You've seen those viral stuffed pepperoncinis, right? The ones with the cream cheese filling, crispy salami, and hot honey drizzle. It sounds right up my alley - but I'm also not stuffing 30 individual peppers…. So I took everything that makes them good and turned it into a dip instead. Same flavors, half the work, way more shareable. 15 minutes, serves 4–6, perfect for memorial day weekend or for dinner tonight 😜
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
SERVES: 4-6
can I make this ahead? yep! mix the cheese base up to 2 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge, just bring it back to room temp before smearing. Cook the salami and panko the day-of so they stay crispy, and assemble right before serving.
why room temp? cold Boursin + cold cream cheese = lumpy base. Pull them out 30 min to an hour before you start and you’ll get that smooth, dreamy texture with way less arm work.
can I use a food processor? totally. a food processor or stand mixer will give you the silkiest base. But a bowl and spatula (or a hand mixer) work great too.
how spicy is this? pretty mild! The pepperoncinis and hot honey give a gentle kick. Want more heat? add extra hot honey or a pinch of chili flakes on top. Want less? skip the hot honey and drizzle with regular honey instead.
I don’t have hot honey: mix 1 tbsp regular honey with a pinch of red pepper flakes (or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce) and let it sit for a few minutes. Or just use regular honey
best way to store leftovers? the cheese base keeps in the fridge 3–4 days. store the salami crumble separately in an airtight container at room temp so it stays crunchy. re-assemble when you’re ready to eat.
make it GF: ✅ skip the panko or use GF
make it DF: ❌
1 block shallot chive boursin (room temp)
4 oz whipped cream cheese (room temp)
2 tsp pepperoncini juice
black pepper
2 tsp neutral oil, divided
8 slices pepper salami
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup pepperoncinis
3 tbsp pistachios
1-2 tbsp hot honey
ritz crackers to serve
mix your base
to a bowl, add your room temp block of shallot chive boursin, 4 oz whipped cream cheese (room temp), 2 tsp pepperoncini juice and a few cracks of pepper. Mix until smooth.
make your salami + panko
heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Warm 1 tsp neutral oil, then add your pepper salami in a single layer and cook until golden on both sides (about 3-5 minutes).
remove salami and add 1 more tsp neutral oil. Add in 1/4 cup panko with a pinch of salt. Cook until golden, another 3 or so minutes.
assemble
roughly chop pepperoncinis and very finely chop pistachios.
to a dinner plate, dollop on cheese mixture and smear.
sprinkle on chopped pepperoncinis and breadcrumbs. Crush salami overtop, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and finish with hot honey.
serve with ritz.
shallot chive boursin: any neutral-flavor Boursin (garlic & herbs, original, cracked pepper).
whipped cream cheese: regular cream cheese works you just may need to add a splash of water or milk to loosen it up
pepperoncini juice: brine from banana peppers, giardiniera, or dill pickles all work. no brine in the house? 2 tsp white wine vinegar + a pinch of salt.
neutral oil: avocado, grapeseed, vegetable, or light olive oil. Skip extra virgin olive oil here as it’s too strong and will fight with the toppings.
peppered salami: any crispable deli meat - prosciutto, soppressata, regular salami, sopressata, even bacon (cut into smaller pieces). Crisp it the same way.
panko: regular breadcrumbs work but won’t be quite as shatter-y. for GF, use GF panko or just skip - the crushed salami carries plenty of crunch on its own.
pepperoncinis: banana peppers, mild giardiniera, or chopped cherry peppers (warning: cherry peppers bring more heat).
pistachios: roasted salted almonds, walnuts, or pecans all work. toast them in the pan after the panko for an extra flavor boost.
hot honey: regular honey + a pinch of red pepper flakes (let it sit 5 min to infuse), or 1 tbsp honey whisked with a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Ritz crackers: any buttery cracker like Town House, Club, or even toasted baguette slices.
Questions? Drop a comment below if you have any questions, and don’t forget to let me know if you make it! Happy eating!
I feel like you just wrote me a love letter with this one.
Great little girl dinner for me & my kiddo!