The only thing humans love more than spicy fare (why else would we breed spicy peppers like the newly crowned hottest pepper in the world, Pepper X?) is cheesy comfort food, such as grilled cheese sandwiches. Knowing this, it only makes sense to adultify this childhood favorite by stuffing it full of one of America’s most beloved bar snacks: Jalapeño poppers. Traditionally made by dolloping savory cheese inside raw jalapeños and roasting them until charred on the outside and gooey on the inside, it’s as though these spicy poppers were practically made to pair with a classic grilled cheese.
Of course, unlike topping your grilled cheese with salty pickles, the process of making one of these indulgent delights is a little bit more complex, and there are a few ways you can do it. The first way involves preparing jalapeño poppers, slicing them, and placing them inside the grilled cheese between several slices of cheddar to give your sandwich a spicy center. This technique is also great for using up leftover jalapeño poppers and offers a delicious way to prevent food waste.
The second way you can assemble this grilled cheese is to use the components of the poppers instead of whole stuffed jalapeños. After adding a little shredded cheese to your popper stuffing, it’s easy to assemble your grilled cheese as normal. As for the peppers themselves, you can roast them first, or mince and add them raw for a more intense flavor.
Variations of a perfect jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwich
Though even the most basic jalapeño popper grilled cheese with white bread, mild cheddar, and thawed poppers is undeniably delicious, there are as many ways to customize this recipe as there are variations of both grilled cheese and spicy poppers. Try swapping classic white bread for tangy sourdough, zingy seeded rye, or earthy pumpernickel. Bonus points if you find a sliceable loaf studded with additional spicy peppers, cheese, garlic, or other savory additions.
The second thing to consider is your choice of cheese. Using pepper jack instead of regular cheddar not only increases the spice factor, but also melts beautifully for a delectably gooey end result. If you’re looking for a true flavor bomb, you can also swap plain cream cheese for your favorite flavor, such as onion and chives, garlic, or even lox if you’re feeling feisty. Additionally, toasting your sandwich in an air fryer produces crisp, delicious results with a lot less cleanup than you’d have using the conventional pan and spatula method.
The final thing to consider when putting your grilled cheese together is add-ins. Of course, you’ll be using jalapeños, but using pickled slices instead of roasting them not only saves time but also adds a bright, briny piquancy. Crispy, crumbled bacon provides rich meatiness to cut through the spice. Blue cheese crumbles also tame the heat while elevating the savory creaminess of your cheese choices and the zing from the jalapeños.
