bring a ton of flavor to these little bite size cuties.

platter of mini philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers

Although these stuffed peppers take a bit of time to put together, the work itself is not hard. PLUS! You can do a lot of work ahead of time. See my notes in the recipe about this.

I also have notes in the recipe about turning this Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers recipe into 4 large bell peppers if you’re not into prepping all the mini peppers.

You’ll start by getting your filling ready. I have made the mistake of getting the filling ready right before actually being ready to stuff my peppers, and I have burned my fingers on hot hot steak.

Make the filling first and prep the peppers while it cools.

A bit of olive oil, finely diced onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms go in first, and then you’ll add your steak and cook for just a few more minutes to get the veggie mixture flavor all over everything.

meat, peppers, mushrooms, and onions in a frying pan

I like to use top round sirloin (like from the deli counter) and chop it up pretty small.

shredded roast beef on a blue cutting board

I have also cooked my own London broil and then sliced it. This adds a significant amount of prep time, but it’s an option.

As you cool your filling, you’ll prep your peppers. This is the most time-consuming part of the whole process, but it’s not as awful as it sounds.

Mini peppers are so cute, and each time you find yourself annoyed by the fact that it feels like you have 847 more peppers to clean out, remind yourself how cute they are (cute food is the best food).

It takes me about 10-15 minutes to cut all 24 peppers and scrape out the seeds. The good news is, since these peppers are so small (and remember, CUTE), they don’t really have too much going on inside of them as far as seeds and white parts.

I am typically able to use my fingers to pull most of the “stuff” out.

mini bell peppers on a baking sheet ready to stuff with filling

I like to layer some cheese in the bottom of each of my peppers. I have used both provolone to sharp white cheddar. I like a sharper cheese, but you’re welcome to use whatever cheese you prefer.

mini bell peppers on a baking sheet stuffed with filling and ready to bake

Once the cheese is in, stuff the peppers with a heaping pinch of (cooled) filling. And I mean STUFF. Jam it in there. These aren’t Philly cheesesteak filled mini peppers. They’re stuffed peppers. Be generous!

You can actually stop right here and bake them later, or go ahead and keep the party rolling.

mini bell peppers on a baking sheet stuffed with filling and ready to bake

Another pinch of cheese on top, and they’re ready to bake. Only about 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the peppers are tender. 

aerial photo of a plate of mini philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers

These little peppers are so so so good. The first time I made them, I had pretty high expectations for them for some reason, and after my first bite, those expectations were not only met but exceeded times 100.

Any time we make and bring these peppers to a gathering, they are met with rave reviews. They are usually gone before I have time to really tell people what they were!

My favorite part about these peppers is of course the dreamy melty cheese, but more than that? The crispy edges of the steak that add the slightest savory crunch to each bite.

plate of mini philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers

The flavor of the peppers, onions, and mushrooms really come through, but not so much that any one flavor overpowers the others.

Each bite is the perfect marriage of steak and veggies and the cheese really seals the deal, as cheese normally does.

If you’re looking for something to wow party guests or just something different to serve or bring with you to a cookout, these little peppers are it. You’ll be surprised how easy they are and how much flavor is packed into such a tiny little package.

mini philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers in a pile on a plate

Plus, ordering a stuffed pepper is way less complicated than ordering a cheesesteak. “I’ll take the whole tray!” Easy enough, right?

Mini Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers: Don't let the "mini" part fool you-- these bite-size peppers are packed with tons of flavor! Recipe includes instructions for four large Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers.
5 from 2 votes
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Mini Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

Don't let the "mini" part fool you– these bite-size peppers are packed with tons of flavor! Recipe includes instructions for four large Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers.
Prep Time35 minutes
Bake Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Recipe Author Lynn April
Servings: 48 mini pepper halves

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ an onion small dice (approximately ½ cup)
  • ½ a green bell pepper small dice (approximately ¾ cup)
  • 2 and ½ ounces mushrooms1 small dice (approximately 1 cup)
  • 8 ounces top round sirloin beef2 chopped
  • salt to taste
  • 24 mini sweet peppers3 halved and seeded
  • 1 and ½ cups shredded cheese4

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
  • When pan is warm, add onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender. Add the chopped beef and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, taste, and add salt as needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (191ªC). Line a large baking sheet with foil, parchment, or a silicone baking mat. Lay each pepper half on the baking sheet, cut side up.
  • Sprinkle a bit of cheese in the bottom of each pepper. Using your fingers, stuff a large pinch of the steak filling into each pepper (I normally use all of the filling so I don't have much leftover when I'm done stuffing my peppers). Sprinkle each pepper with a bit more cheese, pressing it on gently if need be. Make ahead tip: stop here and cover peppers tightly. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to bake, up to 2 days.
  • Bake the peppers for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and peppers are tender. Stuffed peppers are best served immediately. Peppers can be kept in refrigerator covered up to 3 days. Reheat in a 250ºF (121ºC) oven for 10 minutes or toast in a toaster oven.

Notes

  1. Mushrooms: I prefer Baby Bella mushrooms.
  2. Top sirloin: I prefer already cooked and chopped from the deli– you may cook your own but know this will add significant time and prep.
  3. You may also use 4 large bell peppers: remove the tops and clean out the insides. Place in an 8″ baking dish, follow the same prep instructions, and bake 30-35 minutes.
  4. Cheese: I prefer provolone or sharp white cheddar.
 
Recipe adapted from Grain Changer
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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14 Comments

  1. OH MY GOODNESS I am soooooo in for these! We stopped for Philly cheesesteaks on the way to a friend’s wedding this weekend, and I was SO bummed I couldn’t have one — but PROBLEM SOLVED with these little cuties! You and your kitchen magic. You never cease to amaze me, girlfriend!

    1. Oh, BUMMER, Leah! I’m sad for you… But that’s definitely even more reason for you to whip up some of these peppers! Thanks again for the recinspiration (<-- I've been wanting to say that word to you all day).

  2. Well I know these are going to be popular with the omnivorous ones in my family! And Chris is looking forward to trying a Philly Cheesesteak while we are in the USA for sure 🙂 What a great summer appetiser!

  3. What a neat idea! Love that you stuffed peppers with philly cheesesteak rather than the traditional bread. Also can’t believe there are people out their who would order a cheesesteak sans cheese.. err ok. Delicious!

    1. Thanks, Stephanie! You can find them in the same section as regular peppers in the produce section of the grocery store.

  4. question… how long will these last stored in refrigerator if I’m planning to meal plan with this recipe?

  5. I haven’t tried these yet . But my daughters were coming this weekend and can’t come til next week, as I have everything to make them can I make them and freeze them til next week and then reheat them?

    1. Absolutely, Carol! I’d leave off the last sprinkle of cheese, bake for 20 minutes, allow to cool completely, freeze, then thaw in fridge about 24hr before you want to serve them. Place on baking sheet, sprinkle with last bit of cheese, then bake for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!

  6. 5 stars
    This was a big hit at my family party! It was easy to put together, and traveled well too. When my sister saw it, she asked what it was. And as soon as I told her the name of the recipe she and everyone else within earshot said, “Sold!!” And filled their plates. There were no leftovers 😋

  7. 5 stars
    I made these for New Years Eve. Everyone loved them! I kept it basic with an Italian blend of shredded cheese & Steakum because we were traveling. I can’t wait to try making them at home with a thicker cut of steak, onions, peppers & mushrooms. These will be added to our regular appetizer menu and I really think we could make them a meal all on their own! My husband wants to try making them with jalapeños as well as the sweet mini peppers. Thank you for a perfect New Years Eve appetizer!