Spicy vegan jalapeño poppers are a healthier twist on a favorite appetizer

Do you love cheesy stuffed jalapeño poppers? While I love both the spicy flavor of jalapeños and the rich, gooey cheese that is stuffed inside, some of us opt out because of the spice or dairy.

In this vegan version of poppers, I used both jalapeños and sweet mini peppers, and filled them with a creamy, dairy-free “cheese” made from cashews. They bake up nice and brown and are perfect for entertaining those who are vegan or who don’t care for a ton of spice.

Sweet and spicy cashew cream pepper poppers recipe

These sweet and spicy stuffed poppers are filled with a rich cashew cream filling, replacing the cheese and keeping these poppers vegan and dairy-free. You can whip up the cashew cream up to 2 days in advance to save time.

Serves 8

Prep time: 25 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Inactive time: 5 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cashew cream

• 1 cup raw cashews that have been soaked for 6 hours
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup sweet onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon agave
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the poppers

• 4 jalapeño peppers, halved and seeds removed
• 4 mini sweet peppers, halved and seeds removed
• 1/4 cup panko or regular breadcrumbs
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. To a food processor, add the soaked cashews and the remaining ingredients for the cashew cream. Blend on high until the mixture is very smooth and creamy with no lumps. (Taste the cream, and adjust seasonings as needed.)
3. Lay the halved peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Spoon the cashew cream filling into the centers, and sprinkle each pepper with breadcrumbs.
5. Bake the peppers for 20 minutes or until they start to lightly brown on top.
6. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve.

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