Easy Air Fryer Low-Carb Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (Keto)

This is one of my favorite recipes and quickly became a family favorite in our household. I made these first with the super bowl in mind but they are really perfect for any occasion. Most jalapeno poppers are in the low-carb realm thanks to the most of the ingredients all being low-carb. I am not a follower of the keto diet but I do believe in being mindful about food choices and these are a perfect appetizer, low carb dinner, or snack for any occasion. They are packed with tons of flavor, an extra cheesy filling and simple ingredients.

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What ingredients are in these jalapeno poppers?

-Jalapeño peppers; using fresh jalapeños is important because they give the extra crunch you want once these are cooked.

-Green onion; these are chopped extra small and give a nice extra flavor element to the poppers.

-Crispy bacon; I use thick cut bacon and make it before I prepare this recipe but could use some kind of pre-made crumbs if thats what you have.

-Cream cheese; I prefer the flavor of regular full fat cream cheese but the lower fat varieties could work well too.

-Mozzarella Cheese; I buy pre-shredded to speed up my prep-time.

-Sharp cheddar cheese; I also buy pre-shredded for these cheese as well because it cuts down on the cleaning and prep time.

-Garlic powder; I like to use organic garlic powder but whatever you have on hand words.

-Onion powder; I also like to use organic onion powder but again whatever onion powder you have works.

-Panko bread crumbs; these are optional but really take this tasty treat up a notch.

What materials or equipment is needed to make this this recipe?

Air fryer; my air fryer is an air fryer basket style but any air fryer should work great for these. While it is not an absolute to use an air fryer I have no tested these in an oven so am unsure of the timing to get the exact same results.

Sharp knife; you need a sharp to slice your Jalapeno peppers evenly down the middle.

Cutting board; a cutting board is recommended so you do not damage your countertops or chip a plate by cutting on that.

Gloves; I highly recommend you wear gloves when dealing with the fresh Jalapenos.

Parchment paper; I use parchment paper in my air fryer for easy clean-up and to avoid having to clean it every time I use it. This is optional but if you choose to use it just cut or fold the parchment paper to fit your air fryer. You also want to wait until the air fryer is preheated to put the paper in or else it could get sucked up and cause a fire/burning situation.

Small bowl; this is used to mix all your ingredients together and any kind of bowl will work; depending on if you are doubling the recipe or not you may need to utilize a medium bowl instead.

How to make these air fryer jalapeño poppers?

One of the best things about this easy recipe is that it comes together in just 15 minutes of prep time and only uses a few items with little clean up needed. In my opinion the hardest part of this is coring the jalapeno halves and remembering to leave your cream cheese out for a bit so it is at room temperature when you’re ready to make the cream cheese filling.

First thing to do is cut the top off of each of your Jalapeno’s.

Next cut them in half length wise and use a spoon to remove seeds and the membranes of the pepper. Its important to use the spoon downward away from your face/eyes so any juice sprayed hits your counter and cutting board.

Next you’ll combine the remainder of the ingredients in a mixing bowl; softened cream cheese, chopped chives, shredded cheeses, pre-cooked bacon crumbles, onion powder and garlic powder.

This last step is optional depending on if you are really looking to make these keto jalapeno poppers or just general low-carb ones. I place each halve cream cheese mixture side down into panko bread crumbs. This gives them an extra golden brown crunch once cooked.

Is there anything I can substitute in these jalapeno poppers?

These are actually pretty easy to customize if you continue to follow the same amounts as listed in the recipe. You can change the cheese amounts to your liking, spices and even try a different type of bread crumb.