Discover 13 creative jalapeno popper filling ideas that might spice up your next gathering. From classic cheese to vegan options, these recipes may offer something for everyone. Perfect for game day or any fun get-together.
These jalapeño popper recipes are all the proof you need that these petite stuffed peppers are the chameleon of the food world. They are spicy enough for chile heads but usually not too hot for wimps. They can be roasted, broiled, grilled, or fried. Stuffed with cheese, meat, or any combination thereof, they are always welcome and—best of all—there are seemingly endless varieties.
Most jalapeño poppers are also coated in batter or bread crumbs before being baked or fried, and you can certainly do that with any of our recipes below—but if you skip it, they’re not only great on the grill, they’re keto-friendly too.
Make a big batch (or several) of these creative jalapeño poppers for game day, or any other get-together, and remember plenty of beer (or non-alcoholic alternatives) to help soothe the burn.
1.Basic Jalapeño Poppers
Because ya gotta start somewhere. These are simply hollowed out, filled with cream cheese, and broiled until bubbly and brown. Experiment as you wish, or keep it classic for popper purists. Get theJalapeño Poppers recipefrom Spend with Pennies.
2.Bacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers
The perfect handheld indulgence, these are split and stuffed with cream cheese, cheddar, and crispy bacon. Leave a few seeds in the peppers if you want them spicier. Get theBacon and Cheddar Jalapeño Poppers recipefrom Dinner at the Zoo.
3.Herbed Goat Cheese Jalapeño Poppers
In a decidedly elegant spin on this classic game day snack, the peppers are stuffed with a mixture of tangy goat cheese, fresh garlic and lemon, and minced Italian parsley. Try them outdoors with a glass of crisp white wine for a twist on your standard cheese plate (when the weather’s warm enough, anyway). Get ourHerbed Goat Cheese Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
4.Buffalo Jalapeno Poppers
Blue cheese, buffalo sauce, and fresh jalapeños–it’s a match/menage made in heaven! You can tailor how spicy you like these by how much and which hot sauce you use, and you can even throw a little shredded cooked chicken into the cream cheese if you prefer; make it a rotisserie chicken for the easiest option. Get theBuffalo Jalapeno Poppers recipeat Taste of Home.
5.Mediterranean Jalapeño Poppers
It’s a trip to Greece with these savory poppers. The peppers are filled with feta and cream cheeses, sundried tomatoes, and olives. After these are grilled or broiled, you’re able to slice them and serve them on toasted bread for a chic cocktail party snack. Get ourMediterranean Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
6.Chipotle-Chorizo Jalapeño Poppers
Pepper-ception! Chipotles in adobo sauce and crumbled Mexican chorizo give these poppers an extra smoky, spicy kick. Get ourChipotle-Chorizo Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
7.Pepperoni Pizza Jalapeño Poppers
Pizza is pretty perfect, but put it in a bite-size snack like these stuffed peppers and it’s even more portable—plus, this gets around the crust issue for anyone cutting carbs or forgoing gluten. Get ourPepperoni Pizza Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
8.Italian Sausage Jalapeño Poppers
Sausage and peppers are great on a roll, but (like pizza) potentially messy. Solution: Stuff that sausage along with sauteed onions and cheese inside jalapeño peppers, then broil or grill for a delicious bite. Get I Am Homesteader’sItalian Sausage Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
9.Salsa Verde Chicken Jalapeño Poppers
More interested in Mexican flavors? These chicken chile verde poppers are packed with flavor fromtomatillosalsa and cilantro. If you use rotisserie chicken and store-bought salsa (which you can doctor with extra cumin, lime juice, and garlic), it’s a super-fast snack too. Get theSalsa Verde Chicken Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
10.Gyro Jalapeño Poppers
Truly, there is no meat you cannot stuff into a jalapeño popper. Here, we go with ground lamb, but you could swap in ground beef if you prefer. Just don’t skimp on the oregano. Get theGyro Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
11.Smoky Mushroom Jalapeño Poppers
Conversely, jalapeño poppers are also great without any meat at all. These incorporate gouda and sauteed mushrooms for a vegetarian take. Get theSmoky Mushroom Jalapeño Poppers recipe.
12.Vegan Jalapeño Poppers
Vegans need the jalapeño popper love, too! These peppers are filled with vegan cream cheese and vegan sausage, then topped with bread crumbs and baked until golden brown and crispy. A squiggle of sun-dried tomato aioli takes them over the top. Get theVegan Jalapeño Poppers recipe. (Or try thisVegan Jalapeño Popper recipeif you want to make the filling totally from scratch—this one is based on blended cashews.)
13.Jalapeño Popper Pigs in a Blanket
Add this to the list of most brilliantfood mash-upsever. If you don’t eat meat, you can swap in vegan sausage, or simply skip it, because a pastry-wrapped jalapeño popper is still delicious without the pig. Get theJalapeño Popper Pigs in a Blanket recipe.
