January 12, 2020
Chorizo Jalapeno Poppers
Jalapeño poppers filled with soy chorizo, vegan cream cheese, herby cilantro, and spicy chipotle peppers are so delicious and addictive, we promise you can’t eat just one. Snack lovers, rejoice – my chorizo jalapeño poppers are what salty, cheesy, creamy, crunchy snacking dreams are made of.
level up your snacking game
If you ask me, every good party needs one thing … really good snacks. With Super Bowl 54 right around the corner, I’m here to help you level up your snacking game with my delicious chorizo jalapeño poppers. They’re everything you love from a classic jalapeño popper:
- salty
- spicy
- cheesy
- crunchy
But then they’re elevated with:
- chorizo
- smokey chipotles
- fresh cilantro
- and cumin
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best chorizo jalapeño poppers!
how to make jalapeño poppers
There are many ways you can prepare jalapeño poppers, but I like to keep it fairly simple by baking them. If you’ve never made a jalapeño popper before, the concept is straight-forward and pretty easy! Here’s how to make the best chorizo jalapeño poppers:
- Halve your jalapeños and scoop out the seeds. I like to do this part first because I find it the most time-consuming. Remember that the heat is in the seeds. Scooping them out is important to ensure that your poppers aren’t overly spicy. Plus, doing so leaves more room for the best part – the cheesy chorizo filling! Pro Tip : I like to wear gloves while working with jalapeños. Let me tell you from experience that there is nothing worse than scooping out hundreds of jalapeño seeds, then accidentally touching your face and/or eyes!
- Sweat your shallots and garlic. But don’t burn or caramelize them! The purpose of this is to draw the moisture out of the shallots, concentrating their flavor. This process brings out the sweetness of the shallots and really adds a nice flavor to the jalapeño poppers! To do so, make sure your pan is on medium heat and add your oil. Once the oil is hot, add your shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture. Stir frequently to avoid caramelization. Once the shallots are translucent, add your soy chorizo!
- Mix your filling. Once the chorizo is cooked with the shallots and garlic, mix it up with your vegan cheeses, chipotle peppers, cilantro, and seasonings.
- Make your topping. Combine your melted butter and breadcrumbs. The melted butter helps keep the breadcrumbs together and gives ’em that golden crispiness for an extra crunch!
- Stuff your jalapeños. Fill each jalapeño half with 2-3 teaspoons of the chorizo mixture. Top with bread crumbs and then bake!
- Bake. How long to bake your chorizo jalapeño poppers depends on how tender you want them. Personally, I like when the jalapeños are still slightly sturdy, so I aim for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Eating with your hands is encouraged
Here at EFNP, we’re big fans of eating with our hands. Save your guests (and more importantly yourself) the hassle of silverware and dishes by making my chorizo poppers at your next party. Be warned, though – these poppers are so good, you may see a fight break out when your guests are arguing over who gets the last one! If you’re reading this, you may as well double the recipe.
touchdown!
Did my chorizo jalapeño poppers make the draft for your next party or get-together? If they were a touchdown, I wanna hear about it! Snap a picture or video of your game-winning poppers, post it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes! Until next time, friends!
XOXO!
- 2 tsp avocado oil
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz vegan chorizo
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella shreds
- 6 oz vegan cream cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 3 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped + 1 tsp of the juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 TBS melted vegan butter
- 12 large jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
- Green onions, for serving
- Vegan bacon bits, for serving
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Add avocado oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add shallot and garlic, and season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are translucent, but not browned, about 5-8 minutes. Add chorizo and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked chorizo, mozzarella, cream cheese, cilantro, chipotles, and cumin. Mix to combine thoroughly. Taste and add salt and pepper if you wish. Set aside.
- Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in a separate bowl. Mix to combine. Set aside.
- Working one jalapeño half at a time, fill each half with about 1 tablespoon of the chorizo mixture and top with 2 teaspoons of bread crumb mixture. Place the jalapeños on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and crispy, about 18-23 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh green onions and vegan bacon bits.
- Enjoy!
Made some with and without the chipotle and both were delicious! Chipotle adds a nice kick.