Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese is a delectable combination of baked cream cheese-filled jalapenos, gooey cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and crispy bacon. It is sandwiched between two slices of thick, hearty white bread and grilled to perfection.
Do you like grilled cheese? I absolutely love them. Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. In fact, it is a formidable contender, even against mac n cheese. However, you do have to like a little heat to partake in this beauty. If picked properly, jalapenos can be very flavorful with relatively mild heat. Please be sure to read my section on choosing the right jalapenos.
How do you make Jalapeno Grilled Cheese?
First, using plastic food handling gloves, cut the jalapenos in half and remove the seeds and membranes—stuff each half with a little mound of cream cheese. Now place them on a cookie sheet and bake until the peppers are semi-soft, the cheese is bubbly, and they start to brown.
Place one slice of cheddar cheese on two bread slices. Place one slice each of Monterey Jack on two bread slices. Each sandwich will have both kinds of cheese. Slice the cooked stuffed jalapenos into bite-size pieces. Divide the jalapeno slices between the two slices of bread with cheddar. Add the four slices of bacon to the slices of bread with Monterey Jack. If desired, add chopped cilantro to one side. Combine the slices of bread to form 2 sandwiches.
Top each sandwich with several pats of butter. Place in skillet over medium-low heat, butter side down. Top with more pats of butter. Now grill each side until lightly browned. Cheese should be melted and gooey.
How do you choose mild jalapenos?
With just a little patience and understanding, you, too, can pick jalapenos that are flavorful yet mild. Look for the younger peppers that are smooth and green all over with no striations or blemishes. These young green peppers are less stressed and milder. Stay away from peppers with white lines, flecks, and red ones, as these peppers are older and hotter. Take your time picking the peppers.
To reduce the heat once cut in half, use gloves and scoop out the veins and seeds. There is quite a bit of heat in those veins and seeds. If you like your jalapeno poppers hot, leave the seeds and veins in or leave a portion of them.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Use gloves to cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Wash your hands thoroughly after working with these peppers, as they can be irritating if you touch your face.
- A small amount of cream cheese mounded in the pepper works best. If too much is in there, it will cook out.
- If you like your jalapeno poppers to be less soft, reduce the cooking time by ten minutes.
- Use good quality smoked nitrate-free bacon.
- This sandwich is worthy of thick bakery-style white bread, Italian bread, or European Artisan Bread.
- Use excellent quality, fairly thick slices of cheese, as the cheese should be the star of the show.
This Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese is one of the best I have ever had or made. It truly is a work of art and perfect for those of you who like lots of flavor and a little heat.
Other sandwich recipes for you to enjoy
Jalapeno Popper Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 Jalapenos sliced lengthwise seeds and membranes removed
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 4 slices bacon crispy cooked
- 2 slices monterey jack
- 2 slices sharp cheddar
- 4 slices Italian bread
- Cilantro chopped optional
- Pats of butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Stuff each jalapeno half with approximately 1 ounce of cream cheese. Bake stuffed jalapenos on a baking sheet for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Place 1 slice each cheddar cheese on 2 bread slices. Place 1 slice each Monterey Jack on 2 bread slices. Each sandwich will have both kinds of cheese. Slice the cooked stuffed jalapenos into bite-size pieces. Divide the jalapeno slices between the 2 slices of bread with cheddar. Add the 4 slices of bacon to the slices of bread with the Monterey Jack. If desired, add chopped cilantro to one side. Combine the slices of bread to form 2 sandwiches.
- Top each sandwich with several pats of butter. Place in skillet over medium-low heat, butter side down. Top with more pats of butter. Now grill each side until lightly browned. Cheese should be melted and gooey.
Video
Notes
- Use gloves to cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Wash your hands thoroughly after working with these peppers, as they can be a real irritant if you touch your face.
- A small amount of cream cheese mounded in the pepper works best. If too much is in there, it will cook out.
- If you like your jalapeno poppers less soft, lessen the cooking time by ten minutes.
- Use good quality smoked nitrate-free bacon.
- This sandwich is worthy of thick bakery-style white bread, Italian bread, or European Artisan Bread.
- Use excellent quality, fairly thick slices of cheese, as the cheese should be the star of the show.
Nutrition
On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Porsha carr
I haven’t ate dinner tonight this looks so good!
Terri Steffes
Good heavens that looks good! I love a good jalapeno in my sandwich and this one looks so good. I hope I can convince my family to give this a try for dinner.
Heather
I’m not a fan of jalapeños but I bet they are a great compliment to the cheese! My husband would probably like this.
Cinny
Oh, that looks heavenly. I happen to be a fan of grilled cheese and jalapeño poppers!
Sara Welch
This looks delicious! Restaurant worthy, indeed! Can’t wait to try this for my lunch this week!
