7 Must-Try Jalapeño Recipes for Spice Lovers

Americans are big on spicy food. In 2022, one survey by Instacart suggested that 75 percent of people in the US like to splash a little hot sauce onto their meals. But another great way to turn up the heat on your favorite recipes is to add some chilies into the mix.

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Jalapeños are, without a doubt, one of the most popular chilies in the world. They originated in Mexico’s Xalapa region, but the global market for jalapeños is now worth more than $108 million, per Technavio. Other market research reports state the market is even bigger; Mordor Intelligence, for example, predicts it could even exceed $1 billion by 2030.

The most popular ways to enjoy jalapeños in the US are on Tex-Mex dishes like loaded nachos and fajitas, as well as pizzas and omelets. But these popular spicy peppers complement a wide range of dishes. From mac and cheese to chowders and dips, find some of our favorite vegan recipes with jalapeños below.

What do jalapeños taste like?

Jalapeños aren’t the spiciest chilies you can eat, but they’re not the mildest either. They fall between 4,000 and 8,500 units on the Scoville scale (which is used to measure how spicy chilies are), which means they have a bit of a kick, but they’re not going to blow your tastebuds off, either. For context: Carolina Reaper chilies, some of the hottest in the world, come in at around 1.5 million on the Scoville scale.

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RELATED: 10 Spicy Meat-Free Dishes for Hot Sauce Lovers

Aside from spice, jalapeños have a fresh, tangy, slightly grassy flavor. They’re also a little sweet, especially if they’ve been left to ripen. Usually, jalapeños are harvested when they’re green, but the ripest version of the pepper is red.

Top tip: if you want to get the most heat out of a jalapeño pepper, you should slice it sideways into rings. This is because the majority of the jalapeño’s capsaicin (that’s the compound responsible for its heat) is concentrated in the white pith and the seeds. If you want less heat, you can remove these elements from the pepper.

Are jalapeños good for you?

Jalapeños are treated as a vegetable during cooking, but they’re technically a fruit, so they’re naturally packed with many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a source of vitamin C, for example, as well as potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin B6. Because they contain capsaicin, they may also help reduce inflammation in the body.

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Capsaicin may also be associated with heart health. In fact, in 2020, one study from the American Heart Association linked consuming chilies with a lower risk of death from chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. However, more research is needed.

“The exact reasons and mechanisms that might explain our findings are currently unknown,” senior author Bo Xu, MD said in a statement. “Therefore, it is impossible to conclusively say that eating more [chilies] can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer. More research, especially evidence from randomized controlled studies, is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.”

7 vegan recipes with jalapeños

Jalapeños bring a strong tang and kick of heat to many different recipes. If you’re a spice fan, check out some of our favorite dishes to make with the popular Mexican chili below.

Candice Hutchings

1 Vegan Garlic Bread Dippers With Jalapeño Cheddar and Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauces

If you’re hosting friends, these vegan garlic bread dippers from The Edgy Veg Easy Eats cookbook are sure to be a big hit. The dips are must-tries, too, especially the spicy, gooey dairy-free jalapeño cheddar.
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Hot for Food

2Vegan Baked Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño poppers are a Tex-Mex favorite, and they’re really easy to make with plant-based ingredients. Simply stuff the peppers with everything from vegan chive cream cheese to vegan bacon—they’re guaranteed to go down a storm next game day.
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Ashley McLaughlin

3 Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder With Jalapeños

Jalapeños bring a nice kick of spice to this dairy-free corn chowder recipe, which comes from The Zero-Waste Chef cookbook. Perfect for lunch or a dinner party appetizer, it’s a comforting dish that’s loaded with creamy, spicy goodness.
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4 Raw Spicy Vegan Avocado-Jalapeño Soup

When you’re craving a chilled lunch, whip up this raw soup, which combines two Mexican favorites: avocado and jalapeños. From the Love Your Body Feed Your Soul cookbook, it’s a little spicy, perfectly velvety, and easy to make in a flash.
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Charity Morgan

5 Vegan Bacon Cheddar Jalapeño Dip

Grab the potato chips, this vegan bacon, cheddar, and jalapeño dip is set to become your new comfort food. It’s hearty, gooey, cheesy, smoky, and a little fiery thanks to the jalapeño.
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From My Bowl

6 One Pot Vegan Jalapeño Mac and Cheese

Sure, mac and cheese is one of those dishes that is perfect as it is. But if you’re craving a little heat, then adding some jalapeños to the mix is a great way to turn up the spice level, and add some nice crunchy texture, too. This From My Bowl recipe is easy to make and only requires one pot.
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This Savory Vegan

7 Vegan Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Another comfort food classic, grilled cheese is incredibly versatile. You can have it as it comes or try out many different ingredients in the mix, like jalapeños poppers, of course. Want more grilled cheese inspiration? Find some of our favorite twists on the lunchtime favorite here.
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