Tuna Pepper Poppers for Cinco de Mayo

by Dorothy Reinhold on April 27, 2021


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Tuna Pepper Poppers features canned tuna with a peppery kick teamed up with avocado and pineapple as the perfect stuffing for colorful mini bell peppers, for Cinco de Mayo finger food!

What are you serving for Cinco de Mayo?

Here in Southern California, we eat Mexican and Cal-Mex food all the time, so we don’t wait for a holiday to have an excuse. No celebration is complete without some fun finger food, and this little creation will have you doing a happy dance. Spiced up canned tuna combines with fresh pineapple, avocado and cilantro to make a flavor celebration worthy of this day, or any day, frankly.

I can eat this for lunch, as an appetizer before dinner, or just as a snack in the middle of the day. It’s versatile like that. Make it ahead if you like.

Tuna Pepper Poppers with Avocado and Pineapple on Shockingly DeliciousHow to make Tuna Pepper Poppers

Mini sweet bell peppersYou’ll need some colorful mini bell peppers. You can find them packaged in the produce section. Lop off the stem and you’re ready to go. Split them in half lengthwise if you’d like them to look like mine in the photo. Or you can leave them whole and stuff the whole thing…your choice.

Tuna Pepper Poppers with Avocado and Pineapple mixture in a ceramic bowl on a wooden surface on Shockingly DeliciousMix up the tuna (with its oil), hot sauce, pineapple, cilantro and chopped tomatoes.

Tuna Pepper Poppers with Avocado and Pineapple on an outstretched hand on Shockingly DeliciousSpoon some of the tuna mixture into each pepper half, and insert a slice of avocado alongside. The avocado tames the spice a bit, and makes it all that much better.

Try this tuna-rrific pepper popper. And if you need an interesting margarita to go with it, may I suggest my Basilrita (Basil Margarita), which won a restaurant cocktail contest in 2012. Muy bueno.

Tuna Pepper Poppers with Avocado and Pineapple

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes 12 or more peppers

Tuna Pepper Poppers with Avocado and Pineapple

Tuna Pepper Poppers features canned tuna with a peppery kick teamed up with avocado and pineapple as the perfect stuffing for colorful mini bell peppers, for Cinco de Mayo finger food!

Ingredients

  • 1 (5-ounce) can tuna in olive oil (you will use the oil)
  • Squirt of hot sauce (such as Sriracha, Tabasco, etc. your choice)
  • 1/3-1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple *see note below
  • 1/4 cup finely minced fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped tomato (I used grape tomatoes – easy to mince)
  • Mini sweet bell peppers, multicolored
  • 1 California avocado, pitted and sliced into slivers

Directions

  1. Using an electric mixer or by hand, mix tuna and its oil and hot sauce until combined and tuna is broken up. By hand, stir in pineapple, cilantro and tomato.
  2. Slice the caps off the mini peppers and remove any visible seeds with your finger. You may either leave them whole or cut them in half lengthwise; your choice. Insert a sliver of avocado, and using a small spoon (I found an old baby spoon), scoop the tuna mixture into the peppers alongside the avocado. Place on a serving platter.
  3. Makes 12+ peppers, depending on size.

Notes

Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious

Pineapple note I had fresh pineapple on hand, and this was about 1/8 of a pineapple. If you don’t have fresh, you can certainly use canned tidbits or crushed pineapple, very well drained.

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/cinco-de-mayo-tuna-pepper-poppers-for-sundaysupper/

pin this please!Pin the image below for Tuna Pepper Poppers to your Pinterest board to save this recipe

Photo collage of Tuna Peppper Poppers for Cinco de Mayo on ShockinglyDelicious.com

This post was originally published May 5, 2013 and has been refreshed and republished today.

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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons May 5, 2013 at 3:07 pm

How original! Looks like there are some great flavor combos in here!

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Renee May 5, 2013 at 11:53 am

When I saw the title I thought it was going to be jalapeno peppers but you totally surprised me with the colorful peppers. What a great thing to serve as an appetizer or finger food. Fantastic!

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Anne @ Webicurean May 5, 2013 at 10:54 am

I’ve never seen this chipotle & olive oil tuna–now I’ll have to look for it! I love how the baby peppers are so crisp and sweet…these stuffed peppers look really yummy!

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Diana @GourmetDrizzles May 5, 2013 at 10:49 am

What a yummy, colorful dish! Like the tuna addition… sounds good for today or any day!

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Hezzi-D May 5, 2013 at 9:44 am

I like the idea of a tuna pepper popper! Very original but I bet it’s super tasty!

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HipFoodieMom1 May 5, 2013 at 9:18 am

Dorothy,
I love this! It’s funny you used canned tuna. . which I am a fan of by the way. . I just watched this cooking show and they highlighted canned tuna recipes for a week and I was thinking what else I could do with tuna. These look great! yum!!

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Liz May 5, 2013 at 8:41 am

Sounds wonderful! I would eat this for my lunch…again and again!

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Bea May 5, 2013 at 8:27 am

Yum! Those sounds fantastic!

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Sarah Reid, RHNC (@jo_jo_ba) May 5, 2013 at 8:17 am

How fabulous! That flavour combo is stunning, as is the colour of the dish!

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Alaiyo Kiasi-Barnes May 5, 2013 at 8:10 am

Wonderful idea! I didn’t know that there was canned tuna with chipotle seasoning available. I’ll have to look for it and give your recipe a try. Very colorful and delicious looking!

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Nicole @ Daily Dish Recipes May 5, 2013 at 8:09 am

Oh my goodness, these are so pretty and look like they’d be awesome. Beautiful!!

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Nancy @ gottagetbaked May 5, 2013 at 8:01 am

Dorothy, these poppers look fantastic! I love the vibrant colors and every single delicious ingredient in there. I’m a total sucker for anything with avocado…yum… And I totally want a glass (or pitcher) of your contest-winning drink!

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Jen @JuanitasCocina May 5, 2013 at 7:47 am

OMG. Those mini bell peppers are sitting in my fridget right now! Now I know what to do with them!

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Lauren @ Healthy Delicious May 5, 2013 at 6:20 am

how fun are these?! I love that you used a pepper…nice, healthy twist!

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Jennie @themessybakerblog May 5, 2013 at 6:18 am

I love finger foods! These look so good.

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familyfoodie May 5, 2013 at 6:13 am

What a creative recipe!

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Katie May 5, 2013 at 6:06 am

I adore those mini peppers, and I love thinking of new ways to use them! Love this variation. 🙂

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Cindys Recipes May 5, 2013 at 5:39 am

So colorful, Dorothy! They look delicious!

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Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers May 5, 2013 at 5:39 am

What a fabulous idea!!! I just love it and I didn’t know they made tuna in chipotle. I am so making this! What a great mid day snack this would make!

Reply

Katy May 5, 2013 at 5:20 am

These are so cute! I’m always looking for new things to do with peppers, and this is a great idea 🙂

Reply

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