Stuffed generously with pepperoni, cheddar cheese, garlic and onion; these addictive crispy Jalapeño Poppers will disappear in seconds
A spicy and crunch you can’t ignore!
Only a few days left until we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome 2023! Usually, during this time I want to avoid the kitchen because I’m exhausted. This year even more so after hosting a giant birthday party for my toddler, Kai, in November and a Christmas party in December.
However, the kitchen was calling my name because it knows I’ll eventually give in. My kitchen is my sanctuary!
Thank goodness my kitchen is almost back to normal after the chaos of the Christmas feast I prepared. It would’ve been faster to clean if my sister and husband helped, but they’re now too scared to do anything in the kitchen. If I can’t find a utensil during cooking, I kind of turn into a raging monster. I guess I’m partially to blame for having to clean the kitchen myself.
These Jalapeno Poppers stuffed with pepperoni randomly popped into my head one night, and I couldn’t wait to experiment. A big thanks to my husband, Tomi’s obsession with Pepperoni pizza for the inspiration.
I’m so happy with how delicious these Jalapeno Poppers turned out. They’re the perfect finger food to have with drinks this New Year’s Eve. It’s stuffed generously with pizza sauce, onion, garlic, cream and cheddar cheese. And, don’t worry because the filling won’t squirt onto your sexy outfit!
I took these poppers to the next level by serving them with Casa Firelli’s Hot Sauce and refreshing glasses of Aperol Spritz. The delightful taste of an Italian summer!
I created these delicious Jalapeno Poppers for dipping with Casa Firelli hot sauce. Firelli provided me with a bottle of their hot sauce at no cost for an Instagram post (Disclosure – the bottle of sauce is the only payment I received, so if you buy their sauce by clicking the link I will not get any sort of commission or payment)
5 hours later and my fingers still sting!
Have you ever ignored the good advice that popped into your head? I seem to do this a lot and today I paid for it!
Before I began peeling the jalapeno peppers, I knew I should’ve put gloves on. However, it was uncomfortably humid, and I didn’t want to waste time rumbling through my kitchen looking for gloves.
Let me tell you folks, no gloves whilst handling jalapenos is a BAD IDEA! My fingers were swollen and tingly since this afternoon and they still are! Well, it could’ve been worst! I could’ve accidentally rubbed my eyes and had them swollen too.
Are jalapenos spicy?
I don’t think jalapenos are too spicy, but they have a little kick to them. However, in saying that, everyone’s heat tolerance is different. Cayenne pepper and red chillies are way spicier.
Are these jalapeno poppers spicy?
I removed all the membranes and seeds from the jalapeno peppers before stuffing them. Like most peppers and chillies, it’s the seed that holds the heat. In our opinion, these jalapeno poppers are mild, and I even used hot pepperoni in the stuffing.
For milder jalapeno poppers, remove all their seeds and soak them in cold water for an hour.
Love spicy food? These recipes will get your mouth watering!
Thai Spicy Seafood Soup
Spicy Korean Chicken Wings
Spicy Fried Chicken Burger
Chilli Lime & Ginger Chicken
Ingredients for Jalapeño Poppers
Jalapenos – You’ll need approximately 14-16 very large jalapenos or 20-22 medium ones. Peeling the jalapenos before crumbling will make the crumbs stick better onto them. For milder jalapeno poppers, remove all their seeds and soak them in cold water for an hour.
Shredded cheese – I used tasty cheddar cheese, however, any variety of melting cheese would work. Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella and all types of cheddar cheese are great choices.
Pizza sauce – If you can’t find pizza sauce, swap it with an equal amount of tomato paste.
Plain flour (all-purpose flour) does not have any leavening or raising agents (such as baking powder) mixed into the flour.
Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs. They have larger flakes than regular dried breadcrumbs and absorb less oil, leaving food crispy after frying. Supermarkets usually stock Panko in the international section or find them in an Asian grocery store.
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How to make Jalapeño Poppers
Step-by-step guide with photos
For the stuffing – Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, then add in the pepperoni. Stir the pepperoni until the fat renders, then add in the garlic and onions. Stir-fry for a minute, then remove from heat and transfer the pepperoni to a large heatproof bowl. Add in the cream cheese, tasty cheese, pizza sauce, salt and pepper, then mix until well combined. Set aside for later.
