Stuffed Cherry Peppers
Stuffed Cherry Peppers are filled with a creamy mixture of tuna, anchovy, capers, and parsley.
This is a delicious Italian appetizer recipe, also known as Peperoncini Ripieni, and makes a perfect year-round starter.
This updated recipe was first published on February 9, 2013.
While visiting Calabria in Southern Italy some years ago, my cousin served a wonderful selection of antipasti, including these wonderful stuffed cherry peppers.
Antipasti (meaning “before the food”) is often a variety of cured meats, cheeses, and small vegetable bites like Zucchini Fritters, Marinated Olives, Stuffed Mushrooms, Bruschetta with Mozzarella, or Potato Rosti.
While my cousin pickled fresh cherry peppers, I created this recipe using the bottled variety. Cherry Peppers are baby red chilies called peperoncini in Italian. These stuffed pepperoncini are a quick and easy antipasto recipe.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredients
- Bottled cherry peppers: you’ll find these in some grocery stores or online.
- Canned tuna in oil: undrained.
- Anchovies
- Capers: use the ones in vinegar.
- Parsley: fresh, flat-leaf Italian is best, but curly will be fine.
Bottled cherry peppers that I use are available in mild or hot varieties. These are very similar to the Calabrian small red pepper. You may find these fresh at the markets. See below in FAQ’s for how to pickle peppers.
Instructions
To begin, drain the bottled peppers and allow them to dry upside down on the paper towel.
- Place tuna, anchovies, capers, and parsley in a small food processor.
- Process until smooth and creamy, stopping halfway to scrape down the sides.
- Transfer the tuna mixture to a disposable piping bag (or use a small spoon) and pipe or spoon the filling into the peppers.
- Pack stuffed peppers into a sterilized jar, cover with oil, and seal with the lid.
Tips for Success
Have jars sterilized before you start to ensure the packing process goes smoothly. Then, drain the peppers thoroughly before preparing the filling.
Sterilizing glass jars
Glass jars for the purpose of bottling are widely available. However, jam or pickle jars work just as well.
- Remove any labels and sticky residue.
- Wash and rinse thoroughly.
- Add 1/2 inch or 12mm of water in the bottom of the jars.
- Microwave for 60 seconds on high. Be careful when removing them from the microwave oven—they will be hot.
- Carefully tip out the boiling water.
- Fill with jam and seal immediately.
To sterilize lids, submerge in a pot of simmering water for 10 minutes.
FAQs
I would only recommend storing them in the refrigerator.
We eat ours within a month. However, if you are an expert on canning and preserving, you may want to boil the sealed jars in water for 30 minutes. This may extend the keeping period for up to a year. However, use common sense; if you see any discoloration or swelling of the lid, do not consume.
Sure. Feel free to omit or reduce anchovies. However, you’ll find that the anchovies don’t dominate.
No, I don’t think it would work because the seeds and membranes must be removed and the pepper kept whole.
Here is a link for a good recipe to pickle red cherry peppers at home.
Yes. This will take a little longer. Preheat oven to 320ºF/160ºC. Place washed and rinsed jars on a baking tray and into the oven for 15 minutes or until dry and hot.
Serving suggestion
These Stuffed Cherry Peppers make a colorful and tasty addition to an antipasto platter. Or simply eat with crust bread, good cheese, and a glass of red wine.
More recipes you’ll love
How to make Roasted Red Peppers
Black Olive Olivada
Marinated Eggplant
Bagna Cauda
Italian Fried Peppers
Italian Giardiniera from Pinch and Swirl
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Stuffed Cherry Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 pickled cherry peppers 14oz/400gram jar (see notes for using fresh cherry peppers)
- 6 1/2 oz (185 grams) canned tuna in oil undrained
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 8 anchovies optional – can be reduced or omitted
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 cup olive oil approx
Instructions
- Take a jar of cherry peppers, drain and allow to dry upside down on kitchen towel
- Put all remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.
- Whizz until smooth.
- Fill a plastic disposable piping bag with the tuna mixture and fill each pepper cup.
- Carefully place all the fill peppers into an appropriate size sterilized jar with a lid and top up with olive oil before sealing with the lid.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Tips for success
Have jars sterilized before you start to ensure the packing process goes smoothly. Then drain the peppers thoroughly prior to preparing the filling.Sterilizing glass jars
Glass jars for the purpose of bottling are widely available. However jam or pickle jars work just as well.- remove any labels and sticky residue
- wash and rinse thoroughly
- add 1/2inch/12mm of water in the bottom of the jars
- microwave for 60 seconds on high. Be careful when removing from microwave oven – they will be hot.
- Carefully tip out the boiling water.
- Fill with jam and seal immediately.
FAQ’s
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
So happy to find from scratch one at your lovely place ! Grazie Marcellina !
Grazie Davorka! These are so easy to make, you’ll never need to buy store bought again.
These looks lovely, Marcelllina! I love these little snacks although I haven’t made them myself… yet! Try to get cracking.
Frank, you really should – so easy!
What a great appetizer! I need to find those pickled cherry peppers to try this. A really great recipe, Marcellina.
I hope you do find them. If you can get the bottled ones, this recipe is super quick!
Must try this!
Hi Marcellina!
I love Italian food and would love to visit Italy one day. I'm sure I would be buying food all the time too. I've tried the deli bought versions of these (the ones filled with cheese) but didn't realise I could make my own. They look fab.
And thanks for visiting my blog 🙂 Yes, we moved to Singapore in April last year because hubby was offered a job here.
These look delicious! They must also be very flavorful. Great recipe!
I just discovered your blog and browsed through some of your recipes, they all look scrumptious!
I really enjoy reading your posts 🙂 you have a new follower!
Michela from Italy
What a great idea. I've never seen stuffed peppers like these before.
Marcellina – your site looks awesome! That said, I'm a hot and spicy nut and what I would give for a plate of your stuffed peppers right now! They look devilishly hot and delicious!