Italian Tuna Stuffed Cherry Peppers

Italian Tuna Stuffed Cherry Peppers are the easiest antipasto or appetizer to make at home. Filled with an umami rich tuna filling and piped into pickled cherry peppers. good served with other little bites and a glass of fizz!

Tuna stuffed cherry peppers or 'peperoncini ripieni di tonno' are a popular antipasto originating in Calabria but can be found all over Italy.

Although you could use fresh cherry peppers that you deseed and pickle yourself we find that the jarred peppers are suited to this.

This is such a quick and easy recipe to put together to serve as an aperitivo with drinks such as an Aperol or Campari Spritz or as part of an antipasti platter (see our serving suggestions below).

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos, tips, variations and a video tutorial. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Cherry peppers – We buy these already pickled in jars. They come in either mild or hot. You can use either but we prefer to use the hot ones.
• Tuna in olive oil – using tuna canned in olive oil is a must, don't use tuna in spring water, brine or sunflower oil. You don't need to use expensive tuna but don't use the cheapest either (we like to use Rio Mare but use whatever brand you love and use yourself).
• Anchovies – use salted anchovies in oil.
• Capers – use capers in brine not ones jarred in salt.

Step by step photos and instructions

Drain the tuna then add it to a bowl with the anchovies and capers. Blitz it to smooth paste using a hand-held immersion blender (photos 1 and 2).

Drain the cherry peppers on kitchen paper and set aside. Fill a piping bag with the tuna mixture and pipe it into each cherry pepper then serve (photos 3 and 4).

Recipe tips and FAQs

• Drain the cherry peppers well – drain the peppers upside down on kitchen paper for a few minutes. Makes sure they're upside down as a lot of excess pickling liquid will be inside them.
• Use tuna in olive oil – We mentioned this above but it's important. We have made this recipe many times with various different types of tuna and a good quality tuna canned in olive oil makes a huge difference. Tuna canned in brine, spring water or even sunflower oil tends to give the filling a grainy/gritty texture that we don't like. There's also a massive difference in overall flavour.
• Use a piping bag – although you could use a small spoon to fill the peppers a piping bag makes it so quick and easy.

How long do they last?

Once stuffed, the peppers will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. cover them with plastic wrap (cling film).

Serving suggestions

Traditionally stuffed cherry peppers are served as an antipasto often with cured meats, cheeses, olives and other little bites. We love to serve them like this too with drinks (cocktail or Prosecco). See more of our antipasti recipes below.

Antipasti

Marinated Olives – Ready In 5 Minutes

Antipasti

La Giardiniera sott'aceto – Italian Pickled Vegetables

Antipasti

Mozzarella Bocconcini, Pesto and Sun Blushed Tomatoes

Sides

Ricotta Chicken Croquettes

Ingredients

Makes 30 cherry peppers

• 1 jar pickled cherry peppers (mild or hot (380g or about 30 peppers))
• 320 g/11.2 oz canned tuna in olive oil (see notes, we use Rio Mare)
• 12 anchovy fillets in oil
• 3 tablespoons capers in brine

Equipment

• Piping bag
• Immersion blender or food processor

Method

1. First, drain the cherry peppers upside down on kitchen paper and set aside.

2. Drain the tuna then add it to a bowl with the anchovies and capers. Blitz it to very smooth and creamy paste using a hand-held immersion blender.

3. Fill a piping bag with the tuna mixture and pipe it into each cherry pepper then serve.

Kitchen notes

1. Tuna the quality of the tuna is important. We find this only works well with tuna canned in olive oil (we like to use Rio Mare). If you use tuna canned in brine, water or sunflower oil we find that the flavour isn't as good and there's a grainy/gritty texture to the mixture.
2. Cherry peppers if you're using fresh cherry peppers you'll need to prepare them first by deseeding and pickling them. We find that for this, easy and simple recipe, jarred pickled peppers work great.
3. Storage once stuffed the peppers can be stored in the fridge (covered in plastic wrap) for up to 2 days.