Wearing food safety gloves, peel the jalapeno using a vegetable peeler. Make a deep slice near the stem but don’t cut it all the way through, so the ‘cap’ is still attached to its body. Then slice the jalapeno lengthwise, but on one side only. Use a small spoon to scrape out all the seeds and membranes from the jalapenos and discard them.
Use a small spoon to place the stuffing in the jalapenos, be careful not to overstuff them. Press the jalapenos gently to close their seams and their caps.
For crumbing – Prepare 3 flat bowls. In one bowl, mix the dried herbs with panko breadcrumbs. In the second bowl, place the flour and then the eggs in the last bowl.
Working two or three jalapenos at a time, dip them in flour, then the egg, then coat them in panko. Make sure to shake off any excess at each step. Place the crumbed jalapenos on a large plate.
Pour enough oil into a medium heavy-based saucepan to submerge the jalapenos. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (360°F). You could also test if the oil is ready by placing a wooden object into the oil (chopstick, skewer or wooden spoon). The oil is ready for frying when bubbles form around the object.
Fry 2 or 3 jalapenos at a time for 4-5 minutes until they’re golden brown. You may need to move the jalapenos occasionally with long steel slotted spoon/strainer to stop them from sinking to the bottom, as they’ll cook unevenly. You may also need to adjust the heat so the temperature of the oil is not too hot or cold.
Remove the jalapenos with a strainer, allow excess oil to drip off and place in a steel colander with a plate underneath to catch any oil. Best when served immediately, but allow them to cool for a few minutes as the filling is very hot.
Leftovers – These Jalapeno Poppers do not reheat very well, as the jalapeno becomes soggy and loses it’s shape. It’s best served immediately, or at room temperature after they’re fried.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Jalapeño Poppers
Ingredients
- 15 large jalapeno peppers (or 20 medium) (NOTE 1)
- vegetable oil for frying (or canola)
For the stuffing
- 160 gm pepperoni (finely diced)
- 2 clove garlic (minced)
- ½ small brown/yellow onion (finely diced)
- 250 gm cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup finely grated tasty cheese (90gm/3oz) (NOTE 2)
- 1 tbsp pizza sauce (or tomato paste) (NOTE 3)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
For the crumb coat
- 1½ cup panko breadcrumbs (NOTE 4)
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- ½ cup plain flour (all-purpose) (NOTE 5)
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
Instructions
- For the stuffing – Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, then add in the pepperoni. Stir the pepperoni until the fat renders, then add in the garlic and onions. Stir-fry for a minute, then remove from heat and transfer the pepperoni to a large heatproof bowl. Add in the cream cheese, tasty cheese, pizza sauce, salt and pepper, then mix until well combined. Set aside for later.
- Wearing food safety gloves, peel the jalapeno using a vegetable peeler. Make a deep slice near the stem but don't cut it all the way through, so the 'cap' is still attached to its body. Then slice the jalapeno lengthwise, but on one side only. Use a small spoon to scrape out all the seeds and membranes from the jalapenos and discard them.
- Use a small spoon to place the stuffing in the jalapenos, be careful not to overstuff them. Press the jalapenos gently to close their seams and their caps.
- For crumbing – Prepare 3 flat bowls. In one bowl, mix the dried herbs with panko breadcrumbs. In the second bowl, place the flour and then the eggs in the last bowl.
- Working two or three jalapenos at a time, dip them in flour, then the egg, then coat them in panko. Make sure to shake off any excess at each step. Place the crumbed jalapenos on a large plate.
- Pour enough oil into a medium heavy-based saucepan to submerge the jalapenos. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (360°F). You could also test if the oil is ready by placing a wooden object into the oil (chopstick, skewer or wooden spoon). The oil is ready for frying when bubbles form around the object.
- Fry 2 or 3 jalapenos at a time for 4-5 minutes until they're golden brown. You may need to move the jalapenos occasionally with long steel slotted spoon/strainer to stop them from sinking to the bottom, as they'll cook unevenly. You may also need to adjust the heat so the temperature of the oil is not too hot or cold.
- Remove the jalapenos with a strainer, allow excess oil to drip off and place in a steel colander with a plate underneath to catch any oil. Best when served immediately, but allow them to cool for a few minutes as the filling is very hot.
