Who doesn’t love a game-day snack that bites you back a bit? These stuffed jalapeno poppers have the spiciness you crave from jalapenos, loaded with tangy, rich cream cheese and cheddar blend to mellow the heat. And they are vegetarian jalapeno poppers so that everyone can enjoy them. Just bake in the oven or air fry – in less than 20 minutes, you are ready to enjoy perfectly crisp and creamy peppers!
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Quick & Easy Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Whether you’re getting a party started or want to serve an appetizer with a fun and spicy kick, this easy stuffed jalapeno poppers recipe will surely be a hit at your next gathering.
I firmly believe that party food should be easy and – equally important – fun to prepare. It just seems like a shame to stress over what should be a relaxing time with friends. And you know they will be more than happy with whatever you serve!
So whenever we are hosting a casual get-together, I always have this cheddar and cream cheese jalapeno poppers recipe ready to go.
Pop-able spicy and cheesy peppers are a classic game day dish that is a snap to make in under 30 minutes and with only 4 ingredients. And they are perfect for satisfying many different dietary needs! Our stuffed jalapenos recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly. But you definitely get all the big, bold flavors and textures you want in serious snack food.
Sharp and smokey cheddar cheese is combined with tangy cream cheese, plus chopped green onion for an even more vibrant and fresh flavor. This delightful mixture is then loaded inside whole jalapenos and oven-baked to peak roasted goodness. Or easily air fry for ultra crispy poppers!
It’s often hard to get a large payout from little effort but these loaded jalapeno poppers absolutely hit the nail on the head.
Easy and fast to make, crazy delicious to enjoy, ideal for serving at gatherings of all sizes and for nearly any occasion…
We guarantee you will love this family-favorite recipe to make the best stuffed jalapeno poppers possible!
The Simple 4 Ingredients
We’ve kept things simple and delicious to make this a crowd-pleasing vegetarian jalapeno poppers recipe.
You only need:
- Jalapeno peppers – each about least 3-4 inches long
- Cheddar cheese – shredded
- Cream cheese – softened
- Green onion – just the green parts, chopped
Variations
As-is this is a vegetarian jalapeno poppers recipe. However, you can certainly add cooked crumbled bacon to the top of the cheese mixture before baking or air frying.
For even more spiciness swap the cheddar cheese with shredded pepper Jack cheese. Spicy stuffed jalapenos are the ideal game day appetizer, whether for a Super Bowl party or a tailgating celebration.
Serve them with a dip! These pair well with blue cheese dressing, a sweet chili sauce, or a sour cream dip.
Use low fat cream cheese for a slightly lighter snack.
See the directions below for making these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer. Then you have the oven available for other dishes!
Making the Best Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. I save the top 1/3 of the peppers for salsa.
After cutting the jalapeno peppers length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth.
Place jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet. If the peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around.
Mash the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.
Roast at 425ºF for 15 to 18 minutes. The appetizers are ready when the jalapeno peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
Make jalapeno poppers in air fryer
Free up oven space and bake these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF, if needed.
Place the stuffed jalapenos in the air fryer keeping at least 1 inch of space around the poppers.
Air fry (or bake) for 12 – 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly on top.
Freezing jalapeno poppers
For best results, do not bake or air fry the jalapeno popper appetizers before freezing.
After stuffing, flash freeze them individually on a baking sheet until they are hard and firm. This takes about 2 hours.
Then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. They can last up to 6 months when stored properly in the freezer.
How to reheat frozen jalapeño poppers
To reheat frozen jalapeño poppers, remove them from the freezer. Let defrost on a paper towel for about 30 minutes. The paper towel will wick away the moisture and keep the stuffed jalapenos crispier when baked.
Place them on a cookie sheet and into a preheated oven at 400ºF. Bake for 17 – 20 minutes or until golden brown and heated all the way through.
If you love appetizers, check out these easy appetizer recipes
- Mini Cheese Biscuits
- Bisquick Sausage Balls with Cheese
- Pretzel Balls from Ready-Dough
- Pretzel Cheese DIp
- Tater Tot Egg Nests
- Easy Party Appetizers
- Italian Sliders
- 3 Ingredient Biscuits
- How to Make a Cheese and Charcuterie Board
- Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer
Frequently Asked Questions
These stuffed jalapeno peppers have the membranes and seeds removed, so they are mildly spicy. The membranes and seeds contain the highest concentration of capsaicin. Capsaicin is the ingredient found in different types of hot peppers, such as cayenne peppers, that makes the peppers spicy hot.
My favorite dipping sauces for these jalapeno poppers are blue cheese dressing or bottled sweet chili sauce.
After cutting the jalapeno peppers length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth. I wear gloves when cleaning hot peppers to keep my hands free from the capsaicin, which can burn your skin.
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The Full Cheddar and Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers Recipe
Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 large jalapeno peppers
- 6 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 6 ounces shredded smoked Pepper Jack cheese or extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut 1/3 of each pepper off lengthwise. After cutting the jalapenos length-wise, run a small spoon along the inside to remove the membranes and seeds until the inside of the pepper is smooth.
- Place jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet. If the peppers do not sit flat on the baking sheet, slice a thin piece off the bottom of the pepper so it will not roll around. Mash the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and onion together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.
Oven Roasted Poppers
- Prepare your baking sheet by spraying it with cooking oil or line it with parchment paper. Place the jalapenos on a baking sheet leaving at least 1" of space around the jalapenos.
- Bake or Roast at 425º F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is brown at the edges and bubbly.
PREVIOUS
Kathryn says
These poppers made a delicious appetizer and they were so easy to put together. So simple and quick to make especially in the air fryer!
Janet Whitfield says
I made these at our Beach House for the football games today. So fun to make! I discovered a tip to share with you… I had an oyster shucking knife here that was perfect for getting the seeds out and cleaning the peppers inside smooth.
Donna Russo says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We had 6 fresh jalapeños from our garden, so I whipped up your recipe and made them last night. I also added some pinko bread crumbs on top. It was WONDERFUL and so easy!
Heather says
I added some cracked red pepper flakes to give them a little more heat.
Laura says
So excited to find this post (through Pinterest) as I’ve had a bumper crop of jalapenos this year and we can’t eat them fast enough. Now I can freeze these to pull out all through football season for the boys! Thanks so much! I only gave it a 4 stars, not a 5, because I haven’t even tried them yet!