Shrimp Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

A super delectable shrimp paste is stuffed into mini sweet peppers, then pan-fried until aromatic and gently simmered in a savory brown sauce. They turn out incredibly juicy, bursting with umami flavor—and they’re absolutely no mess! Let’s get started with Shrimp Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers!

Recipe

Serving: 2 to 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes

For the filling:
1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ teaspoon ginger
1/10 teaspoon salt
1/10 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil

For the sauce:
¾ cup chicken stock, or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the stuffed mini sweet peppers:
½ pound mini sweet peppers
1 tablespoon avocado oil, or other high-smoking point oil
1 stalk scallions, minced

Instructions

1. Prepare the filling:

• In a food processor, add the deveined shrimp and blend into a paste (or finely mince with a knife). Add the ginger, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix well to combine.
• Transfer the filling into a pastry bag (or Ziploc bag set in a glass). Seal the top, then snip off the tip for easy piping.

2. Prepare the mini sweet peppers:

• Slice the mini sweet peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
• Pipe the shrimp filling into each pepper half, smoothing the top if needed.

3. Cook:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch to make the sauce.
• In a pan over medium heat, add avocado oil (or any high smoke-point oil). Place the stuffed mini sweet peppers filling-side up and pan-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the sauce. Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the peppers are cooked through and the filling is firm.
• Garnish with scallions and serve warm.

Tips & notes

• If using frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw and pat them dry thoroughly before blending for a better texture.
• You can swap mini sweet peppers with larger ones cut into smaller segments, but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan when pan-frying—this helps each pepper brown evenly and keeps the temperature steady.
• To make it spicy, stir a few slices of chili or a spoonful of chili crisp into the sauce.