Super Bowl Jalapeno Poppers
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Jalapenos halved and filled with a blend of cream cheese and shredded Monterey Jack, seasoned with cumin and smoked paprika, then baked till gooey. Topped with golden toasted panko breadcrumbs fried in olive oil, sprinkled with crispy chopped turkey bacon. Adjust oven timing by senses not clock. Substituted Monterey Jack for Mexican blend and swapped regular olive oil for avocado oil for better smoke point. Breadcrumbs toasted till light brown and nutty aroma, a sign to pull from heat. Cheese mix chilled briefly before stuffing to hold shape. Bacon cooked till crisp, crumbled over before serving. A little switch but retains punch and texture variety.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
17 min
Total:
29 min
Servings:
6 servings
#snack
#appetizer
#Tex-Mex
#spicy
#cheese
#turkey bacon
Start prepping peppers while oven heats. Seeds and membranes, throw them out or save for spicy disaster experiments. The initial hit? Sharp fresh pepper smell cutting through kitchen. Toasting breadcrumbs is a game changer. Dry breadcrumbs ruin the contrast, oil toast adds deep nuttiness and crunch. Cheese mix needs seasoning so cumin and smoked paprika step in for warmth and earthiness. Tried regular cheddar but jack melts better, making filling gooey not greasy. Turkey bacon crumbled brings smoky salty pop without overpowering. Learned the hard way with crispy bacon strips turning chewy after baking. Timing? Watch cheese bubbles and jalapeno softness, numbers lie. These poppers carry kick, but texture makes them snackable, foolproof if you watch your cues.
Ingredients
- 6 fresh jalapeno peppers halved and seeded
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 slices turkey bacon chopped
About the ingredients
Jalapenos, the bigger ones work better, easier to stuff without breaking skin. Seed removal crucial for balance of heat and eatability, wear gloves or risk pepper burns. Cream cheese must be softened for blending, cold cheese lumps cause uneven stuffing. Monterey Jack chosen over Mexican blend for cleaner melt and subtle flavor; try Pepper Jack for heat tweak. Cumin and smoked paprika not just filler; cumin gives earth, paprika adds subtle smoky warmth that regular paprika misses. Avocado oil swaps olive oil to handle higher heat when toasting breadcrumbs, less burnt flavor, more art. Panko breadcrumbs critical for crunch, regular bread crumbs absorb too much oil, soggy top. Turkey bacon less greasy than pork options, can swap with pancetta or remove for vegetarian twist. Keep toppings last step to keep them crisp.
Method
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- Heat oven to 355 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Warm avocado oil in skillet on medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs. Stir continuously until breadcrumbs turn a light golden brown and smell nutty. Avoid darker shades or it turns bitter. Remove from heat immediately, transfer to a bowl.
- In a bowl, mix softened cream cheese, Monterey Jack, cumin, smoked paprika thoroughly. Chill mixture 5 minutes to firm up for easier stuffing.
- Fill each jalapeno half with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese blend. Do not overstuff or cheese will spill over during baking. Place neatly on prepared sheet.
- Bake 17 minutes, watching for cheese bubbling gently. Edges of jalapeno should slightly soften but hold shape. Avoid overbaking; cheese turns rubbery if left too long.
- Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs and crumbled turkey bacon over poppers while cheese is still molten to aid adhesion.
- Serve hot. Poppers are best eaten within 10 minutes to enjoy contrast of crispy toppings and soft filling.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven to 355 degrees for a tad more heat; ovens vary and a few extra degrees help crisp tops without drying out cheese. Lining pan with parchment saves cleanup and prevents sticking, also helps with flipping if needed. Toast breadcrumbs in a pan on medium heat, must stir constantly for even color and to avoid bitter burnt spots; smell is a key indicator once nutty, pull immediately. Cheese mix benefits from brief chilling to help it firm so stuffing is easier and filling stays put during baking. Fill peppers with measured spoonfuls to avoid overflow. Baking time not set in stone; watch cheese bubbles and jalapeno skin texture, slightly softened but firm to touch is the signal to stop. Adding breadcrumbs and bacon immediately out of oven lets melted cheese glue toppings in place. Eat them while toppings remain crispy, reheating ruins crunch. Experiment with different smoked spices or swap bacon with toasted nuts for crunchy twist. A good popper comes from balancing heat, texture, and timing — not just ingredients.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Breadcrumbs toast fast once oil heats. Stir constantly, smell shifts to nutty quick. Pull right as color hits light golden, not a shade darker. Bitter hits too fast otherwise. Use avocado oil for higher smoke point, olive oil burns off flavor, changes crunch feel.
- 💡 Cheese mix chills 5 minutes easy step, not optional if you want less mess. Softer cheese struggles to hold shape, stuffing spreads. Blend cumin and smoked paprika good here; cumin earth, paprika smoky but light, adds more than flavor. Skip paprika, lose that subtle layer.
- 💡 Jalapenos vary in size; bigger ones handle stuffing better, less likely to break skin. Gloves mandatory during seeding unless you want burning hands later. Seed removal reduces heat balance but keeps poppers edible. Overstuffing cheese? Melts out fast, messy, watch measured spoonfuls carefully.
- 💡 Bacon choice matters; turkey bacon less greasy keeps the topping crispy after baking. Regular bacon strips get chewy fast under heat. Pancetta alternative, toss with breadcrumbs for extra crunch. Add toppings immediately after oven while cheese still molten, acts like glue.
- 💡 Oven temp and time depend on your gear; watch for cheese bubbles that swell and roll, jalapeno edges soften but aren’t floppy. Numbers lie, senses don’t. Toasted breadcrumbs aroma signals pull from heat. Eat within 10 minutes tops or risk soggy crunch, reheating kills texture.
Common questions
How to know when breadcrumbs are done?
Smell nutty, watch color, light golden only. Stir nonstop. Too dark means bitter fast. Oil temp critical, avocado oil holds steady better than olive oil here.
Can I use other cheeses?
Monterey Jack melts clean, cheddar greasier, messier. Pepper Jack adds heat tweak. Skip cheese chilling? Stuffing harder, messier. Mix spices for balance; cumin and smoked paprika not just filler.
Why do poppers get rubbery cheese?
Overbake most common culprit. Cheese bubbles should just rise, not burn. Jalapeno skin slightly softened but firm—test texture. Pull immediately when cues hit, timing’s flexible but senses needed.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate in sealed container. Reheat quick in oven or toaster oven for best re-crisp. Microwave kills crunch, makes topping soggy. Breadcrumbs lose texture fast stored, better fresh but still edible after a day.
