This Easy Jalapeño Popper recipe is made with fresh jalapeños that are sliced in half then filled with a delicious cheese filling topped with panko. Then baked or air fried to a golden brown perfection.
Marino H. “The Godfather” Casem said “…in the South college football is a religion and Saturday is the holy day.” As someone who has grown up down here I can tell you it is very true. Loyalties are to your alma mater are serious. Win or lose you root for your team. The only thing Southerns take as seriously as the game itself is the food for the tailgate or watch party.
I love making appetizers for game days and snacks for game days. This Easy Jalapeño Popper recipe is one of my favorites because my husband loves spicy food! Some of our other favorite game day foods are these Fried Ravioli, Slow Cooker Beef Queso Dip, and these Sweet and Spicy Little Smokies. Of course no game day spread is complete without a great cocktail. We love these Beer Margaritas!
How to make Jalapeño Poppers: (full printable recipe at bottom of page)
Ingredients:
- fresh jalapeños
- cream cheese
- shredded cheddar cheese
- garlic powder
- Panko bread crumbs
Special Equipment Needed:
- parchment paper
- Sharp knife
- spoon
Instructions:
Step One: Begin by preheating your oven 400° Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating up line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set it aside while you prepare the jalapeños.
Step Two: Wash the jalapeños and then pat dry with a paper towel.
Step Three: Slice each pepper in half lengthwise, then with a small spoon scrape out the vein and seeds until each pepper half is clean.
Step Four: In a small bowl combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and garlic powder until well combined.
Step Five: With a small spoon fill the halved jalapeños with the cream mixture. Smoothing over the top mixture with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs over the top. Transfer the stuffed peppers to the prepared baking sheet spacing them evenly apart.
Step Six: Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and jalapeños are tender.
Air Fryer: Follow steps 1-4 as directed. Place cheese stuffed jalapeños in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Air fry for 15 minutes at 400°F or until the cheese is melted and and the jalapeños are tender.
My Notes and Tips:
Safety Tip:
Cooking with raw jalapeños can be tricky. The seeds, veins and oils in the peppers are spicy. if they come into contact with your eyes, nose and skin it could be painful. I recommend wearing rubber gloves while handling the jalapeños. Doing this will keep the oils from coming in contact with your fingers or getting trapped under you fingernails. The gloves will also help you remember to not touch your face while handling the peppers. This will help to prevent irritation and ultimately frustration while prepping this appetizer.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Add a teaspoon of onion powder to the mixture for a little more flavor.
- Substitute the Panko breadcrumbs for, homemade bread crumbs, crushed ritz crackers, or crushed tortilla chips.
- Make this recipe dairy free by using a dairy free/vegan cream cheese and vegan shredded cheese alternative.
- Prepare 3-5 pieces of bacon when cooled crumble then add to the cheese mixture to kick these popper up a notch.
Storing Leftovers:
Refrigerator: Store leftover Jalapeños Poppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To reheat place in the microwave in 30 second increments until warmed through.
Freezer: To freeze follow steps 1-5 as directed then place jalapeño poppers in a freezer safe container or bag.
Thawing and reheating: Thaw by placing in the fridge overnight then bake as directed. To bake from frozen add 5-7 minutes of baking time.
I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we do! If you do try this recipe please come back and leave a comment letting me know how much you liked it!
Happy Cooking Y’all!
Susanne
Easy Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 12-14 jalapeno peppers fresh
- 7 ½ ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ - ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
-
Begin by preheating your oven 400° Fahrenheit. While the oven is heating up line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set it aside while you prepare the jalapeños.
-
Wash the jalapeños and then pat dry with a paper towel.
-
Slice each pepper in half lengthwise, then with a small spoon scrape out the vein and seeds until each pepper half is clean.
-
In a small bowl combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and garlic powder until well combined.
-
WIth a small spoon fill the halved jalapeños with the cream mixture. Smoothing over the top mixture with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs over the top. Transfer the stuffed peppers to the prepared baking sheet spacing them evenly apart.
-
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and jalapeños are tender.
-
For air fryer cook for 15 minutes at 400°F or until the cheese is melted and and the jalapeños are tender.
Recipe Notes
- Cooking with raw jalapeños can be tricky. The seeds, veins and oils in the peppers are spicy. if they come into contact with your eyes, nose and skin it could be painful. I recommend wearing rubber gloves while handling the jalapeños. Doing this will keep the oils from coming in contact with your fingers or getting trapped under you fingernails. The gloves will also help you remember to not touch your face while handling the peppers. This will help to prevent irritation and ultimately frustration while prepping this appetizer.
- Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.
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