JalapeƱo poppers are to die for. No seriously. They are cheesy goodness with just the right amount of spice. But Air Fryer jalapeno Poppers are easy to make, healthier, and so fast.
From start to finish, you can make them in 15 minutes. Letās getting poppinā!
JalapeƱo Poppers vs Hush Puppies
Before I go any further in this post, let me stop right here and say: jalapeƱo poppers are not the same thing as jalapeƱo hush puppies. Donāt confuse the two.
The biggest difference is that hush puppies are deep fried with a dough made out of cornmeal. Though they often include flour. So if youāre looking for a doughier recipe, youāre looking for a hush puppy recipe. Take a look at the exact difference below.
Jalapeno Poppers
JalapeƱo poppers are a type of stuffed pepper. You find them often at Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurants. They’re typically served as appetizers.
The jalapeƱo pepper is either cored and hollowed out or sliced in half and the seeds removed. The peppers are then stuffed with everything from a cream cheese mixture to mozzarella to halloumi.
They are then grilled, broiled, baked, or air fried (in this case). Some people also bread and then deep fry them. Thatās where the confusion with hush puppies comes in.
Hush Puppies
Hush puppies, on the other hand, are a Southern staple, and there are as many recipes for them as there are families in the South. But despite the variations, all hush puppies share a few key ingredients:
- Yellow cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda combine to form a basic batter. This batter is then mixed with buttermilk or milk and eggs. It’s then deep fried.
Making Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
How to Clean and Cut jalapeno Peppers
If you have food-safe gloves, I highly recommend using them while cleaning your jalapeƱos.
The heat in peppers comes from capsaicin which is a colorless and odorless oil-like compound. Capsaicin is what gives the peppers their heat, and it is mostly found in the membrane that holds the seeds.
Itās hard to avoid capsaicin when working with jalapeƱos. If you cut hot peppers and then put your hands near your airs, nose, lip, etc. youāre going to be cursing yourself for about an hour. So wear gloves. Itās also important if you have pets or kids around.
The last thing you want to do is cut hot peppers, then transfer the oil to the nose of your dog or the eyes of your children.
When cleaning and cutting jalapeƱo peppers, you have two options:
Use a JalapeƱo Corer
If you have a jalapeƱo corer thatās great! They are fun little tools to have in your kitchen. You cut off the top of the pepper, insert the tool, rotate a few times, and the seeds and rib of the pepper slide right out.
Cut them in Half
If you donāt have a jalapeƱo corer, thatās fine. Slice your jalapeƱos in half. It’s up to you whether you want to leave the stems on or not. Scrape out the seeds with a small spoon, then run a paring knife along the inside of the pepper to remove the rib. Tada! Now, youāre ready to stuff your poppers.
Below is a great video I love showing how to core and clean jalapeƱo peppers.
How long do you air fry jalapeƱo poppers?
The answer to this is not long. If you were to make jalapeƱo poppers in a traditional oven, youād need first to preheat the oven. This takes about 12-15 minutes. You then need to bake them for about 20-25 minutes. Youāre already at about 30 minutes, and thatās without prep time!
The short of it is that with Air Fryer JalapeƱo Poppers, from start to finish, it takes you 15 minutes. Thatās it!
Controlling Your Spice Level
Controlling the spice level for your Air Fryer JalapeƱo Poppers is all about cleaning them well. You need to control that capsaicin. So the better you clean the peppers, the more of the capsaicin youāre removing.
With that said, if you like a lot of spice, feel free to leave some seeds and the rib on. But beware! A few jalapeƱo seeds go a long way.
Ingredients
- 6 jalapeƱo peppers
- 6 ounces of halloumi (you can also use mozzarella)
- Ā½ cup of Mexican mix shredded cheese (or any shredded cheese)
Instructions
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Preheat your air fryer according to the instructions of your air fryer model.
Cut the top off of your jalapeƱo peppers, then cut them in half lengthwise. With a small spoon, remove the seeds and either scrape or cut out the rib that runs the length of the pepper.
Cut your halloumi into small pieces. Halloumi is harder than mozzarella but not as soft as cream cheese. So the smaller you cut your pieces, the easier it will be to work with. You donāt want large chunks of cheese falling out into the air fryer. Donāt lose your filling!
Stuff your peppers with halloumi and set aside.
When your air fryer is hot, spray a thin layer of oil on the air fryer basket and line up your stuffed peppers in the basket.
Cook at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes on air fryer mode.
Halfway through, or when your air fryer reminds you, add the shredded cheese to the top of your stuffed peppers. The halloumi will be starting to melt but wonāt be completely soft at this point. Continue to cook until the timer goes off.
Your Air Fryer JalapeƱo Poppers will be very hot when they come out. So let them rest for a few minutes before removing and serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Don’t feel like you have to use halloumi cheese. You can use any cheese you’d like, as well as fillings or wrappings such as bacon. Below are a few other cheese and topping options.
- Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese
- Stuff your poppers with a cream cheese filling or a cream cheese mixture with a few different types of cheese
- Wrap your poppers in bacon (You could even use turkey bacon!)
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top for a nice crunch (You could also use Ritz crackers!)
3-Ingredient Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 jalapeƱos
- 6 ounces halloumi
- Ā½ cup Mexican mix shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer according to the instructions of your air fryer model.
- Cut the top off of your jalapeƱo peppers, then cut them in half lengthwise. With a small spoon, remove the seeds and either scrape or cut out the rib that runs the length of the pepper.
- Cut your halloumi into small pieces. Halloumi is harder than mozzarella but not as soft as cream cheese. So the smaller you cut your pieces, the easier it will be to work with. You donāt want large chunks of cheese falling out into the air fryer. Donāt lose your filling!
- Stuff your peppers with halloumi and set aside.
- When your air fryer is hot, spray a thin layer of oil on the air fryer basket and line up your stuffed peppers in the basket.
- Cook at 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes on air fryer mode.
- Halfway through, or when your air fryer reminds you, add the shredded cheese to the top of your stuffed peppers. The halloumi will be starting to melt but wonāt be completely soft at this point. Continue to cook until the timer goes off.
- Your Air Fryer JalapeƱo Poppers will be very hot when they come out. So let them rest for a few minutes before removing and serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese
- Stuff your poppers with a cream cheese filling or a cream cheese mixture with a few different types of cheese
- Wrap your poppers in bacon (You could even use turkey bacon!)
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top for a nice crunch (You could also use Ritz crackers!)
Nutrition
Spousal rating: My wife gave these a 12/10. I made them on a Friday night while also making Lemon Garlic Pasta. I’m chopping garlic for the pasta, and she comes in looking for the rest of the poppers. Weād eaten them all! So I made another batch. It was Friday, after all š
The more I use my air fryer, the more I fall in love with it. For my wife and I, itās less about trying to get that crispy fry and more about speed and ease. We both work 12-15 hour days, and the air fryer has let me create easy, fun, and healthy meals for us. There is only so much takeout a couple can (and should) eat.
Are you looking for more great Air Fryer recipes? Weāve got just that! Here are our favorite Air Fryer recipes. All tested and all very delicious!
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I hope you enjoyed this Air Fryer JalapeƱo Popper Recipe. Remember, if you can dream of the perfect cheese and topping filling, you can use it. Stay hungry and creative!
Until next time: Stay salty, and sweet š