Change Up Jalapeño Poppers By Swapping The Main Ingredient

Jalapeño poppers are crispy, creamy, and spicy — essentially, everything we'd want in a snack or appetizer. While there's no replacing this classic type of popper, you can make delicious ones with all the same tasty elements using pepperoncinis. 

This swap is ideal if you're not a fan of intense heat, as a pepperoncini can be anywhere from five to 80 times less spicy than a jalapeño. But you'll get the added benefit of a little tang, a little sweetness, and a slight vinegar taste, perfect for balancing out the cheesiness and crispiness in a popper.

Essentially, you can make pepperoncini poppers the same way you would jalapeño poppers, keeping in mind that the former are smaller and have a thinner skin than the latter. First, you'll want to make your filling and stuff it in pepperoncini halves. With these peppers, however, you don't need to carve the seeds out since they don't pack as much heat as jalapeños' do. Once they're properly stuffed, you can toss them in the air fryer or oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Just like with jalapeño poppers, you can use cream cheese, cheddar, or a combination of the two to fill your pepperoncini halves, just like we do in our Broiled Jalapeño Poppers recipe. You can also mix it up and add in some flavored cream cheese (like onion and chive), pepperjack, feta, gouda, or even Greek yogurt. To step up your game even more, try adding diced meat like salami, prosciutto, pepperoni (we're also partial to bacon), or some diced veggies like bell pepper or onion — and don't forget to season the mixture with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder.

One tip to keep in mind: Since pepperoncinis typically come pickled in a jar, make sure you drain and thoroughly pat your peppers dry before slicing them open. After all, you want them crispy, not soggy, when you take that first bite. If you're having trouble slicing the delicate peppers in half without cutting all the way through, you can also try making a slit and piping your filling in the middle. Once your pepperoncinis are stuffed, you can top things off with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs — our Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers recipe adds a crunchy bite with panko. And for even more flavor, try crushed hot Cheetos or bacon bits.