Stuffed Jalapeños

Stuffed Jalapeños are so easy to make, also easily customized for whatever level of heat you’d like. The mixture of cheddar and cream cheese is delightful and creamy, the spices and herbs are perfection, and the toasted saltine topping gives just the right amount of crunch. Make these at your next gathering and watch them quickly disappear.

While searching for Jalapeno Poppers, I came across a recipe for Stuffed Jalapeños on America’s Test Kitchen. I was in as soon as I saw how easy the recipe is, also baking the stuffed jalapeños rather than frying them is definitely a win. I made a few changes,  wanting to put my own spin on the recipe while respecting ATK’s reputation for doing the research to get recipes right.

Ingredients in Stuffed Jalapeños-

Jalapeno peppers- This pepper is the perfect size for the recipe but the heat is easily modified so that you could make them with no level of heat since the real fire in jalapeno peppers is in the seeds and inside ribs of the peppers. I give tips in the step-by-step recipe for creating different levels of heat as needed.

Cheddar cheese and cream cheese- Cheddar and cream cheese are excellent for melting as well as combining the other ingredients. Plus, they’re both classic necessities in this type of appetizer recipe.

Scallions- Finely chopped scallions add both texture and flavor that’s mild but still just right for added depth.

Lime juice- Lime juice gives a bit of mellow brightness (compared to if you used lemon juice which would be more tart). Adding citrus makes all the other ingredients really come forward.

Chili powder and salt- Chili powder adds a bit of smoky heat and salt, like citrus, makes everything else sing.

Saltine crackers and melted butter- ATK’s recipe said to toast panko and then spray the stuffed peppers with vegetable oil spray before baking. I think Panko crumbs add crunch but no flavor, while the buttered saltines added more texture and better taste. I also didn’t want the vegetable oil spray in this manner.

Cilantro, parsley, or sliced jalapeno rings for garnish- To finish the stuffed jalapeños, cilantro or parsley adds a nice bright, fresh bite as well as added color. If you’re making some mild and some hot, add a slice of jalapeno to the top after baking to help identify the spicy ones. Also, the fresh jalapeno slice will be hotter than one that gets baked on top of the peppers.

How to make Stuffed Jalapeños-

Stuffed Jalapeños starts with fresh, unblemished jalapeno peppers. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise through the stem and remove the ribs and seeds. Don’t discard the insides yet until you decide how spicy, if at all, you want the finished peppers to be.

The filling is the perfect cheese-y base that not only makes them fantastic but the cheese helps to mellow out some heat when capsicum from the peppers hits your tongue (Like when your tongue is on fire from something spicy and a drink of milk puts out the fire but a drink of water only spreads the heat). Cream cheese and cheddar are not only exceptionally melty, but they’re part of the “popper” flavor we all recognize. The cheese is mixed until fully combined and then all the other ingredients mix in until you have what appears to be the start of a great cheese ball.

How to make Stuffed Jalapeños mild, medium, or spicy-hot-

Mild (no heat)- If you want the stuffed jalapenos to be very mild, you can stuff the peppers without adding any of the seeds or ribs back into the cheese. The scallions and chili pepper add enough zing that they’re still delicious.

Medium heat- For a nice bit of heat that is “there” but won’t have anyone running for a glass of milk or a cracker to calm down the heat, finely mince two tablespoons of the seeds and ribs back into the cheese mixture.

Spicy heat- If you really love heat, adding three or four tablespoons of minced seeds and especially minced ribs back into the cheese mixture will give your daring capsicum-lovers a good hit to your mouth. Even with this amount, the cheese helps to mellow things out (a bit), and time in the oven also turns down the heat a little. Any more than this and you’re actually compromising the other flavors and just plain showing off. 😉

How to please everyone- If you want a combination of mild and hot stuffed jalapeños, stuff half the peppers with cheese that has no extra peppers mixed back in and then add minced peppers to the other half and place a nice slice of jalapeno on top of each one in this group. Then you can warn anyone who can’t take the heat.

So, there you have it. You can now make these delicious appetizers to please any taste, they bake up quickly with very little cleanup. Perfect for baking at home or get them ready to bake in the oven, cover and transport. Then pop them in the oven at your destination for 15-20 minutes is all. This recipe is a keeper.

If you like other cheesy appetizer recipes, be sure to check out my Hot Corn Dip, or Incredible Cheese Bombs.

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5 from 7 votes

Stuffed Jalapeños

Stuffed Jalapeños are so easy to make, also easily customized for whatever level of heat you'd like (see notes for how to make them mild or hot). The mixture of cheddar and cream cheese is delightful and creamy. The toasted saltine topping gives just the right amount of mellow crunch.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizers, party food, vegetarian,

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 173

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 10 Saltine crackers, gently crushed, to about the size of peas
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (fresh or dried parsley may be used as well)
• 1 tbsp Butter, melted
• 12 Jalapeno chiles, medium-sized, preferably with stems
• 1 ½ cups Medium cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces) Sharp or mild also works
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened, not low-fat
• 3 green onions, chopped fine
• 2 tsps lime juice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp fresh black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° with oven rack on middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Toss 10 crushed saltines with 1 Tablespoon melted butter and toast in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Cut each jalapeño in half lengthwise through the stem. Keeping some stem on each half helps when holding the stuffed jalapeños and looks good too. Remove ribs and seeds (see notes for how much to add heat after everything is mixed).
• Combine 1 ½ cups cheddar, 4 ounces cream cheese, 3 chopped green onions, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a bowl. If you want the stuffed jalapeños to have heat, chop some of the removed ribs and seeds and add into the cheese spread mix (see guide in notes for how much to add). Spoon the cheese mixture evenly into jalapeños and transfer to the prepared sheet. Top with toasted saltines.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until hot. They're a little flimsy when first out of the oven but firm up quickly. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Equipment

1 Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Notes

How to make the stuffed jalapeños mild, medium, or hot-

• Mild (no heat)- If you want the stuffed jalapeños to be very mild, you can stuff the peppers without adding any of the seeds or ribs back into the cheese. The scallions and chili pepper add enough zing, that they're still delicious.
• Medium heat- For a nice bit of heat that is "there" but won't have anyone running for a glass of milk or a cracker to calm down the heat, finely mince two tablespoons of the seeds and ribs back into the cheese mixture.
• Spicy heat- If you really love heat, adding three or four tablespoons of minced seeds and especially minced ribs back into the cheese mixture will give you daring capsicum-lovers a good hit to your mouth. Even with this amount, the cheese helps to mellow things out (a bit), and time in the oven also turns down the heat a little. Any more than this and you're actually compromising the other flavors and just plain showing off. 😉
• How to please everyone- If you want a combination of mild and hot stuffed jalapeños, stuff half the peppers with cheese that has no extra peppers mixed back in and then add minced peppers to the other half and place a nice slice of jalapeno on top of each one in this group. Then you can warn anyone who can't take the heat.

Nutrition Facts

Stuffed Jalapeños

Amount Per Serving (3 jalapeno halves)

Calories 173 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 39mg13%

Sodium 380mg17%

Potassium 113mg3%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 799IU16%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 172mg17%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe slightly modified from America’s Test Kitchen.