Whenever football season approaches, my husband asks about “football food” and I start thinking of ways to wow the boys. So today, in the spirit of the upcoming football season, I made Vegan Jalapeno Poppers. Since jalapeño poppers aren’t technically vegan, I veganized them with a new vegan jalapeño popper recipe. As a result, jalapeño poppers disappear within minutes.
Since jalapeño poppers are not generally considered a vegetarian food, making healthy vegan jalapeño poppers is the best way to enjoy our favorite foods without sacrificing health. That said, vegan jalapeño poppers are a much healthier alternative to traditional jalapeño poppers.
How to Make Healthy Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
The first step to making delicious vegan jalapeño poppers is chopping and de-seeding the jalapeños. Although jalapeños have a reputation for being spicy, the real spice comes from the seeds removed before making the popper.
Always wear gloves to avoid burning skin, eyes or other body parts. Then, cut the stems off the ends of the jalapeños and slice each jalapeño lengthwise.
Next, using gloves or the sharp edge of a knife, carefully remove the seeds and veins from each jalapeño slice.
Now, set each carved jalapeño half on a cookie sheet or sided plan to prevent rolling.
Vegan Jalapeno Popper Cheese
‘Cheese’ ingredients
- Raw cashews or alternatively white beans
- Nutritional Scream
- White or yellow miso paste
- Lemon, juiced & zested
- salt
- garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Agar-agar powder (Flex will work too)
- the water
- Adobo Chili Peppers
Popper Breading Ingredients
- Breadcrumbs
- Nutritional Scream
Once the cheese has hardened in the fridge (about an hour), it’s time to fill the poppers. Using a spoon, fill each half with the carved jalapeños and sprinkle with the bread topping.
Now, time to cook the poppers. Then bake or air-fry the vegan jalapeño popper recipe.
How to Bake Jalapeno Poppers
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Using a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, line a baking sheet.
- Bake the jalapeño poppers for 16 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve with your favorite vegan dipping sauce.
How to Air-Fry Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
- Cooking in batches, place individually filled poppers in the base of the air-fryer.
- Cook at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.
- Repeat to cook all the poppers in the second batch.
- Choose your favorite dipping sauce and serve the poppers on a platter or plate.
Suggestion:
- Always use gloves when cooking with jalapeños.
- Remember, the second batch cooks faster when air-frying because the air-fryer is preheated.
- Try to choose jalapeño peppers of the same size, so they cook evenly
- Prepare the poppers two days before cooking
- When freezing poppers, cook them first
What is the best dipping sauce for jalapeno poppers?
My family loves vegan ranch dressing, however, if you’re not a ranch fan, there are many other dipping options.
FAQ
Are our jalapeno poppers vegetarian-friendly?
- No, jalapeno poppers are easy to make vegan, and they taste cheesy and fabulous.
How long should jalapenos be refrigerated?
- Fresh jalapeños keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
Can I freeze jalapeno poppers after baking?
- Yes, I like to freeze the jalapeno poppers individually on a baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a freezer-friendly container or bag. Next, reheat individual poppers or multiple poppers at a time.
Are you looking for fun vegan snacks and appetizers? Check out this recipe!
Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
Vegan jalapeno poppers are filled with creamy, spicy vegan cheese and topped with a light breading. Baked or air-fried, these bite-sized treats are the perfect game day appetizer!
Equipment
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Raw Cashews, 1 lb. – Deluxe Whole Nuts, Unsalted, Unroasted Fancy Snack, Size W-320, Kosher, Vegan, Bulk, a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese
material
Vegan Jalapeno Popper Cheese
Agar-agar mixture for thickening cheese
instructions
Vegan Jalapeno Popper Cheese
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Combine cashews (drained), nutritional yeast, miso paste, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
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In a separate small glass measuring cup, combine the agar-agar with 3 tablespoons water. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then stir until dissolved.
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Pour the agar-agar into a food processor, until blended.
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Now, add the adobo chilies.
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Transfer mixture to a cheesecloth-lined or plastic wrap-lined small bowl.
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Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or until firm.
Preparing the jalapeños
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Wearing gloves, cut off the ends of each jalapeño and cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise.
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= Using a knife or gloved hands, remove the veins and seeds from each jalapeño.
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Place each jalapeño slice on a baking sheet or dish with the edge facing the opening.
Fill the popper
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Using a spoon, fill each jalapeño halfway and press down with a spoon using your hands.
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Combine bread crumbs and nutritional yeast
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Then, add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs/nutritional yeast mixture.
Baking Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Using a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, line a baking sheet.
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Bake the jalapeño poppers for 16 minutes.
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Transfer to a serving platter and serve with your favorite vegan dipping sauce.
Air Fried Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
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Cooking in batches, place individually filled poppers in the base of the air-fryer.
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Cook at 325 degrees for 8 minutes.
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Repeat to cook all the poppers in the second batch.
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Choose your favorite dipping sauce and serve the poppers on a platter or plate.
nutrition
Calories: 169kcalSugars: 13gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fats: 3gMonounsaturated fats: 5gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 612mgPotassium: 284mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 249IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 2mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