Jalapeño Poppers
Stuffed generously with pepperoni, cheddar cheese, garlic and onion; these addictive crispy Jalapeño Poppers will disappear in seconds
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.
Notes
(NOTE 1) 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.
(NOTE 2) 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.
(NOTE 3) Pizza sauce - If you can't find pizza sauce, swap it with an equal amount of tomato paste.
(NOTE 4) 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.
(NOTE 5) Plain flour (all-purpose flour) does not have any leavening or raising agents (such as baking powder) mixed into the flour.
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1jalapenoCalories: 200kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 7gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 121mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 464IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 1mg