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This grilled cheese delivers all the flavors you crave – sautéed jalapeños, three melty cheeses, and crispy bacon nestled between golden-brown sourdough. This Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese recipe, taking after the popular appetizer, brings together creamy, smoky, and spicy elements for a filling and satisfying lunch!
This jalapeno popper inspired grilled cheese is the epitome of delicious! The sautéed jalapeños give you that fresh pepper flavor without being too hot, and the cream cheese mixture with three different cheeses – sharp cheddar, smoky gouda, and mild Monterey jack – works together to create a super creamy, melty filling. Add some crispy bacon for that salty crunch, and you’ve got something that’s way more than just another grilled cheese!
You can even make the filling ahead of time, and come lunch or dinner time these grilled cheese sandwiches will be done in no time. Just make sure to use a covered pan on medium heat – it lets the cheese get perfectly melty while giving the bread that golden-brown color you’re looking for!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: A savory blend of mild heat with plenty of melty cheese, smoky bacon, and toasted sourdough bread!
- Texture: The crispy grilled bread combined with a creamy, melty filling with bits of crunchy bacon and tender jalapeños create the perfect blend of textures.
- Ease: Only basic cooking skills are required – just sautéing peppers, mixing ingredients, and grilling a sandwich!
- Pros: This recipe has a make-ahead filling and customizable heat level, and you get restaurant-quality results at home!
- Considerations: Requires a variety of cheeses that you might not have on hand and thick-sliced bread for best results.
- Recipe Repeatability: This one is addictive! Takes an ordinary grilled cheese to the ultimate level!
Ingredients Needed for Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Olive Oil: To sauté and sear the jalapeno slices.
- Jalapeños: Remove the seeds and white pith in the center for a mild flavor!
- Cream Cheese: Use room temperature cream cheese here for a smoother mixture.
- Black Pepper: You need some pepper to season the cheese mixture, but no salt is needed since the cheeses and bacon both have plenty of salt.
- Shredded Cheeses: I used a combination of shredded cheddar cheese, shredded smoked gouda cheese, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese for a combination of flavors!
- Crumbled Bacon: You can buy crumbled bacon bits or crisp up a few pieces of bacon beforehand and crumble it yourself.
- Sourdough Bread: I like to use sourdough bread here since it is sturdy enough to hold the filling!
- Butter: Butter will help crisp the outside of the bread for a perfectly golden-brown sandwich!
How To Make Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Sear the Jalapeños
Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat and add the cut jalapenos. Cook the jalapenos for about 5-6 minutes until they’re softened and starting to get a bit of color to them.
Step 2 | Make the Cheese Filling
While the jalapeno peppers cook, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the black pepper, all 3 kinds of cheese, and bacon. Mix gently until it’s combined. Add the peppers to the spread and mix again, gently.
Step 3 | Make the Sandwiches
Butter one side of all the pieces of bread. Put one slice, butter side down, on the same skillet you cooked the jalapenos in over medium heat. Spoon the filling mixture evenly over the bread and top with another piece of bread, butter side up.
Cover with a lid to help get the cheese to melt more fully. You want the bread to cook kind of slow so it gives the cheese mixture time enough to fully melt. Flip the sandwich over once the first side is golden brown and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown. If your sandwich is browning too quickly, lower your heat. Each side should be able to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
Cut in half and enjoy hot.
Recipe Tips
- Adjust the spice. Remove jalapeño seeds and membranes for mild heat, or leave some in for extra spice!
- Use room temperature cream cheese to seamlessly combine the cheese mixture! This will also help the cheeses to melt more quickly while cooking.
- Use medium to low heat to allow cheese to melt while bread browns slowly and cover pan while cooking to ensure cheese melts completely.
Variations and Substitutions
- Peppers: You can definitely substitute with poblanos or green chiles for milder heat here.
- Meat: If you prefer to make a vegetarian jalapeño popper grilled cheese, simply omit the bacon.
- Cheese: Use pepper jack instead of Monterey jack for extra heat!
- Bread: You can mix up the bread options depending on what you have on hand. Try different hearty bread varieties like ciabatta or Italian.
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Recipe FAQs
I suggest only making the filling ahead of time and storing it in the fridge until you need it. Then, only make however many sandwiches you will be able to eat, saving the remaining filling for future grilled cheese!
About 4, but it will all depend on the size of your bread slices and the amount of filling you add to each. When choosing your bread, I suggest using only crusty bread or at the very least a Texas toast style bread for these sandwiches. Using normal loaf bread will not hold the hearty filling well.
Storage
Storage: You can store any leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The sandwiches that have already been prepared should be eaten on the same day!
What to Serve with Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
Serve this fancy grilled cheese all on its own or with some side dishes for a larger meal! Here are some of my favorite things to serve them with:
Other Recipes to Try
- French Dip Sliders
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwich
- Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe
- Jalapeno Cornbread Taco Pie
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Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 4 jalapenos, cut into thin strips (seeds and ribs removed)
- 6 oz cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
- ¾ cup shredded monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ cup crumbled bacon
- 8 pieces of sourdough bread, or any hearty bread
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Add the oil to a skillet over medium heat and add the cut jalapenos. Cook the jalapenos for about 5-6 minutes until they’re softened and starting to get a bit of color to them.
- While the jalapeno peppers cook, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the black pepper, all 3 kinds of cheese, and bacon. Mix gently until it’s combined. Add the peppers to the spread and mix again, gently.
- Butter one side of all the pieces of bread. Put one slice, butter side down, on the same skillet you cooked the jalapenos in over medium heat. Spoon the filling mixture evenly over the bread and top with another piece of bread, butter side up. Cover with a lid to help get the cheese to melt more fully. You want the bread to cook kind of slow so it gives the cheese mixture time enough to fully melt. Flip the sandwich over once the first side is golden brown and continue cooking until the second side is golden brown. If your sandwich is browning too quickly, lower your heat. Each side should be able to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- Cut in half and enjoy hot.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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