Jaye Shields
These are all great tips, like wearing gloves for the peppers. I make Jalapeno poppers at least once a week, but I love grilled cheese. I usually do them on my cast iron skillet, then throw them on the grill for a sec.
CherishingFlo
THIS actually sounds soooo delicious. I’m definitely try it!
Stacie
That’s a masterpiece of a grilled cheese sandwich. Jalapeno poppers are my favorite appetizer. I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen a grilled cheese version. It looks amazing!
Sarah Averett
This took everything I love about a jalapeno popper and paired it perfectly in a grilled cheese. These were phenomenal! Thank you!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure was all mine> I am glad that you enjoyed them!
Gina Matsoukas
This is what grilled cheese dreams are made of!
Amy
Do you have the nutrition value for this recipe i am diabetic and control with diet this looks delicious and would like to try
Beth Pierce
I just added the nutritional information to the recipe. Have a great day!
Melissa
Ha! Reading is fundamental! I totally missed the cooked part on the bacon! My apologies for my ignorance
Beth Pierce
No worries at all. Life is busy. I have missed a step once or twice in my life. 😉 You should try again. It is a delicious sandwich.
Melissa
I find it hard to believe that the bacon cooks with the sandwich. Surely you cooked it ahead of time? Or its possible that I missed a step?
Jamie
The ingredient list says “4 slices bacon crispy cooked” so it is pre-cooked.
Beth Pierce
Yes it is! Enjoy your awesome grilled cheese!
Jeannette Averett
I added grilled onions and it really took this to a new level!!! My family loved them.
Beth Pierce
Awesome! Sounds amazing and so glad that your family loved them! Happy New Year!
Fauziah
Well I made this using smoked beef ‘bacon’ and yummy is not the word, I’d say I was in heaven lol. So today I made one with Turkey bacon and I’m now hooked! Thank you for sharing xxx
bpierce
My pleasure. I am so glad that you liked it! Nothing wrong with a glimpse of heaven!!!
Subhashish Roy
I absolutely love the grilled sandwich. Am surely making it on Friday when I am a little free. So inviting & easy to make.
Candace
How do you pick the jalapeños so they’re not too hot?
bpierce
Jalapeño chilies progressively get hotter the older they get, eventually turning bright red. As they age, they develop white lines and flecks, like stretch marks running in the direction of the length of the pepper. The smoother the pepper, the younger, and milder it is. The more white lines, the older and hotter.
Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tip_how_to_check_for_the_hotness_of_jalapenos/#ixzz3tJS3fqVP
Also remove the seeds and membranes with your hand covered in a disposable sandwich bag to calm them down!!
Vikki
Another way to tell if the jalapeño is hot is by looking at the tip…. pointy tip hot, rounded tip mild.
Love this recipe idea… I’m going to try a variation by mixing cream cheese, canned chopped jalapeños and shredded cheese and spreading that on the bread, add the bacon and toast.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip Vikki! Sounds delicious! Enjoy your sandwich!!
Sherry Hall
I like the idea of mixing the cheeses & jalapenos then spreading it on the bread!! Please let me know how that actually turns out, please!!!! Post your recipe or put a post giving the recipe amounts & stuff you used, etc. Please!
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed! Great combination!!
Chris Kaitlyn
I altered the recipe as I did not have all of the same ingredients. We had London Broil left over that my husband thinly cut on an angle and I warmed on the griddle. I also cooked bacon and chopped it up. We didn’t have jalapeno peppers on hand so I used canned chilies and drained some of the liquid. I microwaved whipped cream cheese for 20 seconds then added the can of chilies and mixed together. I toasted the bread on the griddle with butter on the outside to it toast up nicely. When those were done I just layered each of the ingredients: London Broil, bacon, different cheeses, and the chili cream cheese mix. It was Yummy!
Beth Pierce
That does sound absolutely amazing! What a sandwich!
Josh
I always give mine an ice bath after deseeding and taking out the membrane
Nknya
Thatll cool them peppers down for sure!
Matt
The hotter the better depending if your from New Mexico or not! Chile capital of the US. So make sure they taste like jalepenos not bell peppers. ?
Dustin
Yeah I’m from SE Texas and we love hot/spicy foods! I vote for more peppers ?
Ronie
I love hot food and I’m from michigan!! Jalapeños are meant to be spicy!!!
Angela
We’ve been making Jalapeno poppers for years, never thought to put it on a sandwich 🥪. Will be trying this very very soon! Thanks for the idea and I am sharing this information on FB. Have a friend that wanted to try it as well.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Angela! I hope you and your friend enjoy it as much as we do!!
Thomas Kent
What on earth is the calorie/fat content of this??
Beth Pierce
Nutritional information is on the recipe but all nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation.
joanne singer PE
USE GREEN CHILIS
Laurie P
If you wash them thoroughly with water after you slice them and remove the seeds it will remove the hotness from the pepper.