Cheesy Samosa Jalapeno Poppers (with Halloween variation)

Cheesy Samosa Jalapeno Poppers is an Indian twist to the favorite party appetizer. This is a vegetarian and gluten-free version made in the air fryer for the samosa lovers. Don't forget to check out the Halloween inspiration for these jalapeno poppers!

I have been thinking about this recipe for a long time, as I wanted to share it for Halloween. I did not want the basic jalapeno poppers for which you can easily find 100's of recipes. So here is an Indian fusion version of jalapeno poppers for all the samosa fans out there.

These Samosa jalapeno poppers have a spicy potato and peas filling. By the way, this filling is super versatile and can be used as a sandwich stuffing, or to make baked puff pastry turnovers too.

As these poppers have the spiced samosa filling, and jalapeños are spicy, these babies have a wonderful spice kick to them. Make sure to reserve them for the adults in the party.

This is such a wonderful appetizer and so easy to put together. Also, it is easy to prepare for a party, as you can make the filling the day before and it just takes 10 minutes in the air fryer.

That said, this appetizer is great for any party - Super Bowl party, the upcoming India festive season when you will have lots of Diwali potlucks.

These stuffed jalapeno poppers are also vegetarian and gluten-free. You can make these vegan by skipping cheese or using vegan cheese.

Don't forget to make the favorite Indian chutneys - Tamarind chutney and mint cilantro chutney to serve with these poppers!

Traditional Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno peppers are typically stuffed with a cream cheese filling, then breaded and deep-fried. You will find baked and air fried variations of jalapeno poppers.

Here I am sharing a fusion recipe for the Indian favorite Samosa and Jalapeno Poppers. A simple way to explain what these are like - jalapeno poppers stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes.

How to make Samosa Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers?

To make these poppers, we need to first prepare the samosa potato filling, then prep and cook the jalapeños.

Make the Samosa Filling

Start with boiling the potatoes. My favorite way to boil potatoes is using an instant pot. You can boil using any method - just in a pot or in a stovetop pressure cooker.

Once, the potatoes are boiled and tender (check with a fork). Let them cool down, then peel and mash them. You can use a potato masher or mash with your hands.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin and fennel seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add ginger, green chili and hing (skip for gluten-free). Then add the boiled & mashed potatoes, green peas and spices.

Mix everything together and let it cook for 1-2 minutes on low heat. Remove pan from heat and let the filling cool down a bit.

You can leave the filling a little chunky or mash it completely smooth. Make sure to not have any big chunks, as otherwise it will be difficult to stuff the jalapeños.

This filling can be used for other things - samosas, sandwiches, potato fritters or potato patties.

Oh...and you can also use a paneer filling for these poppers. Here in these paneer puff pastry post, you can find the recipe for the paneer filling.

Prep the Jalapeños

Wash the whole jalapeños and wipe them dry with a paper towel.

Then cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. You can also remove the white membrane to reduce the spiciness of the jalapeño. Use a spoon to scoop out.

You can use gloves when handling jalapeños. If you don't have gloves, then just make sure to wash your hands well right after this step.

Stuff the Jalapenos

Spoon the filling into the empty pocket until it’s full. Then press some grated cheese on top of the filling.

For vegan variation, you can skip cheese or use vegan cheese.

Cook the Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

You can bake these poppers in the oven or I love to air fry them. It is so convenient in the air fryer and it takes less than 10 minutes and there is no need to preheat the air fryer.

Once you fill all of the jalapeno poppers, place them into the air fryer basket and close it.  My 6qt air fryer fit 5 jalapeños at a time.

Cook at 380F for about 7-10 minutes. I cooked for 8 minutes, including the preheating time. So adjust based on your air fryer and preference.

Remove from air fryer and serve. You can top with some chopped cilantro if you like.

If using a conventional oven, cook at 375F for 15-20 minutes.

How to serve Samosa Jalapeno Poppers?

As these are Indian inspired poppers, I love to serve them with samosa chutneys - Tamarind Chutney and Green Cilantro Chutney.

The chutneys can be served on the side, or drizzle some on the top.

Halloween-themed Jalapeno Poppers

Here comes the original reason why I created this recipe. I wanted to share it for Halloween.

Aren't these googly eyes jalapeno poppers the cutest?

Use candy eyeballs and place two on each jalapeno. To keep the eyeballs still on the jalapeno, you can put a drop of chutney and place the eyeballs on it. Then make a funny nose with a small drop of tamarind chutney.

These are a great Halloween party appetizer for adults. As I said, they are spicy!

Hope you make these fun samosa poppers for your next potluck, and don't forget to share back pictures with #pipingpotcurry

Other appetizers you might enjoy:

• Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Chicken Tikka Kebab
• Tandoori Paneer Naan Pizza