Alex Guarnaschelli's Mini Stuffed Peppers Are The Perfect Combo Of Crunchy And Creamy

If you're looking for a new appetizer to serve at your next dinner party, we've got a delicious idea: stuffed mini peppers. You have probably already served some sort of cheesy, stuffed mini peppers at a party before because it's a classic starter with many variations out there to choose from. But we've got a new spin on the starter thanks to celebrity chef and TV personality Alex Guarnaschelli.

Guarnaschelli's twist involves goat cheese for optimum creaminess because this soft cheese is easier to work with and also gives the peppers a tart flavor. However, the more unexpected ingredient is toasted pine nuts, as her recipe, shared with Food Network, explains. That's right, pine nuts. Why? Toasted pine nuts tossed in your cheese mixture for stuffed peppers promises next-level crunchiness, buttery flavor, and saltiness all in one bite. We promise, your guests will finish this before cocktail hour is even close to being over — so think about making a double batch just in case.

For Guarnaschelli's recipe, the goat cheese and toasted pine nuts are what give these peppers the perfect combo of crunchy and creamy. In addition to those two ingredients, you'll also need fresh cherry peppers, salt, olive oil, scallions, and lemon zest and juice. For the goat cheese, room temperature is best so it's easy to work with when it comes to mixing and filling the cherry peppers. If you don't like goat cheese, use another soft cheese like feta or ricotta.

Now let's get to those crunchy toasted pine nuts. The recipe calls for three tablespoons of pine nuts, which you toast yourself. How so? Place the pine nuts in a dry pan or skillet, turn on the burner to medium heat, and let them toast for three minutes until they turn golden. You can also toast them in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And if you're short on time, look for toasted pine nuts at the grocery store. All that's left now is mixing the pine nuts with the other ingredients, stuffing the peppers, and baking them.