Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese recipe is like pure comfort food between two slices of bread. This gooey cheese sandwich is jalapeno popper inspired with three kinds of cheese, jalapenos, bacon, and all made on the grill.
The recipe was born out of a need to use up some extra jalapenos that we had in the veggie drawer of the fridge. I thought to myself….hmmm, what can I do with these. This recipe was the result; it came together after a little discussion with my wife, Tara.
I have been making jalapeno poppers for nearly as long as I have been grilling. They are one of our favorite appetizers. When we have a party the jalapeno popper plate is nearly always one of the first ones that are emptied!
And why not, after all, they are super flavourful, what’s not to love? Crispy bacon wrapped around a cream cheese stuffed jalapeno. I mean, come on! All that flavor in one bite, with a little zig of spiciness from the jalapeno!
That is why this jalapeno popper inspired with grilled cheese is pure genius. What’s one of those comfort foods that you used to have growing up? A grilled cheese sandwich, right! I usually had mine with a bowl of tomato soup perfect for dipping!
Ingredients
- Jalapeno peppers
- Cream cheese
- Bacon
- Good bread, sliced
- Butter
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cheddar cheese
What is the best cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches?
You could use whatever cheese you like; I personally like the mozzarella and cheddar combo. Other great choices are pepper jack cheese or even a gouda. You just want to make sure that you are using soft cheese so that when the cheese melts, it is gooey deliciousness! You would not want to use a really hard cheese like halloumi or feta as they don’t melt well. I love them both, but not in my grilled cheese!
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove (3-Piece Set)
Cuisinart Triple Rivet 8″ Bread Knife
Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (12.5 Inch)
How do you make Jalapeno popper grilled cheese?
Making Jalapeno popper grilled cheese is pretty basic, although it does take a little preplanning. Because you have to first prepare and grill the actual jalapeno poppers it’s not as quick as just making a simple grilled cheese.
Start out by cutting your jalapenos peppers in half vertically and remove the seeds and ribs. You may want to wear gloves for this step. If not, don’t touch your face afterward. Fill each half with cream cheese and wrap with a slice of bacon. You will want to secure the bacon with a toothpick to keep it from coming off as you grill the poppers.
Grill the bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers over medium heat until the bacon is cooked. The time it takes for the bacon to cook will vary. Once the bacon is cooked remove the poppers from the grill. It is best to let them cool a bit before handling.
While the jalapeno poppers are cooling you can get your slices of bread ready. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread butter side down. Then place the cheddar cheese on the other side of half the slices and divide the mozzarella between the remaining slices of bread.
Once the jalapeno poppers have cooled carefully slice them up and place them on the shredded mozzarella side of the bread. Carefully lay the cheddar cheese slices and bread over top. Now you are ready to hit the grill and fry these babies up!
Fry them up in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. You want the cheese to melt as the bread turns golden brown so don’t have the temperature too high. If you do, you may burn the bread and not let the cheese have a chance to melt.
Why is Mayo better for grilled cheese?
This is a debate that goes on and on, is mayo better than butter when you are making a grilled cheese sandwich? Maybe I’m a bit of a traditionalist. I have tried both and I prefer butter over mayonnaise. You have to make a choice; I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Because of the time that it takes to make a couple of sandwiches I would recommend making a few more jalapeno poppers. You can always store them in the refrigerator and reheat them the next day. If you have any leftovers, I find that they are usually gone before you know it. Oh, and I’m as guilty as the next person; I just can’t seem to resist those little spicy bites!
Look at that spicy, creamy, cheesy goodness. When I first made this we all loved this sandwich! I got comments like, “This is the best grilled cheese I have ever had!” and “This is one delicious sandwich!” It is a really serious bite. When you eat it you can’t believe how good it tastes!
Look at that! Don’t you wish that it was you that just took a bite out that jalapeno popper grilled cheese sandwich? I know you just want a small bite, just one! You need to get going and make these for your family and friends. They are not going to forgive you if you tell them all about it and don’t make a couple of sandwiches for them!
Here’s a little known fact; national grilled cheese day in the states is April 12. But hey, please don’t wait until April 12, 2021, to make one, do it now, do it today, you know you wanna!
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
Jalapeno Poppers
- 4 jalapenos peppers sliced in half lengthwise seeded and membranes removed
- 4-6 oz. of cream cheese
- 8 slices of bacon
- Aluminum foil
- Toothpicks
Sandwich
- 8 slices bread your choice I like sourdough or Italian
- 2 Tbsp. butter at room temperature
- 1 – 1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese you could use slices if you wish
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 375 degrees F.
- Take a piece of aluminum foil as long as the width of your grill, fold it in half lengthwise and set aside.
- Fill each half jalapeno with cream cheese and wrap each in a slice of bacon. Securing the bacon with a toothpick.
- Place the foil on the grill under the top rack, then place the bacon-wrapped jalapenos on the top rack. The foil will catch the bacon dripping and prevent flare-ups.
- Close the lid and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the bacon is done. Remove the poppers from the grill and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread and place it butter side down on a cutting board.
- Place 2 slices of cheddar on each of 4 slices of bread and evenly divide the mozzarella onto the other 4 slices of bread (using 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cheese per sandwich).
- Remove the toothpicks from the jalapeno poppers and slice each one into 5-6 pieces.
- Evenly divide the sliced jalapeno poppers onto the mozzarella covered slices and combine the slices of bread to form 4 sandwiches.
- Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill or using a griddle, cook the sandwiches until just golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted.
- Serve with dill pickle slices and ketchup for dipping (this is how my daughter likes them!)
[…] all their own, and this recipe is one of the best I have ever had. They are crispy, spicy, and ooey, gooey delicious! The heat is subtle but noticeable at first! The more you eat, the more the heat starts […]