Just in time for holiday gatherings, Holley from The Primal Desire introduces a delightful, dairy-free appetizer perfect for any festive occasion. Known for their array of easy and delicious recipes, Raj and Holley also share many more culinary ideas in their free eBook, “Cheap Paleo Recipes.” As the holidays approach, filled with concerts, parties, and merriment, food becomes a central theme. These paleo-friendly jalapeño poppers, adorned with red and green peppers to mimic the festive lights of the season, offer a visually appealing and healthy choice for your next event.
Preparing for the Festive Season
The holiday season is undoubtedly a busy time filled with social gatherings like potlucks and open houses, where bringing a tasty and easy-to-prepare dish is essential. These jalapeño poppers meet all these criteria — they are not only straightforward to make but also affordable and enjoyable. For a vegan version, simply omit the bacon, though the addition of bacon does add a beloved flavor for many.
Recipe for Dairy-Free Jalapeño Poppers
To prepare the jalapeño poppers, start by halving the jalapeños lengthwise and removing the seeds to make room for the filling. The peppers are then stuffed with vegan cream cheese and topped with diced red and green bell peppers for a festive look. For those who prefer a hint of smokiness and an extra flavor kick, a sprinkle of smoked paprika can be added along with crumbled vegan bacon.
Once prepared, the poppers should be baked in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the toppings are slightly golden. These poppers are best served warm, making them a perfect appetizer for holiday festivities.
Jalapeño Poppers {by The Primal Desire}
Bacon wrapped or meat-free, these spicy creamy jalapeño poppers use nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor without the dairy. Perfect for holiday parties.
Ingredients
- 12 Jalapeño or Fresno peppers, or some of both
- 1 cup Raw Cashews, soaked 24 hours
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 12 strips Bacon, optional
- 24 Toothpicks or oven safe small skewers
Instructions
- Cover cashews with water and pop in the fridge overnight.
- Drain the cashews, saving 1/2 cup water.
- In a food processor or blender pour the cashew water, and drained cashews, pulse.
- Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the peppers, cutting them lengthwise and scooping out the seeds. I leave the stems on if possible. Gloves may be a good idea, those seeds under a nail can wreak havoc if unnoticed.
- Spoon cashew cheese into jalapeño halves, filling them to a slight heap.
- If you are using the bacon, cut the slices in half and wrap each pepper, securing with a skewer or tooth pick.
- Pop in the oven 350°F 30-40 min (until bacon is cooked to your liking).
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 2 halvesAmount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 14mgSodium 341mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 5g
Nutrition is calculated by a third party and may not be 100% accurate
Christine
Tuesday 14th of March 2017
These are so delicious !! How long does the cashew cheese keep in the fridge ?? I had left over from two weeks ago and made a new batch of poppers with the remaining ... it tastes fine but don't want to get sick!