Keto Jalapeno Poppers — made in an air fryer
These Keto Jalapeno Poppers are made in an air fryer. They are creamy, cheesy, and bacon-y stuffed peppers! They’re full of flavor and a great low carb snack.
These are seriously the best and easy low carb / keto snack. And they not only taste delicious, they are filling too.
And they make a great appetizer for a gathering or anytime snack. They’re also great for game days!
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What you’ll love about this recipe:
- FLAVORFUL – These keto jalapeno poppers are packed full of amazing flavor, yet they’re incredibly simple to make!
- HEALTHY – And they are low carb / keto friendly! Plus they are made in under 15 minutes! Say What?
- INEXPENSIVE – These delicious appetizers won’t break the budget! 🙌
- ADAPTABLE – They can also be easily made in any air fryer! I make mine using the air crisp function of the Ninja Foodi and it only takes 8 minutes to cook! So with a 5 minute prep time, you can have a really delicious snack in under 15 minutes!
No air fryer, no problem! I have instructions for baking these in an oven too!
This post has been updated from its original publish date of December 29, 2019. It has been updated to provide better photos, additional helpful information and step by step instructions.
some tips for preparing for making this recipe
- Be sure to use thick cut bacon – thick cut is important so it doesn’t overcook or become too crispy when air frying or baking.
- Use a block of cheddar cheese vs pre-shredded because they have additives like starch to prevent clumping.
*Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below.
Instructions
- Cook bacon until desired crispiness and allow to cool. Once cooled, chop the bacon slices into pieces. Cut jalapeños in half lengthwise and remove the membranes, stem/seeds.
- Tip: wear gloves! It helps to prevent the heat from the jalapeños getting to places they don’t belong. Have you ever rubbed your eyes after cutting up hot peppers? And you thought you washed your wands well enough. Um, yeah not pleasant!
- Layer the jalapeños like this: cream cheese, bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese.
- Use a teaspoon to spoon the cream cheese over the jalapeno pepper halves. Then add the pre-cooked bacon pieces over the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the cream cheese filling.
- Place the prepared jalapeno halves in the basket of the Foodi or Air Fryer.
- Set the air fryer to 390 degrees, F. Or if using the Ninja Foodi set to the air crisp function. They will cook for about 8 minutes.
Oven directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill each jalapeño pepper half with cream cheese, chopped bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, as usual. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until jalapeños are tender and cheese melts, about 20 minutes.
If you have leftover poppers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 390 degrees, F until warmed through.
FAQ (frequently asked questions)
Jalapeños are generally low in carbs at only 1 carb in an average jalapeño pepper. They make a great addition to a low carb/keto diet and a staple in my opinion. If enjoying poppers on a keto diet, be sure to watch portion sizes because of the carbs in dairy.
Yes, I’ve updated this recipe to include oven instructions. They do take 20 minutes to bake up in the oven vs a quick 8-10 minute time in the air fryer. See complete instructions in the printable recipe card.
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Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers (keto)
Equipment
- Baking Sheet optional – if baking
- Parchment Paper optional – if baking
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick cut bacon
- 3 large jalapeños
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese avoid using pre-shredded because of the added starches
Instructions
To make in an air fryer / Ninja Foodi
- Cook the bacon until desired crispiness and then set aside to cool. Once cooled, chop up to pieces.
- Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise, remove the stems and seeds.
- Shred the cheddar cheese and cut up the cream cheese.
- Layer the ingredients in this order: cream cheese spread evenly over the jalapenos, place the bacon over the top of the cream cheese (see note). And finally distribute the shredded cheese evenly over the bacon.
- Add the poppers to the air crisp basket of the Ninja Foodi or Air Fryer on a single layer. Set the function to air crisp, 390° F. And cook for about 8 minutes.
- Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before removing from the Ninja Foodi.
- Serve and enjoy!
To make in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Fill each jalapeño pepper half with cream cheese, chopped bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, as usual.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven until jalapeños are tender and cheese melts, about 20 minutes.
