Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
If you enjoy a mix of creamy and crunchy textures, you will love these vegan jalapeno poppers. I stuff them with creamy queso, savory vegan sausage, and top them with crispy seasoned breadcrumbs for the ultimate spicy appetizer. They look impressive on a serving platter and take less than an hour to make.
Servings: 16
Calories: 48kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Jalapenos
- 8 jalapenos
- 2 vegan sausages I use Field Roast, Mexican Chipotle flavor
- ½ cup vegan queso blanco or use store bought queso (see note)
- smoky lemon breadcrumbs see recipe below
For The Smoky Lemon Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt optional, omit for less salt since the rest of the recipe has plenty
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Slice jalapenos in half length wise, to make 16 halves, and take out the seeds. If you are not placing them on a grill with a grate and baking (or grilling) on a flat surface, you may want to slice a small flat edge on the bottom so they don’t roll sideways. On the grill, they may not need this because they will fit in-between the rungs.
- Chop sausages into small pieces, place in a small bowl.
- Mix all breadcrumb ingredients in a bowl except the lemon juice, until combined. Add lemon juice and mix well to break up clumps.
- Put ½ cup queso blanco into the bowl with the chopped sausage. Mix well.
- Spoon about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons sausage mixture into the cut jalapenos.
- Top with about 1 ½ teaspoons breadcrumbs.
- Grill or bake. If grilling make sure to spray oil on any surfaces that are not nonstick in case of sticking. If on a grill, they should be ready in about 8-10 minutes but check and remove when the jalapenos are browning. The sausage is precooked. If baking, place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 425 F (220 C) for about 10-15 minutes, but check at the 10 minute mark for brownness. You can also broil for the last minute to get the tops nice and crisp.
- Serve with more queso blanco drizzle on top! Be careful, they have a kick!
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan jalapeno popper recipe is to avoid overfilling the peppers. Whenever I add too much filling, it usually spills out while baking and prevents the breadcrumb topping from crisping up properly.
- Wear gloves: I always wear gloves while handling jalapenos to avoid chili burn from the oils in the pepper. I keep them on throughout the preparation and stuffing process. Which is why it is good to get all the other components prepared and ready before working with jalapenos.
- Cover board: Unless you have a dedicated chili board, I suggest covering your chopping board in plastic wrap before slicing your jalapenos on it.
- Flatten bottoms: I slice a tiny piece from the bottom to help the peppers stay stable on the baking tray.
- Broil briefly: I broil the pepper for the final minute when I want an extra golden breadcrumb layer.
- Chop finely: Smaller sausage pieces mix and distribute into the queso better, and make the filling easier to spoon.
- Watch peppers: I remove the poppers once the jalapenos start browning and soften slightly, but still keep their shape and texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 28mg