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
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Rene Heitz
Wow! Best grilled cheese I ever had! Thanks for the recipe
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! So glad that you liked it!
Kay
My kind of recipe! Really kicks it up a notch to a whole new level…. Added sliced tomato 🍅 and did not have Monterey Jack, but it was super-delish, not sure I can eat plain ones, now! I grow several types of peppers 🌶 🫑, so always looking for new things to add them to and this was perfection!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Kay! So glad that you liked it! I just love an original grilled cheese!
K Carter
Brilliant!! Why didn’t I think of this? Makes perfect sense!
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed and so yummy!
Nancy
I am not sure why you have to stuff/roast the cream cheese, or the jalepenos for that matter. It seems like more work than necessary. I’m guessing roasting makes the peppers milder and softer, but can’t you just cut in half and roast, then spread the cream cheese on the sandwich before adding the peppers? This looks great but my garden serrano/jalepenos are very small and it would take forever to stuff.
Beth Pierce
That would work just fine too. Enjoy!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip Barb!
Tara McIntyre
Can I just say I made this and it is to die for. Literally every time I think of this dish my mouth waters… I can no longer have a regular grilled cheese. Jalepeno Popper Sandwich has ruined it for me.
Beth Pierce
LOL! Sorry Tara but so glad that you like the sandwich.
Nan
OMG! This is wonderful!
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you like it!!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! What a great way to combine 2 crowd favorites! What a fun thing to make for a friend!
Suzanne
This looks so good! What a great way to enjoy a grown up version of grilled cheese!
Josh
I saw a picture of this on Facebook (I think) and immediately had to try it. Thanks for the tips on choosing jalapenos, because the ones I bought were a bid mild for my liking, but I don’t think I can ever eat a regular grilled cheese sandwich ever again.
Just Amazing.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Josh! So glad that you liked it! I just love that grilled cheese!
Scott Zanotti
Made this yesterday and my 15 year old son already asked for me to make it again. He’s now eaten 5 of these in 2 days, I’d say he’s found a new favorite sandwich! I used pepper jack instead of Monterey and I left the jalapeños poppers whole instead of cutting up, which made easier for flipping. Great idea, glad we tried it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Scott! So glad that you and your son liked it! We love it here too!
L L Blake
Ive never followed and or posted on any blog ever…food or otherwise but SWEET BABY JESUS… I saw this picture while innocently hunting for medicinal quarantine fudge recipes and instantly started salivating. I knew you were my kinda lady so Im gonna follow your blog (first time Ive ever considered it). Your food looks sinful and now is the perfect time to start eating my way through this pandemic…LOL THANK YOU!!! :))
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! You are giving me a good chuckle over here. I sure do hope you enjoy the grilled cheese. It is very yummy!!
Martyandmegan
Awesome recipe. My mouth watered when seeing this! However, I knew I had the ingredients from leftovers, but just not in the recipes form. I used french bread, toweled off some pickled jalapenos, used real bacon bits, whipped cream cheese, mexican blend shredded cheese, and followed the rest of the recipe. I made it on good non-stick pan and covered a few times to hold in some in heat. Amazing recipe and idea! Thanks Smalltownwoman!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! I love a cook that can improvise!!
Marty
Thank you
Angela
I can not handle hot food, I substituted the jalapeños with green bell peppers, same flavor without the heat. Make the hot ones for my husband and boys.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip! Glad that you liked the sandwich!1
Sandy nevil
I’m def. going to try this grilled sandwich . My husband always ordered seeds from a book. He came across the HA HA JALAOENO PEPPERS HA HA MEANS FOOLED YOU AND THESE PEPPERS HAVE SAME GOOD TASTE BUT IS NOT HOT AT ALL THANKS FROM DANDY IN HILLSBORO OHIO
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tip Sandy! I hope you like the sandwich!
Stephanie J Aguirre
Wow. Will have to try this sometime this week. I appreciate the nutrition facts – is the 704 for the whole sandwich or 1 serving?
Beth Pierce
Yes that is the calorie count for the whole sandwich.
Taylor
This is the ultimate grilled cheese recipe! Love all the flavors!