Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

Ready in just minutes, Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers will be your go-to finger food for every party! Made with cream cheese, shredded cheese, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and green onions, the flavor of these perfect poppers just bursts in your mouth. You won’t be able to get enough of the crispy breadcrumb topping!

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Why you’ll love making Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers

• The cook time for jalapeno poppers in the air fryer is so fast! This is by far the quickest way to make jalapeno poppers – a real game changer! But if you really want to get your baking sheet out, then we have an oven version too.
• It’s such an easy recipe,all you have to do is prepare the jalapeño peppers, mix the stuffing together, top it with crispy breadcrumbs, and air fry them! It couldn’t be more simple to make vegetarian stuffed jalapenos.
• This spicy appetizer recipe is absolutely perfect for sharing at parties, BBQs, potlucks, and other festivities year-round. They even transport well!
• We skipped the bacon and opted for smoked paprika instead making this recipe much healthier than the traditional version.
• The flavor is out-of-this-world incredible! Spicy jalapenos loaded with a smooth, creamy cheese mixture, and buttery breadcrumbs on top. What’s not to love?!

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

How to make jalapeno poppers in the air fryer with step-by-step instructions

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Begin by preheating your air fryer to 375°/190°C.

Wearing a pair of gloves to protect your hands, slice the jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise, then remove the seeds and ribs.

We find using a small spoon is easiest for this.

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese filling: cream cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sliced green onions.

In a separate small bowl, add melted butter to Panko breadcrumbs and stir to combine.

Fill each jalapeno pepper half with the cream cheese mixture, and top them with panko breadcrumbs and butter.

Place the jalapeno halves in a single layer in the air fryer basket (cheese mixture facing up!), and air fry until they are golden brown (approximately 7 – 10 minutes).

Recipe notes and expert tips

• Wear gloves: Trust us, it’s the best way! Cutting spicy peppers can actually burn your fingers! The jalapeño juice from the peppers can really burn you. To avoid discomfort, make sure you wear gloves when cutting the fresh jalapeños. Either disposable gloves or even clean washing-up gloves for doing the dishes. We keep a pair on hand for food prep! Pro tip: avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, after handling jalapeno peppers. Make sure you wash your hands!
• Cheese: Feel free to switch the sharp cheddar cheese for another shredded cheese like Colby Jack or even veggie parmesan cheese for an even sharper bite.
• Bacon: We’re vegetarian, so don’t include bacon. However, you can add some vegetarian or vegan crumbled bacon bits or a slice of bacon cut into bits (we love veggie crispy bacon bits) into the cream cheese mixture for that classic jalapeno popper flavor or sprinkle some on top as a garnish.
• Gluten-free: Making jalapeno poppers gluten-free is really simple! Just switch the regular bread crumbs for the gluten-free version. It tastes just as good!
• Easier clean-up: To make clean-up easier, line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. You can buy parchment paper with holes already cut into it!
• Cook time: Cooking time can vary between different air fryer brands and sizes. We recommend checking the jalapeño poppers at 7 minutes to see how they are doing and cook them a little longer if needed. They will be golden brown on top when they are finished.

How to store leftover Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

Store any leftover air fryer jalapeno poppers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can either eat them cold or reheat them for a couple of minutes in the air fryer.

You can also freeze jalapeno poppers for later!

After they have completely cooled down to room temperature, wrap each jalapeno half in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight container like a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

What to serve with homemade jalapeno poppers

Jalapeno poppers are a great snack or appetizer to serve at parties and gatherings year-round. It’s not just a name; they are really poppable. We can’t get enough!

For a party table, we serve these along with mozzarella sticks, pizza rolls, bagel bites, a cheese ball or baked brie, crudites, and of course, ranch dressing as a dip.

For Taco Tuesday, this is a great appetizer to go along with our vegetarian birria tacos or our vegetarian burrito recipe.

Jalapeño poppers also go really well with pizza as a starter! Try our veggie pizza, Neapolitan pizza, and if you’re into outdoor cooking, check out our Ooni pizza.

And if you want to mix things up a little, you could always stuff poblano peppers; they have a mild spice kick to them.

More easy air fryer recipes for you to try

• Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
• Air Fryer Quesadilla
• Air Fryer Egg Bites
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
• Air Fryer Potato Skins