Cream cheese stuffed peppers are a delicious and nutritious meal that can be a great addition to a healthy diet. However, like any food, it’s important to pay attention to portion sizes and calories when enjoying cream cheese stuffed peppers. In this article, we’ll take a look at the calorie count for different cream cheese stuffed pepper recipes and servings to get an idea of how many calories are typically found in this dish.
What are Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers?
Cream cheese stuffed peppers are made by stuffing hollowed out bell peppers with a cream cheese filling. The filling usually consists of cream cheese, shredded cheese like cheddar or mozzarella, diced vegetables, and seasonings. The stuffed pepper halves are then baked until the peppers are tender and the cheese filling is hot and melted.
Cream cheese gives these stuffed peppers a rich, creamy texture, while the added shredded cheese helps the filling set up when baked. Popular vegetable additions include onions, garlic, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms. Herbs like dried basil, parsley, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes are often used to add flavor to the filling.
The vegetables provide important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And the peppers themselves contain vitamin C, vitamin A, and antioxidants. So cream cheese stuffed peppers can make for a nutritious main dish or side when prepared properly.
Calories in Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers
The calorie count for cream cheese stuffed peppers can vary widely depending on the specific ingredients and amounts used in the filling. Some key factors that impact the calories per serving include:
- Type of peppers – Smaller sweet mini peppers generally have fewer calories than a larger bell pepper half.
- Amount of cream cheese – More cream cheese increases calories, lighter varieties lower it.
- Type of shredded cheese – High fat cheeses like cheddar add more calories than low-moisture part skim mozzarella.
- Amount of added vegetables and seasonings – Additional veggies bulk up the filling for fewer calories.
- Cooking method – Baked is lower calorie than fried stuffed pepper recipes.
- Portion size – The calories are greater if you eat multiple stuffed pepper halves.
Typical Calorie Range
Taking these factors into account, a typical cream cheese stuffed pepper half contains between 150-250 calories. A small mini pepper half may have around 50-100 calories. And a very large, overstuffed bell pepper could have 300+ calories.
As a guide, here is the approximate calorie range per 1 stuffed pepper half:
- Small (2-3 inches long) mini sweet pepper half: 50-100 calories
- Medium (3-4 inches long) bell pepper half: 150-200 calories
- Large (4-5 inches long) bell pepper half: 200-300+ calories
Calories in Specific Recipes
To get a more precise calorie estimate, we can look at the counts for some popular published cream cheese stuffed pepper recipes. Note that even recipes for the same yield and pepper size can vary based on the precise ingredients and amounts.
Recipe 1 – Mini Sweet Pepper Halves Stuffed with Cream Cheese and Cheddar
Yield: 15 stuffed mini pepper halves
Ingredients per pepper:
- 1/2 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 tbsp diced yellow onion
- Pinch of dried dill
Total calories per pepper: Around 60 calories
Recipe 2 – Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
Yield: 12 jalapeno halves
Ingredients per pepper:
- 1 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 tsp diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 tbsp chopped cilantro
Total calories per pepper: Approximately 105 calories
Recipe 3 – Loaded Cream Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Yield: 6 stuffed poblano halves
Ingredients per pepper:
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp chopped red onion
- 2 tbsp diced tomato
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
Total calories per pepper: Roughly 230 calories
As you can see, the calories per stuffed pepper can range quite a bit. Larger peppers and more generous cream cheese and cheese amounts result in higher calorie counts. Choosing lean fillings like vegetables and grains instead of additional cheese reduces calories.
Calories in Cream Cheese Pepper Filling
We can also calculate the calories specifically in the cream cheese filling mixture, before stuffing it into the peppers. This gives us the calories in just the key stuffing ingredients per serving.
For example, this typical cream cheese pepper stuffing recipe for 6-8 pepper halves contains:
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
- 2 tbsp diced green onions
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Total calories per 1/8th of the stuffing mixture: Approximately 104 calories
So in the filling alone per serving there are 104 calories. The number of calories in the whole stuffed pepper would also include those from the pepper itself.
Ways to Reduce Calories in Stuffed Peppers
If you’re looking decrease the calories in cream cheese stuffed peppers, here are some tips:
- Use reduced fat or light cream cheese.
- Cut back on the amounts of cream cheese and cheese.
- Choose low-fat cheese like part-skim mozzarella.
- Increase the amount of vegetables like onions, spinach, tomatoes.
- Add cooked grains like rice, quinoa or bulgur.
- Use smaller mini sweet peppers rather than large bell peppers.
- Remove some of the ribs and seeds from inside the peppers before stuffing.
- Opt for baking instead of frying.
- Portion out individual pepper halves instead of serving whole stuffed peppers.
Nutrition Information
When enjoying cream cheese stuffed peppers, it’s also helpful to consider the full nutrition profile. Here is the approximate nutrition information per 1 medium bell pepper half (around 3-4 inches long) stuffed with a typical cream cheese filling:
| Nutrition Facts | Per 1 medium stuffed half (approx. 3-4″ long) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 185 |
| Fat | 12g |
| Saturated Fat | 7g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 30mg |
| Sodium | 320mg |
| Carbohydrates | 11g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 3g |
| Protein | 8g |
| Vitamin C | 100mg |
| Calcium | 150mg |
| Iron | 1mg |
As you can see, stuffed peppers provide protein and important vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. However, the high fat and saturated fat content primarily comes from the cream cheese and cheese used in the filling.
Serving Size
When planning your meal, keep portion sizes in mind. The calorie count and nutrition information is for 1 stuffed pepper half. Many recipes yield 4-6 halves.
As a main dish, 2-3 stuffed pepper halves make a good serving size. For a side dish, 1-2 halves is a reasonable portion. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Ideally don’t eat more than 1-2 whole large stuffed peppers in one sitting. Overdoing the portion can pack in excess calories, fat, and sodium for the day.
Cooking Tips
Here are some cooking tips for easily making delicious cream cheese stuffed peppers at home:
- Choose firm, sturdy peppers that can hold their shape when stuffed. Look for ones that sit flat on the bottom.
- Cut the tops off and carefully remove the seeds and membranes.
- Blot any excess moisture from inside the pepper halves before adding fillings.
- Mix together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and any vegetables or seasonings.
- Evenly divide the filling amount between the pepper halves.
- Place the filled peppers in a baking dish and bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes.
- If needed, put toothpicks through the bottoms to hold the filling in place.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with extra diced vegetables, parsley, or chopped chives.
Storage
Properly stored leftover stuffed peppers can last for several days:
- Refrigerator – Place leftover stuffed peppers in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Freezer – Let cooked stuffed peppers cool completely then freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating – Reheat refrigerated or thawed stuffed peppers in a 375°F oven or microwave until heated through.
Substitutions
Don’t have all the ingredients? Try these substitution ideas:
- Cream cheese – Softened ricotta or goat cheese
- Cheddar – Monterey jack, pepper jack, Mexican blend
- Bell peppers – Mini sweet peppers, Anaheim, poblano
- Onion – Shallots, leeks, chives
- Tomatoes – Sun-dried tomatoes
- Spinach – Kale, arugula
- Quinoa – Rice, bulgur, couscous
Conclusion
Cream cheese stuffed peppers generally contain around 150-250 calories per pepper half. Factors like the size of the pepper and the amounts of cream cheese and cheese impact the totals. Choosing leaner fillings like vegetables and grains instead of extra cheese can lower the calories. Portion control is also important when enjoying this flavorful and satisfying dish. With some planning, cream cheese stuffed peppers can be a tasty addition to any healthy diet.
