These Sardine Stuffed Mini Peppers are packed with a flavorful filling and topped with crispy panko crumbs. The perfect summer appetizer!

Cast iron pan with baked stuffed mini peppers covered in toasted breadcrumbs.

This post is sponsored by King Oscar | Thank you for supporting the brands I trust.

These Sardine Stuffed Mini Peppers Will Have You Hooked!

I’m REALLY excited about this recipe. It brings together so many potent flavors that are bold on their own. Yet together, instead of being overwhelming, they sing!

And baked, blistered mini peppers make for the perfect vessel to stuff them in. They’re crunchy, creamy, and light enough to be the perfect summer appetizer.

They’re also quite pretty!

An Easy Ingredient List.

Big flavor doesn’t necessarily mean more ingredients, and that’s what I love about this recipe. We’ve got creamy goat cheese folded into a mix of onions, garlic, mushrooms, olives, capers, and King Oscar’s brisling sardines in extra virgin olive oil, and it’s exquisite.

Here’s what t0 throw on your grocery list:

  • King Oscar Brisling Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Red Onion
  • Mushrooms
  • Garlic
  • Caper berries
  • Kalamata olives
  • Goat cheese
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Lemon
  • Fresh parsley

Can of sardines with fresh vegetables surrounding it.

King Oscar Brisling Sardines Are a Treat.

Even if you don’t think you like sardines, you might. You JUST might.

Sardines—even canned sardines—are incredibly versatile. They can be added to so many different dishes, from melty gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to pastas, and they pack a healthy punch.

King Oscar’s sardines are especially a treat because of their quality. They’re handled with care and hand-packed with high quality ingredients, and they’re sustainable!

Good for you and good for the planet—that spells win/win.

Cast iron pan with baked stuffed mini peppers covered in toasted breadcrumbs and tin of King Oscar sardines.

How to Make These Sardine Stuffed Mini Peppers.

Appetizers should be easy. They’re a warm-up and should be treated as such.

This recipe includes minimal chopping, a little mixing, some scooping, and some baking. That’s it!

Here’s what you’ll do:

  1. Get your oven preheated to 375º F.
  2. Heat olive oil (you can use the olive oil from the tin of sardines!) in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan and let them simmer for about 2 minutes, until softened.
  3. Add the capers, olives, and sardines. Simmer and break down the caper berries with your spatula or spoon as your stir. After about a minute, remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and add the goat cheese. Stir until the cheese melts into the mixture and everything is well blended; set it aside.
  4. Place the peppers, open side down, on a cast iron pan. Brush the backs of the peppers with a bit of olive oil and flip them over. Then scoop the mixture into the peppers until completely filled.
  5. When filled, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs over the peppers, pop them into the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes.
  6. Remove the peppers from the oven, and sprinkle the lemon zest and some fresh chopped parsley on to. Hit those suckers with some fresh lemon juice and dig in!

Cast iron skillet with peppers in it being oiled and stuffed.

Side shot of stuffed peppers in cast iron pan.

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

Recipe Tips + Tricks.

  1. If goat cheese isn’t your jam, you could replace it with cream cheese.
  2. I like using big caper berries in this recipe, but regular small capers will work just fine.
  3. If your panko topping hasn’t turned a nice golden color after baking for 20 minutes, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes! Just be sure to keep a close eye on it so they don’t burn.

Have You Made This Recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR rating & commenting below with feedback!

You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme

Other Sardine Appetizers You’ll Love:

Side shot of stuffed peppers in cast iron pan.

Sardine Stuffed Mini Peppers

These Sardine Stuffed Mini Peppers are packed with a flavorful filling and topped with crispy panko crumbs. The perfect summer appetizer!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

  • 1 tin of King Oscar Brisling Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Olive oil (you can use the oil from the sardine tin)
  • 1/3 cup diced red onion
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large clove of garlic, grated to a paste or finely minced
  • 1 TBSP caper berries or regular capers, drained
  • 1 TBSP chopped kalamata olives
  • 2 oz plain goat cheese
  • 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges
  • Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375º F.
  • Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. To avoid waste and add flavor, you can use the olive oil from the tin of sardines!
  • Pop the onions, mushrooms, and garlic into the pan. Simmer for about 2 minutes or until they've softened.
  • Stir the capers, olives, and sardines into the pan and and break down the caper berries with your spatula or spoon as your stir. Let them warm in the pan for about a minute, then remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
  • Add the goat cheese to the bowl and stir until the cheese melts into the mixture and is blended in; set aside.
  • Place the peppers on a cast iron pan open side down. Lightly brush the backs of the peppers with a bit of olive oil, then flip them over.
  • Scoop the mixture into the peppers until they're filled to the brim.
  • Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs over the peppers, pop them into the oven, and lwt them bake for 20 minutes.
  • When done, remove the peppers from the oven and sprinkle the lemon zest and fresh chopped parsley over the peppers. Serve with lemon wedges.