cheesy pizza stuffed poblanos
BREAKING NEWS: THE SUPER BOWL IS NOT THIS WEEKEND.
I for real went through the entire month of January thinking the Super Bowl landed on February 5th. Nope. It’s the fucking 12th. So in all of my newsletters, several of my Sidebars, and probably a fair amount of my random recipes, I steered y’all and myself false by excited “The Super Bowl is this weekend!” yelps. What a moron.
I did learn, however, that I wasn’t so far-fetched in my date estimation. Apparently, before 2021, the big game was held the first weekend of February. Now, it’s the second. I guess my brain is still stuck in 2020.
So, yes, you’ve a whole ‘nother week to prepare, but in case you’re in planning mode, or if you were misled and decide to just celebrate the bowl this weekend instead, here’s a fun little appetizer to try. Cute, easy, and filled with cheeeeeeese.
I’ve had a package of veggie pepperoni haunting my fridge for ages, and while I ran on the morning of these peppers’ birth I kept trying to turn over different ideas in my brain for how to use them. No avail. However, I did keep hearkening back to some type of stuffed pepper as a general recipe concept, and finally my cells fused together and though A-ha, pizza stuffed peppers!
So while I threw these together by the seat of my pants, I called my mom and had her play secretary while I rattled off my ingredient list. Mom is a champ. She puts up with a whole crockpot of shit from me all the time, including me calling in a tizzy asking her to write down a recipe for me.
Whenever you’re in need of a finger food that’s slightly more wholesome than wings or a full-blown pizza, these are a perfect, quick companion. They take little time and effort, but house a whole lot of flavor – ideal for last-minute guests.
Garlic Butter Pepper
Garlic butter pepper. Garlic butter pepper. Garlic-lic-lic-lic-lic-lic butter-butter pep-pepper.
The most important part of these cheesy peppers is the pizza seasoning. It’s effectively a cross between garlic butter and a savory Italian spice blend. Don’t skimp on this, yo!
Melt some butter and combine with fresh minced garlic, and a variety of warming dried herbs, like fennel and oregano. Halve your poblanos, deseed, and drizzle with the garlic herb butter. Roast em up for about 15 minutes until tender.
Stuff it
Stuff it good! Kinda like potato skins, but peppers. Pepper skins? That doesn’t sound quite as yummy.
Pull the peppers out of the oven and sprinkle with lots of shredded mozzarella. I prefer the brick variety that you shred as opposed to the mozz ball. I find the latter too moist.
Dot with your veggie pepperoni (or regular, if you’re omnivore). 3-4 slices should do depending on the size of your peppers. Return the tray to the oven until the cheese melts and bubbles. Since I don’t typically use parchment on my baking tray, I like to turn on the broiler for a minute to get a little crispness on the edges of the pepperoni.
I like these with big globs of Greek yogurt ranch – my usual formula that I use for pretty much every recipe involving ranch, which I’ve noted in the recipe card – and some fresh basil. Some tendrils of arugula are great, too, or even buffalo sauce if you’re so inclined. They’re so flavorful on their own that I don’t think they need much!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Gameday goodies:
Spicy Buffalo Chickpea Sliders
Cheesy Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Snack Mix
Homemade Crispy Chickpea Nuggets
cheesy pizza stuffed poblanos
Ingredients
- 4 poblano peppers, halved and deseeded
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried fennel
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 package vegetarian pepperoni (or regular)
- fresh basil and ranch, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- In a bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic cloves, paprika, oregano, basil, fennel, onion powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle the poblano halves with the butter mixture. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove the peppers from the oven. Sprinkle with cheese, and place 3-4 pepperoni slices on top. Return to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes longer, until the cheese is melted and starting to turn golden in spots.
- Serve the poblanos hot with ranch dressing and fresh basil, as desired.
