Spicy Cajun Crab Poppers (Printer-friendly)

Spicy jalapeños stuffed with creamy seasoned crabmeat filling, baked until golden with a crispy panko topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 8 large jalapeño peppers

→ Seafood

02 - 7 oz lump crabmeat, picked over for shells

→ Dairy

03 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
05 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise

→ Aromatics & Herbs

06 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 1 tsp lemon zest

→ Seasonings

10 - 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
11 - 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/4 tsp salt
13 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Topping

14 - 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
15 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Halve the jalapeños lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Wear gloves to protect hands from capsaicin oils.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, green onions, minced garlic, fresh parsley, lemon zest, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Gently fold in the lump crabmeat until just combined, taking care not to break apart the lumps.
05 - Spoon the crab mixture evenly into each jalapeño half, mounding the filling slightly for visual appeal.
06 - Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter until evenly coated, then sprinkle over the filled poppers.
07 - Arrange poppers on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
08 - Remove from oven and allow poppers to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to serve at a dinner party but come together in under an hour, which means less stress and more time actually enjoying people.
  • The creamy crab filling balances the heat of the jalapeño so perfectly—it's not a painful eat, it's a satisfying one.
02 -
  • Don't use watery crabmeat or frozen crab that wasn't thawed properly—the extra moisture will make your filling soggy and the peppers will weep liquid onto the pan instead of crisping up.
  • If you over-fold the crab mixture, you'll end up with shredded crab soup instead of lump crab texture, so resist the urge to be thorough and just do a few gentle turns until it's combined.
03 -
  • Buy your crab from a fishmonger if you can rather than the grocery store seafood counter—the quality difference is noticeable and it's worth the detour.
  • If the panko isn't browning fast enough near the end of cooking, bump the oven temperature up five degrees for the last few minutes, but watch carefully because it can go from golden to burnt in a blink.
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