These easy Vegan Jalapeno Poppers are a perfect game day snack! They’re creamy, cheesy, and spicy, and served with a sweet raspberry dipping sauce. Easy to bake or air fry.
Looking for more vegan game day snacks? Check out my Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Beer Cheese, and Vegan Mozzarella Sticks recipes as well!
Are you looking for the best vegan game day snacks? Let me stop you right here because this Vegan Jalapeño Poppers Recipe is a must-make!
Just like the classic pub food, my vegetarian jalapeño poppers are bold and cheesy but made completely dairy-free. They’re easy to make, too! All you have to do is stuff hollowed and halved jalapeno peppers with a cheesy and simply seasoned cream cheese filling, top them with crispy breadcrumbs, and bake them until golden.
Serve them with the 2-ingredient raspberry dipping sauce on the side, then dig in! I bet you won’t be able to stop after just one.
Why you’ll love these baked jalapeno poppers
- Creamy, cheesy, and spicy – The cheddar-filled cream cheese filling combined with the spicy jalapeno peppers feels like a flavor explosion in your mouth.
- A super snack for the Super Bowl – One bite of this easy-to-make vegan appetizer and it’ll be a game day to remember!
- Easy to make ahead of time – Running low on time? No problem! Just assemble the peppers and refrigerate them until it’s time to eat.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Jalapeno peppers – Look for large jalapeno peppers—they’re much easier to stuff with cream cheese! They should also feel firm and have bright green skins.
- Vegan cream cheese – I’ve had great results making these vegan poppers with my homemade Vegan Cream Cheese, as well as some brands of store-bought cream cheese. Tofutti vegan cream cheese gave me the best results, while Violife and Trader Joe’s brand vegan cream cheese just melted when they were baked.
- Onion and garlic powder
- Vegan cheddar cheese shreds – The cheese shreds melt in the cream cheese mixture when the poppers are baked, giving you indulgent cheesy strings in every bite!
- Breadcrumbs – Use panko breadcrumbs for an airy crunch.
- Vegan butter
- Fresh chives
- Raspberry dipping sauce – Made from raspberry jam and water, this sweet and tart sauce pairs so nicely with the spicy peppers and luscious cream cheese filling. Either serve it on the side for dipping or drizzle it over the baked peppers.
How to make vegan jalapeno poppers
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
In a small bowl, mix the melted vegan butter and breadcrumbs.
In a separate small bowl, mix the vegan cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and cheddar cheese until combined.
Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise, then use a small spoon to scoop out the membranes and seeds.
Wear disposable gloves when handling the jalapeños! The peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which can burn if it touches your skin or eyes. If you don’t have gloves, avoid touching your eyes and face until after washing your hands really, really well.
Add a scoop of the cream cheese mixture into each hollowed-out jalapeño and add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs on top.
Transfer the cream cheese-stuffed jalapeño poppers to a baking sheet and bake until the tops are golden brown.
Meanwhile, make the raspberry sauce by microwaving the raspberry jam and water together in a bowl. Stir to combine.
Serve the vegan jalapeño poppers with raspberry sauce on the side for dipping and garnish the tops with fresh chopped chives. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Personally, I love dunking a vegan jalapeno popper in raspberry dipping sauce because the spicy and fruity flavors are so great together. It isn’t, however, the only dipping sauce that goes well with the poppers. They’re also fantastic with a side of this Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce, Vegan Ranch Dressing, and avocado lime sauce.
And for the rest of the party spread, there’s so much to eat with jalapeno poppers! They’re a must-have on your game-day spread, along with:
Frequently asked questions
Most of the spiciness is removed when we scrape the seeds and membranes out of the middle of the peppers. They’re still pretty spicy, but the cream cheese in the middle does a great job of balancing any heat.
Yes! Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs (regular or panko) instead.
Yes, you can air fry the vegan jalapeno poppers at 390ºF for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Leave some space in between each popper to help them cook evenly (you may need to air fry them in two batches).
Sure. To make the vegan stuffed jalapenos ahead, assemble them with the cream cheese filling and transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Add the breadcrumb topping before baking as normal (adding an extra couple of minutes to the bake time if needed).
No, I don’t recommend freezing the baked jalapeno poppers because the textures change after thawing. Instead, store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 jalapeno peppers
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese homemade or store-bought*
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter
- fresh chopped chives, optional for topping
Raspberry Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Put on gloves to deal with the peppers (the spices will get on your hands and you might later burn your eye!). Slice the jalapeños in half lengthwise, then using a small spoon scoop out the membranes and seeds and discard.
