Kick off your meal with a bang! These Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos, filled with a decadent cheese and bacon mix, are a showstopper, garnished with fresh tomato, onion, and cilantro.
Deep-fried homemade jalapeño poppers are delicious but loaded with fat. Other popper recipes use an entire slice of bacon wrapped around the jalapeño and grilled; these too are delicious, but not so healthy.
While those are nice, my Grilled Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers are much healthier, and they taste so good. I prefer them over the deep-fried ones and the bacon-wrapped ones, and I think you will too. Even my husband, who loves salty, greasy foods, prefers this cheese-stuffed jalapeno popper recipe over all the others.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love These Healthy Stuffed Poppers
- Their bite-sized nature makes them ideal for parties and gatherings as finger food.
- Stuffed jalapeno poppers are versatile, allowing for various fillings like cheese, meat, or vegetables.
- The contrast between the warm, melted cheese and the crisp jalapeño provides a satisfying texture.
Recipe Ingredients
- Jalapeño Peppers: These peppers add a crisp texture and a spicy kick.
- Cream Cheese: The cream cheese provides a creamy, smooth texture and adds a mild tang.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, savory depth and offers a burst of flavor and a crisp texture.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Vegetarian Jalapeno Popper: You can omit the bacon or replace it with chopped, smoked almonds or a vegetarian bacon alternative like Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon, which offers a hickory and sage plant-based protein.
- Greek Yogurt Addition: Mix a small amount of Greek yogurt into the cream cheese filling for added tanginess and a creamier texture.
How to Make Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos
Step #1: Cut the jalapeno peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes.
Step #2: Seed and chop the tomato into garnish-sized pieces.
Step #3: Chop the red onion and cilantro into small pieces for garnish.
Step #4: Cook bacon in a pan or skillet over medium heat until crispy, but not burnt. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it cool on paper towels.
Step #5: When the bacon has cooled, chop the bacon into tiny pieces.
Step #6: In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, garlic, salt, and lime juice. Stir it well so that it is evenly combined.
Step #7: Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Step #8: Use a butter knife or small spatula to evenly fill the jalapeno pepper halves with the cheese mixture. Press the mixture down into the jalapeno so it is nice and tight. Don’t overfill the jalapeno halves; at most, you want the cheese mixture to be even with the sides of the jalapeno.
Step #9: Place the jalapeno peppers with the cheese sides up on the grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray.
Step #10: Cover and grill the jalapeno peppers for 8 minutes or until the bottoms of the peppers are blistered and the cheese mixture is lightly browned.
Step #11: Remove the jalapeno peppers from the grill or grill pan and place them on a serving platter.
Step #12: Garnish the jalapeno peppers with red onion, tomato, and cilantro.
Expert Tips
- Wear Gloves: When handling and seeding the jalapeños, wear gloves to avoid skin irritation from the capsaicin in the peppers, which can cause a burning sensation.
- Drain Excess Moisture: After halving and seeding the jalapeños, pat them dry with a paper towel. Removing moisture helps the cheese filling adhere better and prevents it from becoming too runny when heated.
- Check the Grill Temperature: Use a grill thermometer to ensure your grill or grill pan reaches and maintains the right temperature. Too hot, and the peppers may burn; too cool, and they won’t cook through properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jalapeño poppers can be spicy, but removing the seeds and membranes significantly reduces their heat. You can also choose milder peppers if you prefer less spice.
Common dipping sauces include ranch dressing, blue cheese sauce, or a cilantro-lime yogurt dip. These can complement the poppers’ heat and add a creamy texture.
Storage Info
Store any leftover Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to 3 days. While you can freeze them, the texture of the cream cheese may change slightly upon thawing.
To reheat, place them in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Also, if you have any of the cream cheese mixture left over, or if you just want to make a batch of it, it makes a great savory schmear for bagels.
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Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos Recipe
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Ingredients
- 16 jalapeno peppers - halved lengthwise and seeded
- 8 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese - softened
- 4 center-cut bacon slices
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese - shredded
- 1/4 cup minced green onions
- 1 small garlic clove - minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- Cooking spray
- 2 tablespoons chopped seeded tomato
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Cut the jalapeno peppers in half and remove the seeds and membranes.
- Seed and chop the tomato into garnish-sized pieces.
- Chop the red onion and cilantro into small pieces for garnish.
- Cook bacon in a pan or skillet over medium heat until crispy, but not burnt. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it cool on paper towels.
- When the bacon has cooled, chop the bacon into tiny pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, garlic, salt, and lime juice. Stir it well so that it is evenly combined.
- Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
- Use a butter knife or small spatula to evenly fill the jalapeno pepper halves with the cheese mixture. Press the mixture down into the jalapeno so it is nice and tight. Don’t overfill the jalapeno halves; at most, you want the cheese mixture to be even with the sides of the jalapeno.
- Place the jalapeno peppers with the cheese sides up on the grill rack or grill pan coated with cooking spray.
- Cover and grill the jalapeno peppers for 8 minutes or until the bottoms of the peppers are blistered and the cheese mixture is lightly browned.
- Remove the jalapeno peppers from the grill or grill pan and place them on a serving platter.
- Garnish the jalapeno peppers with red onion, tomato, and cilantro.
NOTES
Nutrition
Grilled these for movie night. Took a few minutes to get that char on the edges but the inside stayed creamy and satisfying.
I made these for a safe-distance, outdoor gathering this past September 2020. There were only six of us, but I made the recipe exactly as posted (which is supposed to be for sixteen servings.) I was too lazy to do the recipe math to reduce the number of servings, so I thought if people liked them enough they could take home some leftovers.Well, they came out so good that there weren’t any leftovers! I would definitely say that you should allow for each person to have four of these; therefore, this recipe really serves from six to eight people. (And yes, we did have other food at this gathering – but these seemed to be the hit of the party!)
Our group is planning another little outdoor get together for this weekend, and I asked the others what I should bring. Guess what they asked for? LOL!
Hi Len,
Glad your group loved them, we love them too! On your suggestion, I have added this note in the recipe:
These are so good, that you might find your family and friends eating 4 jalapeno halves each and need to adjust the number you make accordingly!
– Linda
This recipe looks great….Would also be good with red cherry peppers….