American
SpicyJalapeño poppers
Jalapeño poppers: halved jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese and cheddar, baked under a crunchy crumb topping
Jalapeño poppers come from Texas bar menus and backyard barbecues, and they are now a staple of tailgate parties and game nights across the United States. Fresh jalapeños are halved and seeded, filled with a smoky cream cheese and cheddar mix and baked under buttery breadcrumbs until the peppers are tender and the filling bubbles. Many versions are wrapped in bacon; this one is vegetarian. They contain milk and wheat. Cheddar is often made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian one if needed. The common mistake is leaving in the white ribs: that is where most of the heat lives, so scrape them out for a milder popper, and wear gloves or wash your hands well before touching your eyes. Doneness: the peppers should be soft enough to pierce easily and the crumbs golden. Chef's tip: mix a spoonful of the crumbs into the filling itself; it soaks up any oil and stops the cheese sliding out.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 175 kcal
Ingredients
- 12 fresh jalapeñoshalved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
- 6 oz cream cheesesoftened
- 2 ⅛ oz mature cheddar (vegetarian if needed)grated
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 oz panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp buttermelted
- 1 tbsp fresh chives (optional)snipped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Step 2: Mix 1 oz panko breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp butter. Stir 1 tbsp of it into 6 oz cream cheese with 2 ⅛ oz mature cheddar (vegetarian if needed), ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika and ¼ tsp salt.
Step 3: Fill each half of the 12 fresh jalapeños with the cheese mixture and set them on the tray cut side up.
Step 4: Sprinkle the rest of the buttery crumbs over the tops and press lightly.
Step 5: Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the peppers are tender, the filling bubbles and the crumbs are golden.
20 minStep 6: Cool for 5 minutes, scatter with 1 tbsp fresh chives and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jalapeño poppers take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of cream cheese?
- Mascarpone, same amount.
- What can I use instead of mature cheddar (vegetarian if needed)?
- Any hard cheese, same amount.
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