- In a small bowl, mix the vegan cream cheese, garlic powder and onion powder and cheddar cheese together until combined.
- In another small bowl, mix the melted vegan butter and breadcrumbs.
- Scoop the cream cheese mixture into the jalapeños. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Make the Raspberry Sauce: Add the jam and water to a bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute and stir.
- Serve jalapeno poppers with raspberry sauce for dipping and sprinkle with chopped chives. Enjoy!
Notes
- I use Tofutti for best results. Don’t use Violife, some other brands also just melt when cooked. Or use my homemade Vegan Cream Cheese.
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Leftover poppers will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, simply reheat in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes until crisp and warm.
Another tasty yet simple-to-make recipe, thanks, Nora!
Trader Joe’s vegan cream cheese turns into a liquid. Just letting everyone know.
Yep. Can confirm. Game day snack ruined. LOL
Same with the Philadelphia new non diary option. But I have good news… while not as inexpensive as cream cheese I have used Miyokos mozzarella block and it worked perfectly. I didnt use any cream cheese.
This is my go to now when my jalapeños get ripe!!!! Delicious!!!
Thank you for sharing your review! I’m glad you are loving the jalapeño poppers!
Can these be made a day in advance?
They could, but I would definitely try to crisp them back up in the oven or air fryer before eating.
I made a couple changes to the recipe. I used various hot peppers from my CSA because that’s what I had and mixed in a little bit of Myoko’s garlic herb soft cheese to the cream cheese (I used Tofutti). I also sprinkled vegan parmesan along with the bread crumbs. It tasted fantastic! Thanks so much.
Sounds delicious! I’m so glad you loved the poppers! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
Turned out amazing my family couldn’t get enough!! So yummy
Thank you for sharing your review! I’m so glad you loved the poppers!
I’m sorry to say that these weren’t my favorite; they just didn’t have much flavor. I followed the recipe as written and used Trader Joe’s cream cheese. I also made the sauce, but probably won’t make this particular recipe again.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe!
This might be a silly question – but I’ve never made anything with jalapeño peppers before. Can you give me an idea of where I might find them in a grocery store? Are they whole/fresh in produce? Or are they typically jarred? My boyfriend loves poppers and this recipe would be great to surprise him with! Thank you so much, your recipes are always the best!
They are fresh jalapeño peppers and found in the produce section, next to all the other peppers. If you haven’t worked with them before, just be aware that when you are slicing and handling them, it’s best to wear gloves if possible so the spicy juices don’t get on your fingers. And try not to touch your eyes after handling them, wash your hands very well afterwards. Hope that helps and you enjoy the poppers!
Thank you so much, Nora! I apologize I didn’t see your reply until just now. Thanks so much for your help and I can’t wait to try these out!
I really wanted to love this one! I used violife cream cheese and it completely melted like butter… I think I would have had better luck with a shredded cheese mixture.
I definitely think it was more of a product issue than recipe issue, but maybe this review will save someone else from using violife in this one.
That makes sense, as I have recently been buying the Violife cream cheese. LOVE the taste, but it melts immediately when warm. I will make a note of that in the recipe! It works great with Tofutti brand, Kite Hill or even Trader Joe’s.
Thank you for another delicious vegan recipe! I modified the recipe just a bit to cater to my personal tastes. I added some finely diced vegan cheddar slices to the cream cheese mixture and only cooked for 16 minutes. I initially cooked it for 22 minutes and the breadcrumbs were too crunchy and the peppers too soft. I also used “Miyokos Plain Cream Cheese” and “Follow Your Heart American Slices” and they tasted fantastic!!
That sounds wonderful, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Excellent!
Thanks!
I made my own version of this and it was delisious! I made homage gluten free bread crumbs and I did not use the garlic or onion powder instead I used vegan chive cream cheese! Definitely recommend!!
This was so delicious . I added 1/2 c daiya cheddar shreds and set under the broiler about 2 min after baking and they were extra crunchy!!!
EXCELLENT! I made these for Super Bowl and they were a huge hit. I have a friend staying with me this week and will be making them for us for the Oscars. Thank you for always helping me make the best food ever!
You’re welcome!
These were very very yummy! Easy to make too! Instead of baking them, I cooked them in the air fryer at 390 degrees for about 6 minutes. Came out great. We’ll be making them again on Superbowl Sunday. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear they worked well in the air fryer.
What vegan butter do you recommend?
I most often use Earth Balance or Melt brand, but I’m sure others will work as well.
So delicious!
So glad you liked them!
I made these and they are so good!!! Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed them.