Jalapeno Popper Dip


So…I kind of had something else planned for this post. It was slightly experimental…slightly disastrous picture-wise and didn’t taste as good as I remembered it. I was racking my brain for manly appetizers and was about to resign myself to bruschetta with “Who Dat?” toothpick banners (let’s not mock here) when, out of the blue, I remembered this easy, spicy, cheesy, completely addictive (and banner-free) dip or spread.

You’re definitely not going to be wasting your entire day in the kitchen getting this stuff ready. Probably the most time-consuming task is slicing the bread. The other thing is that it’s CHEAP! You probably already have half of the stuff on hand and the rest of it is unlikely to cost you more than a couple of bucks.

mix up some softened cream cheese, parmesan cheese, mayo, and garlic
 
 

Once it’s stirred, add in some green chilies and jalapenos

A completely optional addition is crumbled bacon, which gives it that bacon-wrapped-jalapeno-popper taste.

If you do decide to use bacon, just save a few tablespoons to sprinkle on top, and stir the rest in.

That’s it!  Spread in a baking dish and bake.

The ingredients might sound weird, and the mixture might not knock your socks off before you’ve cooked it, but once it’s hot and bubbly and cheesey, I’d love to see you try and stop eating it once you’ve started…

(shown above without bacon)
Jalapeno popper dip spread on slices of baguette.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

5 from 22 votes
This creamy dip has as much of a jalapeno kick as you like! Perfect with crackers, tortilla chips, or crostini.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings20 (1/4 cup) servings

Ingredients

  • 2 8- ounce packages cream cheese softened (light works great)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise light also works here, but DON’T use Miracle Whip!
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
  • 1 4- ounce can fire roasted green chilies
  • ½-1 4- ounce can diced jalapeno peppers, drained ½ can is mild with a little bite, a whole can is definitely on the spicy side, but if you’ve got taste buds of steel, you might prefer a 7-ounce can. 4 ounces definitely pushes the limit for my husband and I and our kids won’t touch it.
  • 8 ounces bacon cooked and crumbled, optional
  • 1-2 sourdough baguettes sliced, a bag of tortilla chips, and/or crackers

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. If using bacon, reserve 2-3 tablespoons and sprinkle on top of dip before baking. Combine cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, and garlic and stir until smooth. Add jalapenos and green chilies. If using bacon, stir in remaining bacon.
  • Spread dip into a 9″ pie plate or a small baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bacon if using. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until dip is bubbly and golden brown.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 202kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 497mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 334IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Course: Appetizers, Snacks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Jalapeno Popper Dip
Calories: 202kcal
Cost: $12
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
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Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite RecipesSavoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting MagazineBetter Homes & GardensFine CookingThe Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

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Questions & Reviews

  1. Could this be made ahead? I want to make it tomorrow, but I'm wondering if I could mix it all up and put it in the fridge for a few (4ish) hours before baking. What do you think?

  2. Katie–if you don't use mayo, you'll need something else. If you prefer Miracle Whip, try that. If you don't like mayo or Miracle Whip, you might want to try sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.

    Hope that helps! 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    I made this for a New Year's Eve get together and the leftovers were such a hit with my family they had me make an entire new batch the next day.
    Thanks!

  4. Stef–This is the million dollar question! 🙂 I honestly don't know, especially after it's been cooked. The cream cheese says on the packaging not to freeze it, but I'm thinking the mayo probably stabilizes the cream cheese. However, after the cheese has been melted in the dip, it may not reheat particularly well. I'll have to try it so I can have a definitive answer because this is a question we get a LOT! 🙂

    1. Do not freeze AFTER cooking…not good! However, my husband and I have found that we will split a batch before making it and freeze one half of it and just eat the other half. PLENTY for us. Freezes well and bakes just fine. Can either throw in over frozen or let it thaw some.

  5. 5 stars
    Are you able to freeze this after it's cooked? I made some last night and it was great, but there is a lot left over and I don't want to throw it away (or eat it all)!
    Thanks!

  6. Andujar family–Yep, this travels really well! You could even leave it unbaked and then cook it when you arrive at your location.

    Hope that helps!

  7. Does this travel well? I have to drive 45 min to my in laws. Will this taste good?

  8. 5 stars
    I am sold on your blog after trying this recipe out. It was the hit of the SuperBowl Party. Thank you