Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Greens, Spanish Goat Cheese, and Strawberry Salsa
Piquillo peppers, which hail from the Navarre region of Spain, are a staple in Spanish cuisine—and for good reason. They’re commonly stuffed or seared and eaten with steak and seafood. One of the great characteristics of this dish is its versatility: You can enjoy these stuffed peppers with many different filling and sauce combinations. They can be served cold, room temperature, or warm, but if you are enjoying them filled with cheese, warm is always nice!
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY SALSA:
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Dash champagne vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
STUFFED PEPPERS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2 large shallots, peeled and sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cups greens (collard, mustard, kale, chard, or your favorite greens), washed and chopped
- 2 cups soft Spanish goat cheese (try MitiCana de Cabra), plus ¼ cup to garnish
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 24 jarred or canned piquillo peppers, drained
Instructions
STRAWBERRY SALSA:
- Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate until needed.
STUFFED PEPPERS:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add shallots and cook until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add greens and cook until wilted. Set aside to cool.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Crumble goat cheese into cooled greens and mix well. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff mixture into pepper cavities until they are plump.
- Place stuffed peppers in an oven-safe dish and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and garnish with cheese.
- Serve with strawberry salsa and a drizzle of olive oil.