Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Cream Cheese
These baked stuffed jalapeno peppers pair the fiery kick of fresh chillies with a rich cream cheese and cheddar filling under a crisp golden panko crust. They make an irresistible vegetarian party appetizer that comes together in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 10 jalapeno peppers cut in half lengthwise, deseeded
For the stuffing:
- 200 g cream cheese ¾ cup
- 3 tablespoons fried onion flakes
- 150 g cheddar cheese 5.3 oz, grated
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 green onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the topping:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, fried onion flakes, grated cheddar, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, green onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and mix until you have a smooth, even filling.
- In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients (the ½ cup panko breadcrumbs and the garlic powder).
- Fill the cleaned jalapeño halves with the cream cheese mixture.
- Dip each pepper filling-side down into the breadcrumb topping, pressing gently so the crumbs stick to the filling.
- Arrange the stuffed peppers on the tray with the breadcrumb layer facing up.
- Bake the stuffed jalapeños until the tops are lightly browned, 15-20 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Wear gloves when deseeding the jalapenos, and leave a few seeds in if you like more heat. You can assemble the peppers ahead of time and bake them just before serving; leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat well in the oven.