Description
A perfect lounge day or game day snack—total comfort food, not entirely diet-ruining and quick to prepare!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 jalapeno peppers (medium to large)
- 2 T barbecue sauce – any kind you like
- 1/3 C cooked, drained black beans
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened (full fat; see note below)
- 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/4 t ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees, and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Halve the jalapenos lengthwise, leaving the stems on (for looks and as a handle). If you’re detailed and want the poppers to sit flat: let each pepper roll to a stop on the cutting board. Roll another 90 degrees, then halve. This way, it will lay on the flat side you found! Use a small, sharp knife to remove the seeds and white membranes, unless you like the peppers super hot. Use caution and gloves when handling jalapenos!
- Arrange jalapenos cut side up on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 5 minutes. Rotate the tray, then roast another 5 minutes, until skins are beginning to brown and blister. Remove peppers and reduce oven to 375 degrees.
- To make the filling, mix the cream cheese, 2/3 C of the cheddar, black beans, scallions, ½ t salt, and ¼ t pepper. You don’t need to be delicate—some of the beans should get smashed.
- Fill each roasted pepper half with about ¼ teaspoon BBQ sauce, spreading it with the spoon to fill the bottom. Then use a regular table spoon (the eating kind, not the measuring kind), to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of filling along the long edge of the spoon. This makes it easier to just push the filling off the spoon and into the cavity of the jalapeno (alternatively, you can pipe the softened filling into the poppers using the large tip on a pastry bag). Use the back of the spoon or wet fingers to push the filling down into the cavity. Continue filling the peppers, using up all the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 C cheddar.
- Put peppers back in the oven for 10 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted. To brown the cheese, place about 6 inches from the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn. Serve alone, or with extra BBQ sauce, ranch, or chopped scallions.
Notes
To soften cream cheese, either leave at room temperature for an hour, or heat in the microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals until just pliable (not warm).
For extra BBQ flavor, mix a couple tablespoons of sauce into the cream cheese filling.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Gluten-free, Meatless