Bacon-Wrapped Chorizo Stuffed Dates with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

The perfect combo of sweet, salty, and spicy! These bacon-wrapped chorizo-stuffed dates with spicy red pepper sauce make a deliciously easy appetizer, party dish, or game-day snack! Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30.

Say hello to one of the best appetizers – bacon-wrapped dates!

If you haven’t had a stuffed bacon-wrapped date before, you are in for a treat! I’ve made them stuffed with almond butter and goat cheese, but I absolutely love this chorizo version.

These chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates with red pepper sauce were actually served at our wedding and were a HUGE HIT! Everyone raved about them afterward and we have been obsessed since. Apparently, they are pretty famous from a restaurant in Chicago called Avec too.

The combo is amazing – the spiciness from the chorizo, the sweetness of the dates, and the saltiness from the bacon. The other added kick is from the spicy red pepper sauce, which is not to be overlooked. And they come together with super simple ingredients.

Whether you are throwing a game day party, a holiday party, or are just having some friends over for dinner, these chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates will be a hit. The perfect bite of sweet and savory and you can just pop them in your mouth.

A note about the sauce – you could definitely make these without the sauce, but the sauce really adds great complexity to the dates and helps balance out the saltiness and sweetness. And honestly, it’s straight-up delicious, I wanted to pour it on everything we had in the house.

Bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates ingredients

• dates
• chorizo sausage
• bacon

How to make bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Prep the dates. Make an incision on one side of each date and remove the seed (if needed). You want to make sure you don’t slice all the way through, leaving it almost like a taco shell. 
3. Stuff with the chorizo, dividing it up equally among the dates (about 1/4 an ounce each or 1/2 tablespoon). Wrap each date with a strip of bacon, tucking in the ends on the bottom of the date. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until chorizo is cooked through, bacon is golden brown, and the dates are tender and a little caramelized. If desired, you can pop them under the broiler for a minute or two to get extra crispy. If needed, you can pat or drain off any excess grease (this will depend on how fatty your bacon is).
4. While the dates bake, make the sauce. More details on that below.
5. When the dates are done and the sauce cools some, it’s time to assemble. Spoon the sauce over the bottom of a plate/dish/small pan or place small dollops on a plate. Pierce dates with a toothpick and place on top of the sauce. Enjoy!

How long do you cook bacon wrapped dates?

I found the best cooking time to make bacon-wrapped dates is 20 minutes at 375 degrees until bacon is crispy. If desired, you can broil them for a minute or two until to get extra crispy.

Can you reheat bacon wrapped dates?

Store leftover bacon-wrapped dates in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can easily reheat leftovers by placing them on a lined baking sheet and heating them for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees until warmed through.

Spicy red pepper sauce

While you can just enjoy these chorizo-stuffed dates as is, we are taking them up a notch with a spicy red pepper sauce. It is the perfect accompaniment to the salty and sweet bacon-wrapped date. And it is super simple to make too!

Spicy red pepper sauce ingredients:

• olive oil
• onion
• garlic
• a variety of red peppers (I did some spicy and some mild – red bell peppers, mini bell peppers, and cherry or fresno peppers)
• salt and pepper

How to make red pepper sauce:

1. Roughly chop your onion and peppers.
2. Heat up a medium skillet or sauté pan over low-medium heat, add the olive oil, and let it get hot. Add onion and garlic and saute for 2-3, stirring frequently. Add red peppers and some salt and pepper and saute for 8-10 minutes until soft, making sure to stir every couple minutes.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend into a smooth sauce forms.

Can bacon wrapped dates be made ahead of time?

Bacon-wrapped dates are easy to throw together and you can even prep them ahead of time if needed. To make ahead of time, assemble by stuffing the dates and wrapping them in bacon. Store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass container. When ready to enjoy, just bake them up for 20 minutes before you want to serve them. 

You can also make the sauce a few days ahead of time and store it in a jar in the fridge until ready to use.

Substitutions for chorizo stuffed dates

• chorizo – if you can’t find fresh chorizo sausage, you can use a mild or spicy Italian sausage. 
• bacon – feel free to use turkey bacon to lighten them up some.
• onion – shallot can easily replace onion in the red pepper sauce.
• peppers – to make the sauce quick and easy, you can use jarred roasted red peppers. It just won’t be spicy. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.

More healthy appetizer recipes

• Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Cheese
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
• Chicken Enchilada Dip
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Sweet Potato Pizzas
• Buffalo Brussel Sprouts

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