It’s almost Super Bowl time! I don’t watch the Super Bowl, or really any sporting event for that matter, unless you count my cats fighting over a piece of lint. Nope, I’m not big on watching the game! I have been known to show up for the food though. Whether you’re planning on watching the big game or not, there’s always a place for vegan jalapeño poppers in your Sunday. Fortunately, these poppers are simple to whip up, and since they’re totally vegan, they can be enjoyed by all!
What You’ll Need
Jalapeño peppers.Vegan cream cheese. I use my homemade cashew-based vegan cream cheese, but the store-bought stuff works too!Fresh chives.Nutritional yeast flakes. Look for these in the natural foods section of your supermarket.Hot sauce. I like Cholula for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite.Panko breadcrumbs. Any type of vegan breadcrumbs will do. I use panko because they’re the most readily available vegan variety.Paprika.Salt & pepper.Oil. I use olive, though any high-heat oil will work. Preferably you’ll want to apply it using an oil-mister (or use cooking spray), but brushing works too.Rubber gloves. These are essential! Without them you’ll probably burn your hands while prepping the peppers.
How to Make Vegan Jalapeño Poppers
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll to the bottom of the page if you’d like to skip right to the recipe.
First, put on a pair of gloves. This is super important. Hot peppers like jalapeños contain juices that will burn your skin (or eyes, or nose, or anything else they come in contact with), so don’t risk it!Now that you’re wearing gloves, cut your peppers in half, lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and inner membranes.
To make your filling, stir your vegan cream cheese, chives, nutritional yeast, and hot sauce together in a bowl.
Arrange your pepper halves on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, then spoon your filling into each of your pepper halves.
To make your breading, stir together panko breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.Now dip the filling side of each pepper into the breading to get it nice and coated.
Lightly mist or brush the breading side of each popper with oil, then place your baking sheet into the oven.Bake the poppers until the tops are lightly browed and crispy.Let your poppers cool for a few minutes after they’re done baking, then serve! I like to include a dipping sauce — go for something cooling like vegan yogurt, vegan ranch, or cashew cream.
Can these poppers be made gluten-free? Sure! Just use vegan gluten-free breadcrumbs.Shelf-life & storage: These poppers are best served right away. If you do have leftovers, place them in a 400°F oven until heated throughout, then under the broiler for a couple of minutes to recrisp the breading.Are these poppers spicy? Yup! Because they’re made with jalapeños, they’ll be pretty hot no matter what. You can reduce the heat by skipping the hot sauce. Also keep in mind that some jalapeños are hotter than others. The best way to determine heat level is by tasting, though I’ve heard that older peppers (identifiable by some wrinkles and striations) tend to be the hottest.Variation idea: for a more nacho-y cheese filling, use my nacho sweet potato cheese in place of the filling called for in this recipe. You’ll need about a heaping cup!
More Vegan Game-Day Snacks
Ultimate Vegan NachosVegan French Onion DipVegan Mozzarella SticksVegan Sausage RollsFirecracker Chickpea Meatballs
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