Best Appetizer EVER! Baked Jalapeño Poppers

A classic appie shouldn’t be messed with too much so I kept these poppers pretty true to what you’re used to, stuffing them with an herby cream cheese filling and bacon bits. They’re just the right size to eat in one or two bites with your hands. If you’re afraid of being eaten alive by the heat of a jalapeño, the key is cleaning out the middle seeds entirely, but as someone who walks on the mild side I find the cream cheese and The Sundried Tomato Aioli also helps soothe the heat while you eat!

photo credit: lauren toyota

Servings	Prep Time	Cook Time
4-6servings	40minutes	20minutes

Servings	Prep Time
4-6servings	40minutes

Cook Time

20minutes

• Course Dinner, Snacks
• Cuisine Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegan cream cheese preferably flavoured with herbs, chives, or garlic
• 3 Tbsp chives finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped (optional)
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/2 cup Tofu Bacon crumbles
• 7-10 jalapeño chile peppers (depending on size)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
• Vegetable oil spray for coating
• The Sundried Tomato Aioli
• Tofu Bacon Marinade
• 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp liquid smoke
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• The Sundried Tomato Aioli
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes dry-packed
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder or Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Servings: servings

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients 1 cup vegan cream cheese preferably flavoured with herbs, chives, or garlic 3 Tbsp chives finely chopped 2 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped (optional) 1 garlic clove minced 1/2 cup Tofu Bacon crumbles 7-10 jalapeño chile peppers (depending on size) 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or chili powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt Vegetable oil spray for coating The Sundried Tomato Aioli Tofu Bacon Marinade 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or soy sauce 2 Tbsp maple syrup 1 Tbsp liquid smoke 1 tsp smoked paprika The Sundried Tomato Aioli 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes dry-packed 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed 1/4 tsp chilli powder 1/4 tsp mustard powder or Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp ground pepper Servings: servings Units:MetricUS Imperial

Course Dinner, Snacks Cuisine Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. in a bowl. Refrigerate while you prepare the jalapeños.
3. Cut the jalapeños in half lengthwise and gently scoop out the flesh and seeds with a small spoon or pairing knife, being sure not to break the peppers.
4. Combine the bread crumbs with the paprika, garlic powder, and salt in a shallow dish.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Stuff the jalapeño halves with the cream cheese mixture. Have some of the mixture slightly piling out of the halves but not overflowing. Sprinkle the tops with the bread crumb mixture, coating them well. Place on the baking sheet.
7. To help brown the tops, spray with a light coating of oil. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
8. Serve immediately with a drizzle of the aioli on each piece or serve the aioli on the side as a dip.

Tofu Bacon Marinade

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl or wide dish with a whisk or fork.

The Sundried Tomato Aioli

1. Soak the sundried tomatoes in warm water for 10 minutes and then drain. This helps to soften the tomatoes for blending.
2. Add the sundried tomatoes and remaining ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until very smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to combine all the ingredients in a tall jar or other container and blend until very smooth.

Recipe Notes

Excerpted from Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics by Lauren Toyota. Copyright © 2018 Lauren Toyota. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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