Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

one round black plate filled with stuffed jalapeno poppers.

These Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers are stuffed with a super flavorful creamy cream cheese filling encased in a crunchy, buttery breadcrumb topping. Ideal for parties, you can assemble them ahead of time and air fry them just before serving. Plus, they're completely vegetarian—no bacon or meat required.

Course Air Fryer

Cuisine American

Keyword air fried jalapeno poppers, air fryer jalapeno poppers, cream cheese stuffed jalapeno poppers, vegetarian jalapeno poppers

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 9

Total Time 19

Servings bites

Calories 77kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

5 jalapeños peppers medium

Cream cheese filling

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
½ cup Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 tablespoon Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato remove seeds before chopping
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes use less or skip, if needed
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt

Bread crumb topping

¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
⅛ teaspoon paprika optional

Instructions

Prepare jalapeños - Slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds and veins.
Pro tip: The heat in jalapeños is in the seeds and membranes. Remove these to reduce heat; leave some membranes for extra spiciness.
Make filling - Stir together, cream cheese, cheese, 1 tablespoon panko, chopped onion, tomato, cilantro and salt in a bowl.
Make topping - Mix Panko breadcrumbs, melted butter and paprika together in a plate, until thoroughly combined.

Fill and Cook

Spoon the cream cheese filling evenly in the jalapeños and top with bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere.
Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 8 minutes. When hot, place place stuffed jalapeños in the basket, spacing evenly. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Video

Notes

Jalapenos - Buy medium to large sized jalapeno peppers that are fairly of uniform size.

Cheese - Use a combination of cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey jack instead of Mexican cheese blend.

Salsa - Use salsa in place of onion, tomato and cilantro. Drain salsa, to remove excess liquid and then measure about 2 tablespoons to use in the filling.

Air fryer - I used Instant Vortex 6 quart air fryer and was able to place all the peppers in single batch without over crowding.

Nutrition