A vegan jalapeño popper grilled cheese? Yes and it's incredible. Carrot "bacon", spicy jalapeños, melted vegan cheese, and cashew cream cheese create this mouthwatering vegan spin on a jalapeño popper inspired grilled cheese.
My favorite thing about this vegan jalapeño popper grilled cheese is the 5-minute carrot bacon! Toss carrot shreds into a skillet with a bit of avocado oil, liquid smoke, garlic, salt, and pepper and let it crisp. It's so easy and elevates the grilled cheese to a whole new level.
Head to the recipe to get started or continue reading for more info!
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Vegan jalapeño popper ingredients
- Carrot "bacon" (shredded carrots, liquid smoke, garlic granules or powder, salt & pepper).
- Bread of choice (GF, I used seeded Carbonaut)
- Vegan cream cheese
- Jalapeños
- Sliced vegan cheese (or sub shreds, see options below)
- Crisp baby lettuce or green of choice
Vegan cheddar cheese options
- Violife cheddar cheese slices or shreds (GF)
- Follow Your Heart medium cheddar slices or cheddar shreds (GF)
- Good Planet cheddar cheese (GF)
- Daiya cheddar slices (GF)
- Whole Foods 365 non dairy cheddar slices (not GF)
If you have a favorite vegan cheddar cheese, let me know in the comment section below!
Substitutions
Carrot bacon: jalapeño popper recipes frequently call for bacon and this easy carrot "bacon" is a wonderful vegan alternative. Omit if this doesn't suit your taste buds or substitue with crispy tofu.
Vegan cream cheese: I've tried a few different vegan cream cheeses in this recipe and prefer the homemade option. However, your favorite veg cream cheese will also work! Some popular options include; Kite Hill (chive), Daiya (roasted garlic and herb or chive and onion). For a less traditional jalapeño popper grilled cheese (but still absolutely delicious), substitute with hummus.
Vegan cheddar sliced cheese: vegan cheese shreds also work, just make sure it's a meltable cheese! Alternatively, substitute with your favorite flavor of vegan cheese.
Fresh jalapeño: pickled jalapeños or nacho sliced jarred jalapeños are great options as well.
Crispy greens: spinach, kale, lettuce, or microgreens make great additions to the sandwich.
Top tips for making a delicious vegan jalapeño popper grilled cheese
- Pull all ingredients out first and prep as needed (cut jalapeños, wash greens, etc.) to make assembling the grilled cheese quick and easy.
- Use a cast iron griddle pan with a press or panini press of choice for an ultra crispy crunch. Alternatively, butter the outside of the pieces of bread if desired with Miyoko's oat milk butter.
- Cover the grilled cheese for 1-2 minutes to help fully melt cheese if needed.
What can I eat with a grilled cheese?
Salad and soup are my favorite dishes to enjoy with this jalapeño grilled cheese!
- Simple Lemon Lentil Soup
- Sweet Potato & Beetroot Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Easy Greek Salad with Chickpeas and Vegan Feta
- Filling Summer Salad (delicious year-round)
A few other great side dishes to pair with this recipe:
Storage / make-ahead tips
Enjoy each bite of this vegan jalapeño popper grilled cheese fresh, hot off of the griddle. Do not store or make ahead of time, as the bread will become soggy.
If you would like to save time and/or make meal prep easier for the week, prepare the vegan cream cheese and the carrot bacon beforehand. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Important tip: use the carrot bacon within 2-3 days. The cream cheese lasts for 3-4 weeks (and is great on these easy gluten-free homemade bagels).
📋 Recipe
Vegan Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese
Equipment
- cast iron griddle and/or skillet
Ingredients
Carrot "bacon"
- drizzle of avocado oil (for the pan)
- ⅓ cup carrot shreds *
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ¼ teaspoon garlic granules
- pinch/dash of salt + pepper
Grilled Cheese
- 2 slices GF bread of choice (I used Carbonaut, seeded)
- 1-2 tablespoons homemade cream cheese (or cream cheese of choice) **
- ½ fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced
- handful crisp lettuce (or green of choice)
- 1 slice vegan cheese (violife cheddar or sub with cheese of choice)
Instructions
- If using homemade everything cashew cream cheese (which I highly recommend), make a batch first (preferably ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge until ready to use).
- Make the carrot bacon: Add shredded carrots to a small bowl with liquid smoke, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss together. Warm a skillet over medium heat, once warm add a drizzle of avocado oil and the seasoned carrot shreds. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower heat slightly and cover, remove from heat after ~2 minutes or once tender. Keep covered until you are ready to add it to the grilled cheese.
- Make the grilled cheese: add cream cheese to a slice of bread and place onto a warm griddle pan over medium-low heat. Top with thinly sliced jalapeños, greens, the carrot "bacon", a slice of vegan cheese, and another piece of bread (I don't add cream cheese to this piece of bread, but feel free to do so if you want the extra flavor). If using panini press, press firmly for 3-4 minutes. Alternatively, let each side cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on a skillet. Top tip: if the cheese isn't fully melted at this point, lower heat and cover for 1-2 minutes until it has. Remove and enjoy!
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